Klarinet Archive - Posting 000382.txt from 1997/11

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: The Messiah
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 11:10:50 -0500

The Messiah

The Toronto Symphony plays the Messiah every year and every year the
audiences go to it religiously.
It's a great work and has lasted and will last for generations.

The version I loved playing at the Toronto Symphony was a version
orchestrated by Mozart.
Mozart orchestrated the Messiah for performance at regular concerts that
took place at Baron Swieten's house. I loved that one. It had so much
clarinet in it.

Our conductor, Sir Ernest MacMillan wanted to keep to a more original
version, so we played another version by Prout.

But every year, Sir Ernest would tacit the clarinets in one or other
number, leaving it almost as Handel had written it.

It got so, that after three numbers at the beginning of the work, the
clarinets were tacit until the intermission.

That meant another 40 minutes of sitting and trying not to fall asleep.
There was a large audience and with so many people there, the heat made
one drowsy.

I finally hit on a plan. I brought along sunglasses and after the
playing third number, put them on and closed my eyes.
At least I did not have to try and make it look as if I am wide awake.

A few years later the orchestra was on a trip to play in Detroit. I
happened to sit opposite Sir Ernest.

During the conversation I said to Sir Ernest, "Sir Ernest, I have a
confession. Do you realize that I used to don sunglasses in order to
catch some sleep during the Messiah?"

"You know," said Sir Ernest, "There is a story of a violinist who
dreamt he was playing the Messiah.
When he woke up, he found out that he was."

I felt better after that.

By the way, nowadays, they use the original. No clarinets.

Avrahm Galper
University of Toronto, Faculty of Music
Glenn Gould Professional School
Royal Conservatory of Music