The basic elements of the fascination which a brass instrument can arouse in an audience lie in its sonority (and tone-colour) and in the breadth and richness of its dynamics. These, together with the art of articulation, are the principal weapons which we must gird on. The musical material (the work) can be chosen more easily from the immense reserve which composers have bequeathed to us. And, last of all, technical fluency is an almost mechanical progression which is merely added to the basic elements mentioned above (a great virtuoso frequently ends his concert with a very simple encore—for example Maurice André with the Ave Maria of Schubert—just to remind the audience of this truth). When will young musicians learn to face the audience progressively, with works suited to the occasion?
Every musician owes it to himself to encourage the interest shown towards us by present-day composers, whatever the tendency and the genre in which they work, so that our instruments may be guaranteed a place in the modern repertoire. An instrument scorned by composers is doomed to oblivion and will eventually disappear.
Curiously enough, groups of amateurs (brass bands and wind bands) seem to be more vigorous in the efforts they make towards this survival operation. Perhaps this is because these groups have been feeling the icy breath of public disinterest for longer than the rest of us.
Amongst the professionals all one can see meanwhile is a narcissistic tendency to gather together and admire one another at national and international congresses and seminars. Let us hope nevertheless that these gatherings will lead eventually to an awareness of the real position of the modern musician in society!