Klarinet Archive - Posting 001316.txt from 2000/05

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Beethoven 9th
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 21:50:16 -0400

Bill, the practice varies with the soloists but never the chorus. In
some locations, the soloists come in before the third movement. In
others, they sit through the entire work. The chorus never (or at least
never in my experience) enters after the work has begun.

>From a practical point of view, the four soloists can come on after the
2nd movement in maybe 45 seconds, so the interruption to the work is not
severe. But the chorus takes 5-8 minutes to get on. No conductor in
his right mind (and few of them are in their right minds) would
interrupt a performance of that work for that amount of time.

Now if it is done differently somewhere else, that would be interesting
to know.

My friend, Paul Plishka the bass, always bitches when he has to be on
the stage for the first two movements.

While we're on the subject, I wrote a wry story for the New Yorker
(which turned it down after several months of consideration) that
offered the premise that Beethoven's 9th was not nearly as good a work
as "Yes We Have No Bananas." I don't think they have much of a sense of
humor which is very strange for a humor magazine. On the other hand,
maybe it was a lousy story. But it is being used in music appreciation
classes at Harvard because I was asked by the dean of the music school
if he could use it. Some day I must find out what he is doing with it.

William Wright wrote:
>
> This isn't a clarinet question, but I'm curious and somebody here
> probably knows the answer......
>
> When Beethoven's 9th is performed, do the chorus and vocal soloists
> have to stand on stage through the entire symphony, or do they parade
> onto the stage just before they sing, or do they assemble behind a
> curtain which is raised at the appropriate moment to reveal the singers
> and thereby avoid a commotion-making parade?
>
> Thanks,
> Bill
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
> Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
> Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
> Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org

--
***************************
** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
***************************

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org