Eclipsehornplayer

It could be me who knows?

We were preparing to play a well known piece of music (John Phillip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever) and the Conductor said to the band,"Allright let's pick it up from the "Dogfight"

Puzzled me and my 3rd part counterparts looked at each other as there is no marking on our music that indicates just where one finds the "Dogfight"

I know where to find one in Detroit; but that's another story!

No one wanted to look dumb so we just waited for the band to start playing so we could figure out where this is.

I now know that the "Dogfight" is where everyone in the band is doing something in this piece just a bit different and all hell is breaking loose. Mainly it seems to be a fight between the Piccolo Flutes and the Trumpets and the Low Brass.

I'm not sure what to properly call this part of the March but I think it would be the 3rd Stanza?????

Conductors and their sayings.......

Dale Proctor

I've heard "dogfight" used in this context all my life. maybe it's a Southern thing. Anyway, the third strain of a march is normally called the "trio".

Eclipsehornplayer

Thanks again Dale; it must be a southern thing. We never used to call it that in Michigan.

This part is actually after the TRIO it's the last repeated part of the piece that it ends on.

Thanks for you insight; as always I've enjoyed it.

timcates

I grew up with this term (in Texas) - as an example, the sections for Stars and Stripes 4ever would be: 1st strain, 2nd strain, Trio (usually adding a flat in most marches, but there are exceptions), Dogfight (or "break strain" - usually involving dimished chords), and Trio again.

TC

Vulgano Brother

It's the Dogfight in Washington State, too.

wiseone2

I was playing extra trumpet with the Philadelphia Orchestra on the Berlioz Requiem. The brasses darn near fell apart because Ormandy refused to turn around and show the beat to the guys behind him, US. Ormandy's words.........."Men, I beat like a metronome, why can't you follow me?
I looked over at Gil Johnson.....he was fighting back an explosion of laughter Ormandy was famous for his unclear beat.
Here are more Ormandy quotes-
http://rinkworks.com/said/eugeneormandy.shtml

Wilmer

HoboTrumpet

"We should probably end our concert, but I said we're going to play the Iron Count (a Karl King overture) tonight, so let's give it a whirl."

-- A small-town band director to us as the tornado sirens were going off. We made it about half way through the overture before a member of the volunteer fire department ran up and told us that yes, there actually was a funnel cloud headed for town. Of course, I'm not sure why our instincts for self-preservation didn't kick in, but the Iron Count is one of our favorites I guess. Nothing like cool under pressure. (Or is that cool under low pressure?)