Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
The history of brass bands dates back as far as the early 19th Century, when a number of
technological and social changes produced a new kind of ensemble which proved to be popular
with performers and audiences alike
Before roughly 1830, brass instruments were not commonly played outside of orchestras, and the
existing horns, trumpets, and cornets had a huge limitation: without a viable system of keys or
valves they were limited to playing only the harmonic series of notes dictated by the length of
their tubing. Trombones, of course, got around this problem by adjusting the length of the tubing
with their slide, but woodwind instruments such as flutes and clarinets, which could play every
note in their range through the use of keys along their length, were used far more commonly in
the bands of the day.
Brass Bands find Renewed Popularity with over 100 in the U.S.
In the past few decades, however, brass bands have begun to rebound here in America. Popular
with brass musicians because they get to play more challenging and extensive parts, they are also
popular with audiences who appreciate the unique and dynamic music that brass bands make.
There are over 100 active brass bands in the U.S. today, including many in the larger British
tradition and others in the smaller style common during the Civil War era. That brass bands persist
to this day is a testament to their continued vibrancy and vitality as skilled and entertaining
ensembles.