browsing past a few amateur/student brass quintets on youtube...

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bloke
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browsing past a few amateur/student brass quintets on youtube...

Post by bloke »

It occurred to me that there is a tendency - in small brass ensembles, when playing fast pieces or fast movements - to hurry through the last measure.

This is not necessary, is anticlimactic, and just a bit disturbing.

I’ve also noticed that the last note in fast movements or pieces tends to get “whacked“ - as if a stinger at the end of some American march. I’m thinking that this isn’t always necessary, and that sometimes the last two or three notes in a fast movement can diminish a bit, as sounds best with - just as an example – Tchaikovsky‘s “Waltz of the Flowers“ (as flowers typically aren’t imagined as “whacking“ anything).
European musicians refer to that as a “feminine“ ending.

I'm not lecturing anyone... :teeth:

Rather, I'm going to realize these as brass chamber ensembles’ tendencies, and - maybe - try to monitor these tendency in performances with which I'm involved.
Last edited by bloke on Mon May 03, 2021 5:11 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: browsing past a few amateur/student brass quintets on youtube...

Post by Estubist »

I agree. But "feminine"? :huh:
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bloke (Sun May 02, 2021 12:10 pm)
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Re: browsing past a few amateur/student brass quintets on youtube...

Post by bloke »

Estubist wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 11:42 am I agree. But "feminine"? :huh:
' not my term.
Though you're in Europe, and I'm not...I've ONLY heard that term used by European-trained musicians (conductors/music directors).

It's certainly not "derogatory"; it implies "more subtle"..."unlike a bull in a china shop"...etc. :thumbsup:
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Estubist (Sun May 02, 2021 12:14 pm)
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Re: browsing past a few amateur/student brass quintets on youtube...

Post by Three Valves »

I can’t wait for all of Europe to rid itself of gendered grammar. :laugh:
Last edited by Three Valves on Mon May 03, 2021 7:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: browsing past a few amateur/student brass quintets on youtube...

Post by P@rick »

bloke wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 12:12 pm
Estubist wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 11:42 am I agree. But "feminine"? :huh:
' not my term.
Though you're in Europe, and I'm not...I've ONLY heard that term used by European-trained musicians (conductors/music directors).

It's certainly not "derogatory"; it implies "more subtle"..."unlike a bull in a china shop"...etc. :thumbsup:
I agree also...but feminine...those Europeans ;-)
It could be a literal translation of a word which has in fact another meaning. For example "damenhaft" (German) is literally "ladylike" or "feminine", but the actual meaning of "damenhaft" is civilized. "Civilized ending" makes sense in this case.

This is however not the topic of this post. The explanation about the "tendency" with fast movements is explained very well and recognizable...I will try to do my best to improve myself :laugh: :tuba:
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Estubist (Mon May 03, 2021 9:13 am)
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