Doublereed Archive - Posting 000059.txt from 2007/10

From: Philip McKenzie <philclimb1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Play loud ...and louder!
Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:56:06 -0400

When we start the concert, the concertmaster asks for 3 A's; winds, violas=
/cello/bass, violins. After intermission, 2 A's: winds, strings. If we t=
une in the middle of a longer piece, it's one A. Rehearsals and concerts a=
re done the same way. =0A=0AI'm playing those three As for a very long tim=
e each time. Too long. And the tuning needs to be fairly loud. It's a se=
lf-perpetuating issue. If one person plays loud to hear himself, the next =
person has to play louder also. And on and on.=0A=0AIn the land of amaters=
in which I happily reside, what would be ideal? 2 A's briefly played? =
=0A=0AAnd how to ratchet it back? Do I e-mail the conductor and concertmas=
ter to get their takes on whether it's actually a problem and what to do ab=
out it? If there is an agreed upon problem, do we say something at the next=
rehearsal. Should I do the whining? Should the concertmaster suggest? S=
hould the conductor require?=0A=0ARecently it's been mentioned on this list=
that an A called the Philadelphia Orchestra back after breaks back in the =
day. Would a backstage A be a reasonable addition to our protocol? Or a s=
trikable A bar so any individual could tune in advance of coming on the sta=
ge so the orchestra tuning is a confirmation rather than an adjustment exer=
cise?=0A =0APhil=0A=0A=0A----- Original Message ----=0AFrom: herb fawcett <=
herbgosia@-----.org" <doublereed@woodwind=
.org>=0ASent: Thursday, October 4, 2007 11:26:10 AM=0ASubject: Re: [DR-L] P=
lay loud ...and louder!=0A=0A=0AOne very important aspect of tuning is to p=
lay only the A. The varied=0Aharmonics of other notes interfere with hearin=
g any beat, which after all=0Athe ultimate criterion of being "in tune" wit=
h the reference pitch.=0AThe moving intonation as notes change function in =
the harmony etc. is best=0Aattended to by the attitude among players of "be=
here NOW" so the needed=0Asmall adjustments are always in their awareness.=
Democracy is important even=0Ain orchestral pitch. Leave the dictator on t=
he podium where he cannot mess=0Aup the pitch too much.=0AHerb =0A=0A=0AOn =
10/4/07 8:52 AM, "David Lurie" <klingsor@-----.com> wrote:=0A=0A> At 11:02 AM=
10/4/2007, you wrote:=0A>> Read about the loudest tuning note in oboe his=
tory on my blog:=0A>> http://oneflute1oboe.livejournal.com/=0A>> =0A>> ~Ang=
ela=0A> =0A> I read what you wrote there, which I will quote as follows:=0A=
> =0A> =0A> For the Orange County Symphony, I refuse to give A while people=
are=0A> practicing/warming up/talking/wandering around/etc. The concertmas=
ter=0A> stands up, things settle down, and *then* I play.=0A> =0A> At tonig=
ht's random gig, however, I was expected to give A while=0A> people were pr=
acticing. I waited... and waited... and the=0A> concertmaster grew impatien=
t. With ME. So I proceeded to give the=0A> loudest freaking A that you have=
ever heard.=0A> =0A> That seems to me to be silly as well as amateurish in=
the extreme.=0A> This concertmaster obviously does not know how to perform=
the tuning=0A> job. In a professional orchestra, the concertmaster stands =
up if=0A> everyone does not quiet down immediately, taps his bow on the sta=
nd=0A> until everyone stops playing. then you play the tuning A. Also you=
=0A> should play the A softly, not loud, so that everyone will have to=0A> =
exert themselves just a little to hear it, and then not play too loud.=0A> =
=0A> Yes, I realize that tuning is pointless. Everyone is just going to=0A>=
play sharp no matter what. But if we're going to pretend to do it,=0A> the=
n we should pretend to have a go at doing it right, with everyone=0A> prete=
nding to listen to the reference pitch.=0A> =0A> I can perhaps be called a =
snob, like you, but tuning is not pointless=0A> if the group is serious. Ob=
viously, the group you play in is NOT=0A> serious about it, so I can unders=
tand your attitude. But a serious=0A> group, will take tuning seriously. Th=
at the pitch rises is=0A> inevitable, no matter what group it is. But then =
there is no problem=0A> as long as it is held under control and the orchest=
ra re-tunes often=0A> enough. That is a job for the conductor and/or the co=
ncertmaster. If=0A> they goof folks don't; know enough about how to do it, =
then perhaps=0A> you should start to educate them by initiating discussions=
concerning=0A> these matters.=0A> =0A> David=0A> /oboe snob=0A> <http://on=
eflute1oboe.livejournal.com/187465.html>Link=0A> =0A> =0A> =0A> -----------=
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