Reprinted with permission from the Summer 2016 issue of the California Music Educators Association Magazine.
I believe there is a missing link with pre-high school concert band literature, or more attention is needed to produce better instruction and performances with slow, ballad and chorale type band literature for middle school ensembles. I have been a CMEA adjudicator for about ten years now and have listened to many elementary, middle school, and high school concert bands during the busy month of March every year. CMEA music festivals are statewide through March, and of course, some in the month of April. But the problem that I witness every year at festivals is the slower, ballads and chorale pieces that are played too fast, with wrong articulation,and, sometimes, too loud. Unfortunately, some ensembles don’t even include a slow piece in their program, which just brings an absence to the program repertoire. Please bear with me now, I’m basically just talking about some groups, not all middle school bands.
When I hear a slower ballad-type piece at festival, usually the second piece in a normal three-song program, I really want to hear something that will move me and to relay some emotion to all who are listening. And it can be done.
If you pick a selection that is marked 76mm, don’t play it 96mm–104mm, or a piece marked 84mm and play it 108mm– 112mm plus. In fact, practice the piece 10 to 20 BPM (beats per minute) slower to have students really feel the reduced tempo over and over again, and then you can make the move to the requested marking, or play it a little less than suggested. Too many songs are just played too quickly. Right after your first number which is usually a march or an up-tempo piece, students need to completely relax into a different mood (think soft), change your tonguing style and position, and let yourself really experience a soothing and a laid-back tempo. The mood has to change! I’ve seen and heard too many groups keep the same items that it takes to play a “march” or faster tune to the second number that doesn’t use them. This includes articulation.
A softer “d”-type tonguing needs to be used, not “t” tonguing which I hear too many times. Young students can usually slur and “t-tongue,” and legato is the one articulation that is hard for them to understand and play. If there is difficulty with this activity, have them slur these passages first. The process from slurring to a legato tongue will come much easier for them later. Band members need to not use any kind of edge or attack on notes in a ballad type arrangement. It just doesn’t work.
Now we come to phrasing/breathing. If you don’t say or teach young musicians anything about this and really express the issue, then students will breathe anytime they feel the need That is something that I hear way too many times. It becomes a convenient action. Taking a breath under a slur mark is a big no-no and we all know that, but you really have to teach and stress this because it’s being done more than we think. Four-bar phrasing is where I really see and hear this problem. Students, with proper breath control, can get accustomed to this with the proper training. Usually we see a four-bar phrase with a breath by many students after only two measures, this can and should be changed. If you work with them on breathing correctly and taking a breath after a phrase, they will do it!
I worked with an ensemble a few weeks ago where the slur mark was over four measures – one long phrase. I saw many taking a breath after two bars, some after only one bar, but no one for the full length. After working with them about air intake and making it last for four measures, it was done, and they were smiling. Also make sure that all musicians don’t take their breath too early leaving “gaps” at the end of the phrase. Convenient breathing has to change in order to make the song sound full and connected. It makes such a big difference, so work on this with your students. It will sound so much fuller and smoother.
Other items I need to mention are the ritardando and allargando markings in a ballad, which usually have a crescendo followed by a fermata and/or luftpause. This really needs attention by many bands. These are areas in the music that are played too quickly and with little change in the tempo or dynamics. Don’t treat them as an obstacle or interference. Play them with heart and compassion. If properly performed, the ritardando coming into a fermata can be the super dramatic part of the piece. So, stretch-out and bring the crescendo to a peak, not quickly but very slow, and hold-out the fermata for a respectful length. It just makes sense and will definitely enhance your music.
Balance is also very important. It’s so easy for the brass and percussion to dominate a piece of this type. Brass and percussion players need to really listen to the woodwinds, especially the flutes and clarinets and make sure that they can hear them. It is so easy to play over them, when indeed they should be performing under them. This has been a continuous problem with so many groups. The director needs to sometimes stand back and listen to the group more often from a distance. You will hear things, especially balance, that don’t seem to be a problem when they are on the podium right in front of the band.
Unfortunately, there are middle school ensembles who completely avoid the slower, chorale/ballad type literature. Why, I’m not really sure. Maybe they feel it doesn’t excite the audience or adjudicators that much because it’s usually an easier piece to play including many sustained notes and simpler rhythms. But believe me; you can spend a lot of time working on a ballad type arrangement trying to engage all of the elements listed above which so many young musicians absolutely need.
So, let’s review what I wrote about and the suggestions made:
• To include a ballad or chorale type (slow) piece in your festival program.
• Playing the arrangement close (on the slower side) to the MM / BPM tempo marking, but never faster.
• To train your musicians on proper breathing/phrasing, and to refrain from convenient breathing.
• Taking away the t-tongue or placing emphasis on each note when there is a slur or legato marking.
• To stretch-out a ritardando or allargando marking, and to bring a highlight to the crescendo leading to a fermata sign; very relaxed and never rushed.
• And, to really listen to your section to make sure that you don’t break the balance with other instrumental sections.
Many band directors record their groups periodically, but especially before festival and/or for a concert. If you don’t record your bands, try to find a way to do so. You will hear things that you didn’t realize or know were happening. All of the items that I mentioned in this article will surface when listening, both good and bad, making it easier for you to fix. Also don’t listen to your recording just once, but at least twice. You will always pickup on something different the second time around. And of course, have your score laid out with your notepad when you listen back.
A music educator since 1969, Bill Ingram is a California Music Educators Association Hall of Fame Award recipient.
