Acalanes District Honor Band, February 1987
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2024
- Dr. William D. Revelli, Guest Conductor
University of Michigan
Rehearsal of the, what was then, the Acalanes District Honor Band (1987) hosted at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, California during my early years of teaching. It was a fascinating few days with Dr. Revelli. Sorry about the poor sound quality as it was taken on a video recorder that would be considered primitive by today's modern digital standards. Still, a fascinating glimpse of a legendary band figure in America.
If you don’t want to hear the truth, then don’t play for Dr. Revelli. If you want to improve, then this is a man you need to play for. Not for the faint of heart, but you will certainly come out the other side a better musician and better person.
My dad was a classmate of George Cavendar. They both were students of Reveille. That is exactly how my dad ran his rehearsals.
He did a great job conducting them considering how badly they were prepared/sound.
Agreed, it wasn't a great honor band, but by concert time, it was reasonably acceptable. One of our former teachers had Dr. Revelli as a teacher at Michigan and of course, wanted his students to experience his teaching methods. It was quite the experience to watch him conduct. I personally enjoyed meeting him.
@@normandea He’s a wonderful educator. Unfortunately he has a bad reputation of being “mean”, even though it was having a high standard. In all the recordings I’ve watched him teach, he’s never been demeaning toward students, but he definitely calls them out when they’re not doing the right thing. In today’s teaching world, we have to cushion the blow more. I think that lowers standards if people can’t have honest, critical feedback on their performance and take feedback as a personal attack. Yes the delivery may be harsh, but people need to be more tough on themselves and that starts with honesty and self accountability and regulation. Discipline in the classroom is why he had one of the best sounding bands, if not the best sounding band, ever assembled.
@@jchomedog2887 I regret that we never had Dr. Revelli conduct our California All-State Honor Band back in the day. There were a number of California band directors at the time that was against having him due to his severe methods. I don't believe that he was "mean" to the students in this video, but he was very pointed, honest, and critical. I had no problem with it.
@@normandea That is a shame! I had no idea they did that to him. He reminds me a lot of Eugene Corporon mixed with Dennis Fisher. I listen to his old recordings because I can’t believe the sound he was able to get out of a band. It’s such a distinct sound that he crafted. Very orchestral/singing/symphonic sound, especially with inner harmonies and overtones. Frederick Fennell has fascinating recordings too. His level of detail especially in articulation and texture is unreal. I think Revelli had a very honest musical sound. You can hear the soul of the band when they play as if they are a choir. You can tell they were not afraid and very giving for their director, especially on the Bach recordings. I haven’t heard a band play Bach better. I wish I were alive to study with him to get his ideas on sound concept. Everyone teaches sound so differently. It’s a very personal pedagogy.
Every fall, the University of Michigan football coaches asked Dr. Revellie to come to the freshmen football players how to sing the Victors. His last year he did so, he had had a heart attack. But, he was as intense as he ever was and had the team sounding like a choir in the end. Amazing!!
What an awesome experience to perform with such a great musician.
What were the pieces played here?
Fantasia in G Major by J. S. Bach/Richard Franko Goldman
Light Calvary Overture by Franz Von Suppe/Henry Fillmore
Gershwin! A Medley for Concert Band by George Gershwin/Robert Russell Bennett
I Love A Sousa March by Mack Wolfson and John Warrington
The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa