Klarinet Archive - Posting 001090.txt from 2003/03

From: "Anthony Wakefield" <tony-w@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Instrument accidents
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 18:04:08 -0500

We had a Bb clarinettist in our forces band who was a just a little
challenged on technique, tone, fine intonation, sightreading, ensemble
tightness - - - - - - Quite what caused our director to put him on Eb
clarinet for a broadcast I will never understand. We got thru` the mic.
balancing, and took a break before the live relay went out - "Music while
you Work", (for those who come from the UK). As we ended the balancing, the
band placed their instruments "safely" on their chairs - we didn`t have posh
instrument stands in those days. Our eminent Eb player caught his instrument
on his leg in his rush to refresh himself with coffee, and the Eb clarinet
fell into a waste trash bin which was sited next to his chair. Forces
musicians can be extremely cruel at times, as a result of which the whole
band collapsed into fits of laughter upon realising what an "appropriate"
place for this particular guy`s clarinet to find it`s way to.
The broadcast - a whole 1/2 hour of segue music turned into a challenge of
self-discipline, as every 4 or 5 minutes some different musician would
audibly try to suppress his giggling. Towards the end of the 1/2 hour,
musicians were looking hesitantly at each other wondering who would be next.
I can`t remember what discipline was eventually administered - probably not
much if I can`t remember.

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