Topic: Pedagogy - Instrumental Harmony
Vocal music groups were divided into four parts depending on their ranges, and often sang chords. Instrumental groups were divided into three sections depending on their homophonic function. First chair trumpets and first chair clarinets were given the melody, and all the other reeds and trumpets were assigned harmony that usually was based on chords. The remaining brass tended to play sustaining tones in concert bands and rhythm in marching units.
Beginning band books rarely mentioned the third function. Most included duets, but only Joseph Maddy’s original band book, [1] Essential Elements, and Visual Band Method, included three-part harmony, and it only showed two of the parts in its trumpet book. [2] Others may, in fact, in have used full orchestrations in their concert pieces, but individual instrument books only showed one part.
Both editions of Essential Elements used "Kumbaya" as its only example of a trio. The first trumpet played the melody, and the second played a third below. The third trumpet played a monotone series for the first line, went down the scale on the second, returned to beginning note for the third line, and played low notes in the fourth. The three parts moved as a chord throughout.
The editors suggested the young musician "practice this trio with two other players and listen for the 3-part harmony." In fact, few students were ambitious enough to get together outside class and play together. Practice was a solitary business, which LeeAnn Leon solved by overdubbing herself playing three parts of some trio version.
For rhythm, marching bands relied on sousaphones to mark the tempo with a loud "oomp" at the beginnings of measures. Other rhythmic brass instruments played the offbeats, either the "pa" of an "oomp-pa-oomp-pa" march or the "pa pa" of a waltz.
Fred Weber set the melody of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" to an "Ooompah March" that either played the second and fourth beats or the second, third, and fourth beats on page 13. He followed that by pairing the "Carnival of Venice" with "Hear that German Band" on page 18. One group played the down beats in the waltz, and the two others played chords on the off beats. [3]
Andrew Balent introduced the rhythm parts even earlier than Weber. His fourth lesson included a "Band Class Waltz." After more exercises that had a melody, down beat, and two-part off beat, he included a few pieces with a melody accompanied by sustained notes. [4]. His final concert pieces revealed the third formula assigned to brass players: playing nothing for long periods of time. [5]
The difference between the concert band ideal of most beginning band books and the marching band reality only appeared in method books written by men who had directed public school bands: Weber in Michigan City, Indiana; [6] John McEntyre in Odessa, Texas; [7] and Andrew Balent in small and large cities in Michigan. [8]
The variations in scope found in band books may have flowed from the differences in philosophy mentioned in the post for 1 August 2018, but the more fundamental reason may have been beginning instruction manuals were supposed to train everyone at the same time to become proficient in playing tones and durations. Relegating some to rhythm or passive harmonic parts defeated that purpose.
John O’Reilly suggested another motive: the need to keep youngsters interested while they were undergoing the ordeal of learning an instrument. He said his co-author for Accent on Achievement,
"would play through each of the student’s parts to make sure everything was playable and interesting. At some point in every Mark Williams piece everyone gets to play the melody." [9]
Performers
Essential Elements for B-flat trumpet
Vocal Soloist: none
Vocal Group: none
Instrumental Soloist: B-flat trumpet
Instrumental Accompaniment: B-flat trumpet
Rhythm Accompaniment: none
LeeAnn Leon
Vocal Soloist: none
Vocal Group: none
Instrumental Soloist: B-flat trumpet
Instrumental Accompaniment: B-flat trumpet overdubbed
Rhythm Accompaniment: none
Credits
Essential Elements for B-flat trumpet
African Spiritual
Notes on Lyrics
There were none
Notes on Music
Essential Elements, B-flat trumpet
Opening Phrase: 1-3-5
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: moderato
Key Signature: one flat
Basic Structure: one iteration
Ending: last measures changed from mezzo forte to pianissimo
Harmonic Structure: triads
LeeAnn Leon
Opening Phrase: 1-3-5
Tempo: she wrote "It was kind of hard because most of the time, the sound bytes weren’t in sync and stuff so I had to use a metronome."
Basic Structure: trio based on The Seekers’ version
Notes on Performance
LeeAnn Leon
Occasion: She wrote on YouTube: "one hot day I was very bored so I decided to record myself playing ‘Kum Bah Yah’." Only a graphic title was shown with the video.
Notes on Performers
Leon was part of the Griffiths Middle School Advanced band in Downey, California, when she uploaded her video. [10] She since has graduated from California State University-Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies. She said her immediate goal was to work in brand management in the entertainment industry. [11] She also indicated she still recorded "music in my free time." [12]
Essential Elements grew out of a series produced in 1991 by a Texas band teacher, Tom Rhodes. [13] When the new standards went into effect, Hal Leonard Corporation added professional educators to the editorial committee to produce its new band music series in 1999. They worked directly for Leonard and had been involved with college band programs. [14]
Availability
Essential Elements for B-flat trumpet
Book: "Kum Bah Yah." 19 in Essential Elements. Book 1. Bb Trumpet. Edited by Tom C. Rhodes, Don Bierschenk, and Tim Lautzenheiser. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1991. Books also were produced for oboe, flute, various clarinets, various saxophones, bassoon, French horn, alto horn, baritone horn, trombone, various tubas, and percussion.
Book: "Kum Bah Yah." 15 in Essential Elements 2000. Book 1. Bb Trumpet. Edited by Tim Lautzenheiser, Tom C. Rhodes, Don Bierschenk, and three others. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1999. Books also were produced for oboe, flute, various clarinets, various saxophones, bassoon, French horn, baritone horn, trombone, tuba, guitar, electric bass, percussion with keyboard percussion, and piano.
LeeAnn Leon
YouTube: "Kum Bah Yah Trumpet Trio - LeeDaBandGeek. Uploaded by LeeAnn Leon on 19 May 2008.
End Notes
1. Joseph E. Maddy and Thaddeus P. Giddings. Universal Teacher. Cornet or Trumpet. Elkhart, Indiana: C. G. Conn, Ltd., 1923.
2. Vernon Leidig and Lennie Niehaus. Visual Band Method. Book 1. Bb Trumpet (Cornet). Norwalk, California: Highland Etling Publishing, 1964.
3. Fred Weber. First Division Band Method. Part One. Bb Cornet (Trumpet). First Division Publishing Corporation, 1962.
4. Andrew Balent. Sounds Spectacular. Book 1. Trumpet (Cornet). New York: Carl Fischer, 1991. "Planting Cabbages appeared on page 15; "Vesper Hymn" was on page 17.
5. Balent. "Folk Spectacular," on page 30, had eight measures of rests followed by three measures of rests. "Sippin’ Cider," on page 31, had three measures of rest for the trumpets.
6. For more on Weber, see the post for 27 June 2018.
7. Harry H. Haines and J. R. McEntyre. Division of Beat. Book 1, Cornet/Trumpet, Baritone TC. San Antonio: Southern Music Company, 1980. For more on McEntyre, see the post for 22 July 2018.
8. Balent graduated from the University of Michigan, then worked in New Haven from 1956 to 1960. After earning his masters from Michigan in 1960, he worked in elementary and middle schools in Utica from 1960 to 1962 and Fitzgerald from 1962 to 1986. ("Andrew Balent." World Biographical Encyclopedia Prabook website.) All the schools were in Macomb County, north of Detroit; Fitzgerald was a district within the city of Warren.
9. John O’Reilly. Quoted by "A Tribute: Mark Williams." Choral Director website. 11 March 2008. Accent on Achievement
was discussed in the post for 26 August 2018.
10. "LeeAnn Leon." YouTube page.
11. "LeeAnn Leon." LinkedIn.
12. "LeeAnn Leon." Way Up website.
13. "Tom Rhodes." Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame website. He played clarinet and saxophone in high school, then taught at schools in Kenedy, Marfa, and Fredricksburg. Only later did he work for the University of Texas Longhorn Band. The website also included information on Don Bierschenk, who was a music salesman.
14. "About Tim Lautzenheiser." Attitude Concepts website. He taught at Northern Michigan University, the University of Missouri, and New Mexico State University.
Biographies of Paul Lavender and John Higgins on Hal Leonard website. Lavender was a graduate assistant at Central Michigan Univeristy. Higgens arranged music of the University of Michigan marching band.
"Charles T. Menghini, President." VanderCook College of Music website. He was band director at VanderCook College of Music. Before that, he had taught at high schools in Missouri and Kansas.
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