Polka and Fugue from the Opera "Schwanda the Bagpiper"

[wwegirl9914]

My high school band is playing it, I hate it. ughhh

[TBDBITL7879L1]

To all the self-appointed critics. Opinions are like . . . never mind, you get the picture. Okay, so maybe it's not as "good" as your group "did it." This attitude of "if you can't do something well, don't do it" is BS. There's been a general decline in many school programs because directors don't program risky or challenging music. This safe, cautious approach has a trickle up effect, particularly felt in smaller college programs. It's better to challenge and fall short than to dilute content.

[xLesPaulGibsonx]

Middle school?

[Ale6301]

Wow. This is pretty bad. Tuning and tempos were all over the place. Never quite locked in.

[daeviydt]

This _is_ a great piece... But I have a feeling that the lack of dynamic contrast comes a lot from the recording -- which is very very very flat, it's just a jumble of notes.

[jv2jfo]

This is college?

[maltiskisokol]

So what if its out of tune!

Arent Bagpipes always out of tune??

There is a vulgar element in this music....

it must not be played like zemlinsky or Mozart!!!!

[robertgift]

Good point, Malt.

Must admit that my wife and I enjoyed the laughs.

Still, with everything played PROPERLY and in tune, it is MUCH better.

Then Jaromir's intentions come through.

They should have practiced this and gotten this into shape and tune.

This sounds like first reading!

Surprised that the organ (only instrument in tune) is used here.

They should have tuned to the organ, not to the oboe.

[Guntld]

LOL Trumpets in 0:30. embarrassment. If my band, a high school band, got a gold of distinctions with this piece.

[boguseconomist]

OK, it's not the Vienna, but I say hurrah for the orchestra and the kids in it. I'd rather hear this than a highly "polished" album of rap or the screeching of some pop diva.

[saxmasta]

I love this, I am playing it with the Chattanooga Youth Symphony, in Chattanooga TN

[robertgift]

INTONATION, people.

This is so horrible it is laughable.

This is far beyond their capabilities.

Never should have been attempted.

[EandCProductions]

Dude, I'm in this video and I agree with you

[robertgift]

For fun, my standmate and I, both quite accomplished musicians, would purposely play flat.

If a substitute teacher, we played others' lines.

Other band members would even trade instruments.

[winston5610]

Was this bad or wonderfully daring?

[SusanSally88]

LOL @ the tubas coming with the bassons. thats supposed to be a solo lolololol

[buckeyeba]

Yipes. TUNE! TUNE! TUNE!

[DrMusic80]

Are there mistakes, yes...but this was filmed with an old RCA VHS camcorder...the CD recording is FAR superior! It was nice to have the opportunity to perform this great masterwork and use an actual pipe organ.

[the64]

Don't u think ur being a little harsh trausen, especially cuz ur listening to it from a clip posted on youtube...?

[trausen]

Perhaps we should start by clarifying that this is a BAND, not an orchestra. With that said, this band has no right playing this work. TERRIBLE intonation, poor solos, clarinet squeaks, NO DYNAMIC CONTRAST AT ALL in the fugue, and NO SENSE of balance. It is fitting that the final chord of this masterwork was horrifically out of tune. To the conductor - please stick to some Grade 3 or 4 stuff that the group can actually handle.  God awfully DREADFUL performance of this great piece.

[DarylDallas]

I agree with trausen. My junior high band performance (on channel daryldallas) was better. :)

[ForminaSage402]

It's most saddening that this piece, fundamentally, is not hard at all. I think that it's more of the fact that this conductor is worthless. This band has probably never had any lessons in basic musicianship. Sad. :(

[ryukinthetruck]

@trausen ummmm I'm in Wind Symphony at my university and we played this song wonderfully. This piece isn't JUST for an orchestra. Bands can play it...just not this one. I agree with you on everything else though.

[jimjennings]

More orchestras should do this piece. It is GREAT FUN! --- This is not the strongest performance but it is so energetic and cool.

[CFrostwolf]

cool