pops concerts: scowl or raise your eyebrows re. more bloke-opinions

[bloke]

Things I know:

Other classical music instrumentalists keep their mouths shut and show ostensible respect, but quietly chuckle at
- much of our sonata/concerto/single-movement solo repertoire (as well as how our transcriptions of other instruments' solo works "come off")
- our audition excerpt lists
- (re: those who serve on audition committees) the percentage of players who show up at auditions playing our (not particularly difficult, it seems to them) excerpts with not-good time nor tuning, and not even to mention lack of phrasing

Most of our symphonic literature is (ok: "should be") easy for us to play, but/and we tend to tilt our noses upward when hired/assigned to perform "important" classical works (which - at least 98% - are memorable due to what all of the other instruments are assigned to do in those works).

Newer/better-written orchestral pops arrangements (including those written to back up cover bands) are becoming more-and-more sophisticated, include more-and-more of the recognizable melodies in the orchestral parts including melodies, bass lines, and counter-melodies than in past decades (ie. not just the orchestra sustaining "donuts"), and there is a tendency for there to be far more "to" more recently-arranged covers and medleys.

When I play pops concerts, I typically play geometrically more "notes" and "licks" (including "licks" which are just a bit more than so-called "reads"...ie. "reads" - pronounced "reeds" - being simply parts which are sight-read just as well as they end up ultimately being performed, due to their very rudimentary nature) as compared to so-called "classical" concerts, and this includes solo passages, as well as some nice sections which feature and draw-attention-to the low brass.

I'm getting to the point where I don't particularly yearn/look-forward-to "classical" concerts (as contrasted with/opposed to) "pops" concerts.

I'm playing Don Juan, in a week or so...I'd probably personally prefer to repeat the "spy movies" themed pops concert from a couple of weeks ago.

[Canadian_tubist]

I sing in the chorus with my local symphony, standing just above and behind the low brass, so I hear them quite well. There was a concert in 2024 around Christmas where they did pines of Rome, something else and a bunch of Christmas carols arranged for orchestra. In the arrangements it was quite nice to hear the tuba playing almost all the time instead of counting rests, and I agree that this seems a nice benefit of pops arrangements.

[russiantuba]

These “pops” and film concert series are often, when I sub in, one rehearsal and nothing feels totally comfortable because the parts are basically what our strings have in a classical series. Sometimes they have been the same day as the rehearsal. The brass are a bit tired to say the least!

These have greater crowds too.

I’m starting to see more film music pop up on auditions. One audition that is slated for this weekend has the “Jaws” suite, St. Louis I believe had John Williams “Cowboys”, and I think one of the Houston sublist calls had the Star Wars Suite.

I want to bring up in terms of solo repertoire, the Met Opera audition used a Snedecor etude and the John Williams Concerto. I have always felt the RVW was asked because it was the first by a major composer. I think the John Williams is a much better test of the musician, their control, and musicality.

[Wally]

I have played tuba and double bass in various school, community, and semi-professional orchestras throughout my “career” (I’m a retired school band director). For a period of years I was part of no ensemble. When I decided to make a comeback I concentrated on bass so that I could play more repertoire and count fewer rests. I now play with two very good community orchestras on bass, a very good concert band on tuba, and a decent brass band on EEb. It’s a happy retirement! I fully understand what you are saying.

[Three Valves]

I actually prefer to play concert marches for a similar reason.

And I don’t mind oompa oompa so long as there are a few runs and features mixed in.

[bloke]

I actually prefer to play concert marches for a similar reason.

And I don’t mind oompa oompa so long as there are a few runs and features mixed in.

I'm pretty sure that JP Sousa played most of his very popular marches in concerts, and were absolutely embraced (by his fans, who viewed his band just as fans of rock stars view those bands today) as "concert" marches.