Klarinet Archive - Posting 000966.txt from 1995/10

From: Claudia Zornow <claudia@-----.COM>
Subj: Pit miscellany
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 1995 13:01:47 -0400

Re one-reed reductions of pit orchestra parts:

I did a school production of West Side Story once with about
a 9-piece orchestra. As the only reed player I played a
combination book with all the best clarinet, flute, and
piccolo parts. There were no saxophone parts included because
we used a tape for the most difficult pieces (Mambo, Cool, and
the rumble). The hardest part left (for me, anyway) was the
piccolo part on "America".

Fortunately I've done many other productions and gotten to play
the sax parts too. My favorite book is reed I (flute, picc,
clarinet, alto sax, et al) although the Eb/Bb/bass clarinet
book (reed II) has its moments.

Re pit being less exposed than regular orchestra:

Not if you're doing "Nunsense"! Four-piece combo, on stage,
you doubling clarinet/flute/alto. Fun music, short show (2
hours including intermission), but very exposed.

To Gene Keyes:

What is it like to play the same book night after night for years?
As an amateur I get bored after a couple of weeks on most books
(West Side Story is usually an exception). I met some horn players
from London's production of "Les Miserables" a few years ago, and
they said they loved their job because it allowed them to make a
comfortable steady living while leaving their days free for any
chosen pursuits, musical or otherwise. Is that how it worked for you?

Claudia (claudia@-----.com)