Klarinet Archive - Posting 000256.txt from 2004/10

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Interesting doubles
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 15:52:31 -0400

In a message dated 10/8/2004 10:28:58 AM Central Daylight Time,
claroneman@-----.net writes:
The instruments I am playing
are: Clarinet, bass clarinet, Eb clarinet and harmonica!

Just because I don't know how to play an instrument is no reason to turn
down 10% :-)

Clark - I hope you get the performance on tape. I'd love to hear Clark Fobes
on harmonica.

I've had a few weird doubles over the years, probably the funniest one being
the kazoo (How to Succeed in Business).

Doubling can be a tricky business, trying to shoe in yet one more
instrument. Years ago, I used to play "Vegas-Style" reviews in Toledo, in a venture
called "Summer Star Theater". It was a great gig for the normally slow summer.
Ten services a week, top scale, Mondays off. Better pay than the Symphony.

Of course, the woodwind players usually had to drag in every horn they could
muster. I remember a particular show, where I had to bring clarinet, bass
clarinet, tenor sax, flute, and oboe. On the Wed rehearsal, with the show
opening Friday night, I was suddenly and rather rudely asked where the hell the
English Horn was!

The artist was Vikki Carr, (remember her), and she had recently recorded
"Send in the Clowns" with english horn playing the usual clarinet obbligato. She
wanted her performance to match her recording - a probably reasonable
request, but the contractor had never noticed the requirement in what ever list he
was working from.

Well, I have never so much as touched an English Horn, let alone play one in
public. I did not have easy access to one, and had no reeds. To top it off,
they were offering no extra pay, in fact I was playing five instruments and
they were paying for only three. So I balked and said I would play it on
clarinet (there was even an alternate clarinet part available).

Well, I wound up getting yelled at by Vikki Carr - and being called an
incompetent. This was surely one of the highpoints of my musical career!

Another time, I'll tell you how I was called a pervert by Mr. Rogers!

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com
World-class clarinet mouthpieces

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