Наш коллега Chuck Guzis (США) занимается оркестровками русской духовой музыки для американских оркестров. Я попросил Чака объяснить специфику аранжировки для американского духового оркестра. Привожу в оригинале фрагмент его письма. Чака интересует мнение русских аранжировщиков: "Please feel free to publish my note on your forum! I am eager to hear what other Russian musicians think. In particular, I would like to know their favorite works for band".В качестве примера Чак предлагает свою аранжировку
Старинного марша И. Чернецкого инстрементовки Г. Пучкова.I will do my best to explain US wind band instrumentation differences from your Russian bands. Many bands add extra instruments if a work requires them and I will point out where this is common. In the following, I am referring to distinct instrumental parts, not actual instrumentation (it is very common in larger bands to have several of the same instrument on the same part):
US bands have a piccolo and two flutes, with separate parts written for each instrument--the piccolo does not simply double the first flute an octave higher. (we seem to have an abundance of flute players in this country--indeed, I'm married to one).
The oboe is used; in some rare works, two are called for. A bassoon (fagot) is used; rarely, some work will ask for two.
Like your bands, we have three clarinets in B-flat, but also employ the bass clarinet in B-flat. Some works will ask for soprano clarinet in E-flat or contrabass clarinet in B-flat, but this is uncommon.
Saxophones are similar; two altos and a tenor. But we also use a baritone saxophone (saxophone players also seem to occur in great abundance here).
Three trumpet parts are usually written, although occasionally a fourth is used. Rarely are cornets required; if so, they are played instead of trumpets; that is, there are no musicians who play cornet only. It is not uncommon to simply play cornet parts on trumpet.
Four French horns (waldhorn) in F parts are usual, though in small bands or school bands only two may be required.
The E-flat alto horn is not used at all.
Three trombones are used, as in your bands and it is not uncommon for a bass trombone to be added as a fourth.
Tenor horns in B-flat are not used at all. One (or sometimes two) euphoniums are used for the "baritone" part.
Tuba in B-flat is the custom. Some bands will add one tuba in E-flat though this is rare. Thus, it is increasingly the custom to write a single, non-divisi bass line. (As a tuba player, I think this is criminal). In any case, we notate tuba parts as you do, with the F-clef in C.
Percussion tends to be larger and more varied than the Russian band. Timpani are used, as are the pitched instruments such as xylophone, vibraphone and marimba. It is usual to have parts for four players, though I have seen works that require more than ten. Modern works seem to require more percussion than older works.
Some bands employ a string contrabass (double-bass), though it is rarely required.
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I also play in a UK-style brass band. This is a strange animal--the number of musicians is strictly limited to 24 or 25 and percussion and the instrumentation is firmly fixed, both by part and instrument. I will use the common US instrument names as they are more similar to the Russian names than the terms used in the UK:
A single E-flat soprano cornet .
4 solo cornets in B-flat.
1 repiano cornet in B-flat.
2 second cornets in B-flat.
2 third cornets in B-flat.
1 Flugelhorn in B-flat.
3 alto horns in E-flat.
2 tenor horns in B-flat.
2 euphonium in B-flat.
2 trombones.
1 bass trombone.
2 tubas in E-flat.
2 tubas in B-flat.
Percussion
Such a band writes in transposed G-clef for all instruments, with the single exception of the bass trombone, which is written in F-clef in C. Even the tubas read transposed parts in B-flat and E-flat. No trumpets or French horns (waldhorns) are used.
I have considered transcribing some of the Russian marches for UK-style brass band, but the task is more difficult, given the limited instrumentation.
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I hope that I haven't made things too confusing with my poor explanation.
I would like to transcribe more Russian band music for our US bands. I would be very interested to learn of your favorite works and recommendations.
I agree with you that S. Chernetsky has written some wonderful marches. I would like to try his "Марш гвардейцев-минометчиков" for a concert in the summer.
Agan, many thanks for your web site! You are doing great work in preserving music that would otherwise be forgotten.
Best wishes,
Chuck