Klarinet Archive - Posting 001020.txt from 1998/07

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] MAHLER WAS A BIG CONDUCTOR
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 09:39:52 -0400

Mahler was a big conductor

Most comments about the brass noise are correct. In the Toronto
Symphony, the brass was placed to the left of us, not too close. The
brass that were behind us were the French Horns. And of course, their
bells didn't point at our heads.
There was one bassoonist who used ear plugs.
All I can say that when it got loud, I tried not to tense up.

When I used to go to weddings, where the music IS LOUD, I would
complain.
People would ask me, "but you played in an orchestra, didn't that bother
you? "
I answered that it didn't. The music was all around, not coming at you
through loudspeakers.
Some of those bands think that if they didn't play loudly, the wedding
would be a flop.
There was one wedding I went to, where the Aunt of the family brought
ear plugs for the table.
But the band was so loud, I had to go out of the hall for half an hour
to rest my ears.

And talking about weddings.When my youngest daughter got married I
offered to play a few Freilichs for a dance. They told me that the name
of the band was Star Band and the leader was Joe. I called Joe and he
said: Sure, we rehearse on Wednesdays and he gave me the address and
time.
I went there with my clarinet. Put the music on the pianist's stand.
He just looked at it, not knowing what to do.

The leader, Joe said, Re minore, meaning the key of D minor. We started.
They had a drummer that all he could do was play Um-cha, um-cha very
fast.
I said Slower but this drummer would um-cha as fast as he could.
Lets leave out the drum.
Later I asked the Joe the leader,whats with these guys? He said they
don't read music.
So what do you rehearse? He said they listen to tapes and thats how they
play.

My stint with the band went well. I started slowly so that everyone
wouldn't be panting at the very beginning. At the end of this dancing,
(10 minutes) the tempo was up to the tempo bands usually start at.

--
Avrahm Galper
New throat Bb vent and key
THE UPBEAT BAERMANN MELODIC SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS
http://www.sneezy.org/avrahm_galper/index.html

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