Klarinet Archive - Posting 000046.txt from 1997/12

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: DECIBEL FUN
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 05:35:37 -0500

Decibel fun

We had an oboist at the TSO, Perry Bauman. He was a Curtis student. One
of Tabiteaus's best students.
He was a marvelous player. Had a very unusual sound.
He was a lot of fun. Loved to hear jokes and tell them. Laughed
uproarishly when he heard a good one.
He was a stickler for volume. He HATED a lot of volume. Was very vocal
about it. Hated playing loud.
At that time I used to dabble in making cartoons. So I drew up a little
booklet about Perry's travails.
The first picture was Perry going to Loree in Paris to select a good
oboe.
Then down to the Var valley to get good cane.
Pictures of him cutting the cane, making the reeds, tuning them.
Finally the great reed, the greatest pianissimo. A great sound.
The last picture was of Perry flying off his chair, the oboe falling to
pieces , his hair "screaming" ,eyes bulging and the caption says
FFFFFFFFF!

He liked the little booklet (I have a copy of it). Recently there was
a birthday party for him and the picture of that FFFFFF was inscribed
on the cake. It was a good party.

We once had as a guest conductor,a Sir Bernhard Heinze, from Australia.
He was asked by the Arts council to give report of the state of the
Canadian Symphony orchestras.
He conducted us in a regular concert. We played Sibelius Symphony #2.
During the rehearsal, Sir Bernhard wanted more oboe sound. Most of it
was low and he wanted more of it.
You can imagine PERRY'S grumbling, MORE AND MORE.
The oboe part is such, that when you turn the last page, you play the
end of the Symphony.
That's when I got mischievous and placed that FFFFFF cartoon after the
last page.
So-- we're playing the Symphony, getting closer. (and getting louder)
Perry turned the page, took a look. Both he and the assistant just
buckled over laughing their heads off.

Sir Bernhard looked at them with puzzlement. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
He didn't know why they were laughing.

And I wasn't going to tell him either!

Avrahm Galper