funerals

sean007r · Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 11:33 am Post subject:

I've got a CRAZY idea and I hope no one steals it, but feel free to use it if you don't leave around the Metro Detroit area....

I'm reading the biography of Louis Armstrong and now have a strong urge to play at funerals. However, I'm not talking TAPS here.

I don't know if they have an official name, but they are actual funeral parades.

I assume the music would be Dixieland style, but just wanted to know if anyone here knows for sure...

1.) What would you call this type of ensemble?
2.) What is traditionally played for this style?
3.) Is there a "book" published for this ensemble?
4.) How many pieces/parts make a traditional ensemble?
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Sean
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dawnfrenzy · Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 7:00 pm Post subject:

I know that in a small Brass ensemble (2 trumpets, french horn, trombone, tuba), a closer walk, sounds absoloutly awesome (and it was actually used at funerals). And the great thing is that with this song in particular it is so easy to just change the temp and feel and suddenly the song can change from completely saddening to joyiously exuberant. Go through all the old New orleans favourites and see if you can just change a couple things like tempo, dynamics, adding and taking away staccato etc.
feel free to do want you want with it (up to certain limit of course) and see what you can do with it.

_PhilPicc · Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 7:31 pm Post subject:

Hey sean007r,

I won't steal it from you although I've already done it. They are a lot of fun under the circumstances. On second though they are just flat fun.

QuadC gave you three great pieces which are probably the most popular.

Playing Dixie is all about feeling the music and the mood and really just having fun with the situation in this case.

There is no standard Wake instrumentation to my knowledge. Besides the brass, a bassdrum, saxes, clarinets definately can add to the mix.

Just remember slow to the grave and kick ass to the wake.

Enjoy,
Phil
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Philip Satterthwaite

We cannot expect you to be with us all the time, but perhaps you could be good enough to keep in touch now and again."
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Nicholas Dyson · Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 12:02 am Post subject:

edtaylor · Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 6:23 am Post subject:

The only time I saw it done happened to be in an early 007 movie. It took me by surprise when the mood and tempo changed, but I thought it was awesome.
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Ed Taylor . . . a Messianic gentile

sean007r · Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2002 12:54 pm Post subject:

SHS_Trumpet · Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2002 8:24 am Post subject:

The people around here are to uptight but It is a good Idea and I told my friends I want something similar at my funeral. I was thinking if they could gather all the students I teach long term and have them play my favorite sad trumpet solo Tis the last rose of summer.
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Andrew Fowler
MYNWA
"90% of trumpet music is below high C"

kzem · Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2002 12:04 pm Post subject:

I remember one time in school, a woman with advanced terminal cancer hired a quintet to play a short, solemn hymn followed by a bunch of lively, fun dixieland music for a graveside service. Apparently, it was a joke, and didn't tell any members of her family. The quintet didn't know this, and got all sorts of glances and gasps as they broke into the dixieland stuff.

Kurt Z.