Digital Rehearsal Hall: English Folk Song Suite - Ralph Vaughan Williams

Observe a rehearsal of Ralph Vaughan Williams' English Folk Song Suite
Watch more rehearsals: • Digital Rehearsal Hall
Website: www.marineband.marines.mil/
Facebook: / marineband
Instagram: / usmarineband
Twitter: / marineband

[@JakeGuilbo]

Good to see musicians not cutting off with conductor continues through the President's Own

[@DartzYT2870]

I hate when conducters hear one thing wrong and stop everyone

[@IvarsBezdechi]

It would be an absolute divine experience to play under the baton of Col. Fettig. Overall, their "rehearsal" is like already performance level.

[@dlnnyc64]

Timeless piece from Vaughan Williams. 2nd mvmt is my fave. Oboe and clarinet solos 👌🏼

[@osutuba]

I have always been a huge fan of the English Military Band Tradition and the composers who are considered the standard bearers for that tradition (Holst, Grainger, and Vaughn Williams). I feel these are pieces that EVERY band, from middle school to high school to college to community bands to The President's Own need to play one of these pieces in EVERY concert simply because of how beautifully written they are. I know if I ware a band director in middle school or high school (was a Music Ed major at one time), I would be doing that simply because I feel the players can learn so much from playing them. I also love the interpretation the director is extending to the players and how they are so effectively applying those changes to their parts; when he was talking about the way to play the dotted quarters in the second movement, the only thing I could think of is that he wanted the players to emulate playing the notes on cello or bass using the bow. And, considering their talent level, they obviously understood where he is coming from!

[@DennisJohnsonDrummer]

The high school where I directed the band played this several times during my tenure between 1987 and 2003, but never like this of course. The USMC Band is always the epitome of interpretation and musicianship. Thanks for sharing your talents.

[@ramnjw]

I enjoyed so much the band rehearsal as an ex military bandsman. Great musicians and leadership by the Bandmaster. The USMC Band is surely the best Military band today, brilliant!!

[@Overlycomplicatedswede]

World class musicians playing beautiful music is hard to beat Also the conductor leads his rehearsals incredibly well I’m a bass trombonist and the brass sound so together and clean Greetings from Sweden

[@brucekuehn4031]

Hard to imagine this played better. To have a band this size with such lightness when called for - lovely! For folk songs, this really is danceable. And thanks again for inviting us to your rehearsal!

[@DW-qt3ee]

Such a treat to hear this amazing ensemble. Amazing depth of sound and sonority. Hats off to all the members of the USM Band and Colonel Fettig. Bravo!

[@johnrobinsoniii4028]

I remember the “Folk Song Suite”. My Brother played the Baritone Horn part in the Brooklyn Borough Wide Band back in 1967!

[@richardsteinbergmakingknives]

Fantastic!!! I remember fondly playing that in high school back in the 70's. I was an Alto Sax but also student conductor and rehearsed the band through this piece many times. What a great score!

[@sargentrock333]

Colonel you and the United States Marine band are really a treasure. Thank you!

[@raymondwang3110]

Nothing like watching the best rehearse!!

[@manondumouchel5298]

Very nice to see musicians and Colonel Fettig, their beautiful work is absolutely marvelous.. and more this piece of music is wonderful, enjoy to hear every section .. So Beautiful.. thank you to all ❤

[@shinshin0409]

I was struck by the wonderful performance. It was a great pleasure to hear rehearsals from other countries for the first time and learn how to interpret the music.

[@michaelkamiel3997]

My high school Harbord Collegiate played thjs piece a spring concert in Toronto in 1962 proudly preserved on a vinyl disc in my possession that includes me on violin with my 9th grade string class playing fiddle music!

[@nickolasmoore4128]

This sounds like a perfect professional and edited recording in your face, the Marine band’s sound is immaculate!

[@litz13]

I’ve played this multiple times in younger years. Never anywhere close to as exquisitely well as the Marines, of course.

[@darktimesatrockymountainhi4046]

A world-class ensemble & a very fine “first” rehearsal…

[@927drummerboy]

That was fun! Its great to hear such a fabulous rehearsal. I do hope that current band directors are able to partake of this video and hopefully walk away learning a great piece of repertoire and gaining insight on how to better their own rehearsals and be better educators. Bravo "Presidents Own"!

[@twiiii1]

I am always amazed how well the band comes together when the Colonel directs. The dynamics are much better and the intonation is always better. Just when I think the Navy Band is superseding the Marine band the Colonel appearswith the band and the great togetherness in performing which ever piece is performed returns. I always have trouble with the flutes and the clarinets working together when other conductors lead the band but 99% of the time when the Colonel conducts perfect relationships return .

[@kristoffermangila]

Hmmm... I wonder what a collab with the HM Royal Marines Band would be... I think it would be GLORIOUS!

[@BrianBisetti]

Nothing short of breathtaking, of course. 😀

[@t.p.mckenna]

Greetings from London as we approach our Coronation Weekend where there'll be some find band music played. Can I say what a pleasure it is to see this great ensemble in rehearsal and so smartly presented. I hope very much to return.

[@jameyhinds]

Wow did this bring back good memories from high school and college! Excellent!

[@aztec11]

Thank you for posting these. I found the sheet music online, I pull out my horn and play alongside with the video. This brings me much joy and nostalgia. I haven't played with a band in over 20 years, but now I feel I have the confidence to join up with the local community college band. Thank you again. I'm bursting at the seams with joy.

[@kh_167]

It would be cool if the Marine Band also include the invincible Mvmt 'Sea Songs' into the Suite (Originally it was Mvmt 2, before being separated as a standalone piece), as what Vaughan Williams would have originally planned when creating the piece at that time.

[@johnweddel687]

I was in the 43d Army Band (NE National Guard) for 38 years and so proud to have been part of the Army Bands Program. It is thrilling for me to hear this top notch band. There is a push right now to disband/discontinue some military musical organizations and it just makes me sad since I know what a significant contribution they make to their serivce and the general public.

[@georgebutler3rd]

Love this! Thanks, all!

[@elliotshaw4128]

Would love to see one of these on the Dahl Sinfonietta

[@zydeco2024]

This is my favorite work!

[@jeffcolvin363]

Amazing and inspiring! Thank you for sharing this!!

[@Sam-nb1rm]

This is GORGEOUS❤

[@iffa70]

Great piece!! Great band!! Thank you 👏

[@mylesloper2280]

Very cool! I remember performing the 1st movement for a UCF honor band

[@dirkbaeuerle2952]

Love this. Reminds me of my days back in high school playing French horn in the band.

[@isaacsmith8610]

I’ve been waiting on a new episode!

[@Music213]

Bravo 👏 👏👏 love this!

[@AntPDC]

Superb, thank you very much. A glorious piece indeed from RVW!

[@erniearruda8861]

Classic chestnut pieces of music for wind/military bands.👏🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 played it many times over and I never get sick of it.🇨🇦

[@EvanYoungMusic]

Will be doing this piece in the fall with my youth wind ensemble along with Holst suite in F. Great companion pieces. Will show this to the kids when the time comes.

[@brucekuehn4031]

Two classics!

[@litz13]

Holst is another great staple. Such a great brass piece, esp low brass.

[@brockseeman7808]

Not bad for a first rehearsal 😅 absolutely awesome

[@davidwarner3326]

Back before they came out with the green sweaters with epaulets, the rank was pinned to the shirt collar when the sweater was worn. It would leave permanent holes, so you'd eventually keep a shirt or two for wear only under the sweater. If you were super smart, when you had to replace that shirt, you wouldn't spend the money for the rank-or having it sewn on-for the sleeve that was never seen anyway. One November morning, the Marines of Marine Barracks Washington were headed out for a morning rehearsal for an upcoming ceremony. We were told to all be in sweaters until the last possible second. I still chuckle when I remember the few "privates" among the USMB that morning.😅

[@teresapotter3664]

Well done; a great sound particularly the solo cornet.

[@kevinstrauss8020]

Bravo tutti!

[@kyushujet]

The first time I heard this piece was the 1980 27th Lancers version when I was in high school on VHS.

[@tarasubramaniam6191]

I love this Suite.. I have the piano arrangement which I enjoyed playing as well as this lovely musicians play Thank you

[@tarasubramaniam6191]

Not as well (got missed out !!!!)

[@mountainsky4279]

I would LOVE to see this band do some of Galante's music in this series!

[@jennconducts]

Thanks so much for this, Jason and everyone! Do you ever do this with Sea Songs inserted?

[@windinhishairJ3]

Take nothing away from Col. Fettig but that ensemble is so good you could throw sticks at it and they would still sound good.

[@IvarsBezdechi]

Col. Fettig's technique is as smooth as a buttered dove and swift and hawk gliding in the wind.

[@christopherdeloffi252]

What about the Sea Song (4th mvmt)?

[@Leomerya12]

Suuucccchhhh a clean sound. Especially from the clarinets. Often clarinets in wind ensembles sound like they're overblowing (to create more volume), and the quality of the tone goes down.

[@BrianBisetti]

It’s a mindset that seems especially difficult for learning musicians to grasp: to achieve a homogenous section sound, we *must* get accustomed to playing much softer than usual. It’s uncomfortable and much more work, but the reward is beyond measure.

[@LJ-wo1wf]

I'm a brass player but took a couple semesters of woodwind techniques in college -- Totally agree with your comment and I wish I knew to implement this way back then. I learned that all the woodwinds have narrow dynamic ranges compared to brass (especially flute and oboe) and it's a fool's errand to ask them to match the brasses' upper dynamics. It makes sense, then, for the brass to not go full-throttle in this style of band.

[@KyleKlabunde]

Who else "practices" their part in this virtual rehearsal?

[@majcrash]

Masterful playing of a great concert band standard. I realize that this band is ceremonial, but since they are all wearing rank, and they call the conductor Sir, should he not also call them by their rank and last name?

[@brockseeman7808]

It's not really "required" from officer to enlisted, a lot of officers do just out of respect though, and setting probably makes a difference here since he's primarily addressing sections during the rehearsal, in a one on one setting I'm sure he calls them by rank... also a majority of these musicians didn't likely go to boot camp and that kinda takes away from that structured aspect (first names chill vibe)

[@majcrash]

@@brockseeman7808 None of these musicians went to boot camp. Still, I never heard anyone call anyone else by their first name when I was in the Corps, unless they were joking around. It would have been very inappropriate for an officer to address an enlisted member that way.

[@brockseeman7808]

@majcrash yeah I agree, it's definitley weird but this group must be so "in tune" 🤣 with each other that they just do what ever they want haha which is fine cause damn they sound great every single time

[@justingrunes8228]

Addressing by first name is more common in officer and staff non-com ranks, most often as a sign of endearment and personal respect to a junior person.

[@iffa70]

@@majcrash These guys are world class musicians, you cannot risk them getting injured in training which would destroy their careers and do no good for the corps. To have this high standard concessions have to be made, they joined to be the best musicians to represent the Corps.

[@Michael-ig8ih]

Please do Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral

[@johnemerson4080]

Taylor Hammons