Klarinet Archive - Posting 000031.txt from 2000/01

From: "Rien Stein" <rstein@-----.nl>
Subj: Re: [kl] Concert A
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2000 20:37:34 -0500

At : Sat, 01 Jan 2000 14:42:17 EST klara <klahall@-----.com> wrote

>>Why is the oboe used to give the orchestra concert A to tune to?
>>
>>Just nosy.
>>Karel.

>actually, I think that is a good question.

I have been playing in several kinds of amateur orchestras and bands. My
advice to the conductor has always been to find out which player had the
lowest "A" (why "A" I don't now). At this moment I am playng in two wind
bands, and in both the bands the conductor identified the player with the
flattest reach. Ever since tuning problems have sharply been reduced (or
flatly?) (joke) except when in the Maartensdijk wind band the soprano
saxophone is present: she plays out of tune anyhow. She answered Mozart's
question: "What's worse than one flute?" Even had he stated it for two
flutes. She is, so to speak, the only person in the army not out of pace.

Some day, when I was getting very nervous about her, she said to me: "Rien,
you are almost half a tone sharp." And, as if he had heard her saying so,
the conductor turned around to ask her "to pell it out a good long way"! She
also is the only person to be able to play a pice, six minutes in G, whereas
the rest of the orchestra played in B-flat, without noting it. Maybe you now
think she had been transposing, but indeed all she did was to replace the
two flats for one sharp!

Altogether this doesn't answer the question. But tradition, even in a
sometimes very fashion-directed society as that of musicians, is very
strong!

Have a good year 2000 and remember: the nexrt century won't be around till
next year

Rien

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