Klarinet Archive - Posting 000321.txt from 1995/05

From: Neil Leupold <Neil_Leupold@-----.COM>
Subj: Spites & slights
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 06:37:57 -0400

ntouch Memo 05/08/95
Subject:Spites & slights 11:10 PM
Larry Liberson wrote:

"During one of the opening trumpet solos in "El Salon Mexico," things fell
apart in the orchestra...When angrily asked by the conductor "What's going on
back there?" my friend nonchalantly came back with "Sorry, I looked up!"

The above was posted as an illustration of a subtle and humorous way that an
orchestra member might respond to a rash or unprofessional conductor. The
following illustrates the counterpart of rude conductors (true story, as told
by a friend of mine who subbed with the group that night):

John Williams recently (within the last few months) conducted a gala series of
his own world-famous movie soundtracks with an unnamed very-well-known U.S.
orchestra. During a rehearsal, he paused the orchestra to speak with the
principal trumpet player, "You were playing a little behind my beat pattern in
that section of the piece. Please listen closely to the percussion there," to
which the trumpet player responded by standing up, extending his arm and
pointing back at Mr. Williams, "Hey buddy, I'm right on _top_ of your beat!"

As far as I know, the player was never spoken to afterwards nor disciplined in
any way. I guess when you're a tenured principal player of a major orchestra
and you make $74K a year, you're entitled to disrespect a composer/conductor
who could buy and sell your orchestra ten times over with the proceeds from his
work. Hmph.