Vibrato - one of the most hotly debated techniques in the world of brass

Vibrato

One of the most debated topics in brass pedagogy around the world is the subject of vibrato. Not
only is there the question of 'orchestral' versus 'brass band' vibrato (it's usage of course, rather
the mechanics of how it is produced) but also nationalistic preferences which influence the
application of vibrato. I hate to the use the word application as it sounds like adding something
unnaturally, like make up on a lady, or plaster on brick work. These two interesting analogies can
immediately reveal the dilemma for teachers and players. Vibrato cannot make some ugly become
pretty but it can disguise some of its faults!! Tone and vibrato should never be confused. Over the
years the expressive singing quality of players within the brass band movement has often been
ridiculed by those outside, particularly from those within the hallowed institutions of music
conservatories whose sole role in life seemed to be to prepare students a for life inside a
symphony orchestra where straight tone was the expected norm for 99% of the time. When we
listen to early brass band recordings from yesteryear we can hear how tastes in vibrato have
changed; the cornet sound from the 1930s,40s and 50s is different than what we normally hear
nowadays. The same of course can be said for euphonium players and many of my archive
recordings, although incredibly important in the history of our instrument showcase examples of
vibrato that would be considered 'old fashioned' now. It is not to demean the wonderful artists
who have gone before but to point out there are clearly trends in vibrato that have changed over
the years. The same of course is true when we listen to the great voices of the past such as Mario
Lanza or Enrico Caruso whose vibrato was wider and faster than most voices we encounter today.

Today's brass band players may have to play music from Messers Sparke, Wilby, Ball, Vinter and
in some cases more contemporary composers such as Pickard , Aagaard Nilsen et al in the same
concert. The dilemma we have is, at the top level, whether to vary the vibrato at all for the
different repertoire. You and I have probably heard some of our top bands soloists colour their
sound in exactly the same way irrespective of the music's style or expressive content. This cannot
be right and can lead us to secretly agree with some of the age-old criticism of 'bander's vibrato',
where the blanket use of it can flatten stylistic differences and cancel out truly expressive playing
where vibrato colouring can be such a potent communicative tool. It has also been said many
bands' use of vibrato is deliberated designed to appeal to ageing judges in the box. This is a
subject that can be picked up elsewhere but to return to the principal theme of this article, the

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