Klarinet Archive - Posting 000241.txt from 2006/02

From: "David Blumberg" <blummy@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] The clarinet at Indiana University
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:29:10 -0500

Claudia, mentioning Leonard Sharrow in your posting reminded me of a story
he told me at a music festival back in 1985. He was a cool guy!!

Sharrow was performing Orpheus and there's a part where he comes in on
Bassoon all alone holding a long note. The other winds (Clarinet, Flute)
come in adding to the chord.

1st night:

Leonard starts his note and starts to reflect on how "alone" he feels
playing that note and it gets to him. He starts snickering and his tone
acquires a much stronger vibrato than he planned. The next wind player
enters and gets the giggles too from him. 3rd player as well starts loosing
it.

Conductor was annoyed, but ok - it happens.........

2nd night:

He gets to the part and not trying to think about what happened ends up
thinking about what happened and looses it again. Same effect on the other
wind players.

Conductor is pretty p*ssed this time about it..........

3rd night:

Sharrow tells the other winds that he's going to nail it tonight, and don't
worry - he will come through "he has to!".

So he's sweating a bit as the solo approaches, but he's resolved not to let
it affect him as a professional....

Part comes up, there is silence in the hall as he awaits his entrance

SOMEBODY BLOWS THEIR NOSE!

he looses it again....

He said that in his 50+ year career he has never had the op to perform that
work again so he couldn't "make it right".

:)

btw - the guy looked just like Col. Sanders to me.

David Blumberg
John Williams Concerto Producer - CD available at
http://www.mytempo.com

-----------------------------------------
RE: [kl] The clarinet at Indiana University
Here's a posting I made to this list a decade ago (!) about the burnout
issue...
the included quote makes me smile every time I read it.

http://test.woodwind.org/Databases/Klarinet/1995/12/000147.txt

Claudia

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