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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000061.txt from 2007/10
From: "Miriam Williams" <mwquacker@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Play loud ...and louder!
Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:10:28 -0400
Why not just use an electronic sound generator of some kind at rehearsals?
This could easily be turned up loudly enough so everyone could hear it.
Also, don't violinists use electronic tuners as a matter of course. It seems
to me to be a sort of outdated practice to rely on the oboe, although to
keep the tradition of making sure everyone is tuned properly just prior to
the downbeat would be reasonable.
I agree, it can be tiring to hold out 3 A's - how long *should* it be held?
A gripe I have is that others (especially choristers) who are not silent
when the A is called for. Apologies if this has been addressed already. I
have not read the previous posts & decided to just jump in here.
My $0.02,
Miriam
----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip McKenzie" <philclimb1@-----.com>
To: <doublereed@-----.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 11:56 AM
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Play loud ...and louder!
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 tune in the middle of a longer piece, it's one A. Rehearsals and
concerts are done the same way.
I'm playing those three As for a very long time each time. Too long. And
the tuning needs to be fairly loud. It's a self-perpetuating issue. If one
person plays loud to hear himself, the next person has to play louder also.
And on and on.
In the land of amaters in which I happily reside, what would be ideal? 2
A's briefly played?
And how to ratchet it back? Do I e-mail the conductor and concertmaster to
get their takes on whether it's actually a problem and what to do about 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?
Should the conductor require?
Recently 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 strikable A bar so any individual
could tune in advance of coming on the stage so the orchestra tuning is a
confirmation rather than an adjustment exercise?
Phil
----- Original Message ----
From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
To: "doublereed@-----.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 4, 2007 11:26:10 AM
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Play loud ...and louder!
One very important aspect of tuning is to play only the A. The varied
harmonics of other notes interfere with hearing any beat, which after all
the ultimate criterion of being "in tune" with the reference pitch.
The moving intonation as notes change function in the harmony etc. is best
attended to by the attitude among players of "be here NOW" so the needed
small adjustments are always in their awareness. Democracy is important even
in orchestral pitch. Leave the dictator on the podium where he cannot mess
up the pitch too much.
Herb
On 10/4/07 8:52 AM, "David Lurie" <klingsor@-----.com> wrote:
> At 11:02 AM 10/4/2007, you wrote:
>> Read about the loudest tuning note in oboe history on my blog:
>> http://oneflute1oboe.livejournal.com/
>>
>> ~Angela
>
> I read what you wrote there, which I will quote as follows:
>
>
> For the Orange County Symphony, I refuse to give A while people are
> practicing/warming up/talking/wandering around/etc. The concertmaster
> stands up, things settle down, and *then* I play.
>
> At tonight's random gig, however, I was expected to give A while
> people were practicing. I waited... and waited... and the
> concertmaster grew impatient. With ME. So I proceeded to give the
> loudest freaking A that you have ever heard.
>
> That seems to me to be silly as well as amateurish in the extreme.
> This concertmaster obviously does not know how to perform the tuning
> job. In a professional orchestra, the concertmaster stands up if
> everyone does not quiet down immediately, taps his bow on the stand
> until everyone stops playing. then you play the tuning A. Also you
> should play the A softly, not loud, so that everyone will have to
> exert themselves just a little to hear it, and then not play too loud.
>
> Yes, I realize that tuning is pointless. Everyone is just going to
> play sharp no matter what. But if we're going to pretend to do it,
> then we should pretend to have a go at doing it right, with everyone
> pretending to listen to the reference pitch.
>
> I can perhaps be called a snob, like you, but tuning is not pointless
> if the group is serious. Obviously, the group you play in is NOT
> serious about it, so I can understand your attitude. But a serious
> group, will take tuning seriously. That the pitch rises is
> inevitable, no matter what group it is. But then there is no problem
> as long as it is held under control and the orchestra re-tunes often
> enough. That is a job for the conductor and/or the concertmaster. If
> they goof folks don't; know enough about how to do it, then perhaps
> you should start to educate them by initiating discussions concerning
> these matters.
>
> David
> /oboe snob
> <http://oneflute1oboe.livejournal.com/187465.html>Link
>
>
>
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