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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000039.txt from 2007/08

From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Delancie revisited
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:58:21 -0400

In the orchestra, DeLancie was adamant about A=440Hz. He felt responsible to
his section colleagues and that was it. The strings of the orchestra (as
most do) tended to push up, but there was an electronic A which signaled the
end of all breaks and was immutable as well as unquestionable.
It was when I left Philadelphia that I began to hear the various
rationalizations and other casuistry to defend the higher pitch commonly
found. Actually, it is the inability of the player to create a lively tone
at standard pitch which drives the player to pinch up and make it
"brighter". Or tighter strings! Such nonsense!
If there was ever a reason to criticize DeLancie's performances, it was the
fact that they sometimes seemed too perfect, and therefore a little
contrived or lacking spontaneity.. It worked for me! He was a pro.
I remember a colleague's experience at a DeLancie lesson: John had asked
him why he played a passage in a certain way and the answer was that it was
the way he felt it (oops!) DeLancie rather sarcastically asked how he would
play it if he were plagued with the flu and felt different. He and my
teacher (and others at school) believed that every note was important and
that each note deserved to be recognized and considered, as well as the
passage. Preparation, organization and awareness of one's position in the
music can avoid embarrassing moments.
I like A=440Hz. It lets the column work as designed.

Herb

On 8/28/07 5:32 AM, "HAROLD" <harold@-----.br> wrote:

> Dear List:
> Never thought I would be sending out the praises of John DeLancie.the late
> first oboist of PhillY, but have just heard on the local radio his Mozart
> Concerto with Ormandy conducting and am enthusiastic.
> Maybe its aging and experience that makes us revise our initial impressions
> but I am quite impressed by the impeccable technique,intonation,attacks and
> individuality of this student of Tabateau.
> And this comes from someone who grew up in the so-called NY school of oboe
> playing and then studied with Holliger and became an admirer of Goosens.
> I had always thought Delancie played flat but listening carefully it
> sounds as if he is tune but the strings are going higher.His thinner tone
> had never impressed my ears but from the perspective of today's almost
> uniform oboe and double reed playing,it's nice to hear someone who is his
> own self.
> Any comments welcome.
>
> Rgds,
>
> Harold Emert
> Rio-Brazil
>
>
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