Doublereed Archive - Posting 000000.txt from 2005/02

From: "Vieira Alejandro TSgt USAFA/BA" <Alejandro.Vieira@-----.mil>
Subj: [DR-L] RE: contraforte
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 13:35:31 -0500

Hi Arthur and everyone else,

What timing! I just had a chance this past week to try Hank Skolnick's
contraforte while he was subbing with the Colorado Symphony. It truly is
an amazing instrument. I first tried it at the Morgantown IDRS
convention, and I wasn't too impressed then, partly because no one had
figured out how to make reeds for it, and partly because I didn't have a
job playing contra at the time and couldn't appreciate fully how much
more advanced this instrument is than the standard contrabassoon. Now,
however, with a few years of regular contrabassooning under my belt and
Hank's well-made reeds, it is truly a great experience to play a contra
instrument that has such flexibility in dynamics, a pleasing tone
throughout its range, and such well thought out keywork (automatic
venting, very exciting!). I wish I had the resources to order one right
now, but it will have to wait a while. I recommend that anyone who has
an interest in contra playing to try this instrument!

Alex Vieira
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra
USAF Academy Band
Colorado College faculty

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