 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2000-02-17 01:26
Under the topic "Re: Swabs" below, I wrote a stress-related story that happend to me once. I just remembered another one that happend to me a few years ago.
Before I got a permanent job in an orchestra I freelanced for many years. One day at 4 p.m. as I was taking a nap, the principal clarinet of the Radio Symphony Orchestra in my town called me: "Are you free", he asked. I said "yes". "Can you be here in an hour", he said. "I guess I can", I said. "What are we playing", I asked. "I'll explain later", he said, "just bring your bass-clarinet". It turned out that they were doing the sound-track of a BBC TV-production about Tchaikovsky's life and they needed a bass-clarinet, since they couldn't find their regular bass-clarinetist who didn't know that they had changed the shedual for that day. I came there at 4.55, picked up the bass-clarinet and played a scale. That was all for the warm-up. "Ping-pong", "orchestra on stage", it sounded from the speaker so I sat down on stage, checking the music. Manfred symphony? I had never heard of the piece before. La-di-da... Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting. "OK...REHERSAL FIRST MOVEMENT". Vladimir turns to me and the two bassoons. The piece starts with two bassons and bass-clarinet in unison. We played half a page since that was all they needed for that scene. "OK...TAKE ONE". Same thing. "FINE...NEXT MOVEMENT".I turned to the principal asking; "do I get kamikaze-fee for this". "Sorry, I didn't know", he said. It wasn't over yet. I turned the page for the next movement. Couple bars rest, than...SOLO!!? It starts very beautiful with only strings, then, fermata, strings tremolo in PP, Vladimir gives me a gesture. I get one camera up my nostrils and one close to my right ear. I play the solo but I have no memory that I actually did. Afterwards he thanked me with a smile for coming with such short notice. I answered something "hummel-mummel". I think he was satisfied since I only got one take. I have watched the video and when that solo comes, I know that there is not one single thaught that goes through my mind at that moment.
At six o'clock I was lying in bed again wondering what happened.
I want to read more stress-related stories from people.
Yours, Alphie
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Author: Steven Epstein
Date: 2000-02-17 03:37
That story was a blast!
I only play for fun, don't have really serious skills, but still get my opportunities for stress. I play with pick-up bands that play jigs and reels for American contradancing. We don't have true rehearsals, since most of the other people have been doing it for quite a while and know the tunes in their sleep. You play what you can. Usually a tune is repeated 6 - 9 times before you go on to the next one in the usually three - tune medley. We all play 2 - 3 times together, then come section solos, occassionally a solo solo. It's mostly stringed instruments, with a small bunch of flutes, recorders, and whistles, but I am often the only clarinet, and clarinets are loud in this kind of band, so I am going to be heard. But even if I'm sightreading the tune for the first time, by the time the "winds" solo comes around, I've played it 4 - 5 times, and these tunes have an AABB structure, so I've actually played it double that.
Well, the other day, we're playing a tune I've never seen, at the usual fast dance tempo. We go through it two full times and our "conductor" points to me for an isolated solo. Another musician "helpfully" adjusts the mike for me.
So what did I do? I played, concentrating on the rhythm, making up notes if I had to.
More music should be like this.
Steve
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-02-17 05:21
A little over a year ago my work schedule changed so that I had to find another community band that met on another night. I found another over in the next county and went there with my wife and daughter to check it out and was received very nicely. "Sit on in, we're rehearsing for our concert next week". We sat and played through about four peices they were smoothing out. So far, so good. Next week we came all dressed and ready to play. It was outside in a courtyard and the lighting was not to good. Now mind you, I was with a new group and a new conductor and I wanted to make a good impression. This was gonna be difficult as he had four very GOOD clarinetists. He then handed me a folder he promised me. I was sight reading about a dozen 2nd clarinet (played 3rd in rehearsal) peices I'd never even seen before in poor outdoor lighting. I found the true meaning (value?) of counting that night. Though I confess skipping out on a couple of quick runs so as not mess the performance, I played probably better than I ever did before. I attribute this to my total state of FEAR.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2000-02-17 09:48
Sorry folks, but I didn't read three "stress stories". I read three happenings for three competant musicians who had done their home work in the past, by demanding of themselves to get the basics. Now if only the young folks going to all these competitions would prepare as you three certainly had to, I stronly feel there would be less "Wish me luck" messages and more "I'm gonna wow 'em" messages.
Congratulations on jobs well done!!!! Ben there, done that.
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2000-02-17 17:54
Thanks for the complement! It's been a long, long time since I worked on the basics, though.
Steve
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Author: Bino
Date: 2000-02-17 21:43
Stress...On Friday I have endowed scholarship auditions...It wouldn't be a problem for me except next week I'm playing this piece in wind ensemble FOR THE COMPOSER...So not only do I have to be perfect on the Brahms Sonata and the Weber Concerto No 1 I also have to be extremely perfect on J'ai Ete UN Baul by Grantham (hard fingerings if ya havent played it...I also have an orchestra concert...jazz ensemble...sax quartet...playing on a grads recital...Not to mention an astronomy test and a gig spinning records (DJ) at this new club...I'm so swamped with stuff to do I can hardly take it...but hey when the pressure hits some people fold and some people focus...I will get thru this...I just hope my embouchure can survive!
Bino
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Author: Brent
Date: 2000-02-19 17:51
I've been sick and haven't read the board in a few days, so this is kind of late...but being sick has a lot to do with this story.
I have done occasional sub work for a couple of local orchestras. My first time was when i got a call at 6PM on a Saturday from a friend who is second clarinet in one of these orchestras. It turns out he suddenly became sick, there was a concert tonight at eight, and would i play for him. Of course, i said yes. The concert was a run-out concert in a town an hour and fifteen minutes away, at the high school auditorium. He didn't remember where that was. I jumped into my tux (didn't have tails then) and (when my wife got home to watch the kids about five minutes later) left for this town. I made good time and was able to find the high school...and it was dark. Nobody was there. Twenty till eight, and panic began to set in. I found a pay phone and called my friend back, who by now sounded like he was nearly comatose, and pleaded for more information. He said there was a hall near the center of town, but couldn't remember anything else. I drove to the downtown area (about six blocks) and looked for someone dressed up walking someplace (the concert hall, i hoped). Sure enough, there was a couple. I stopped and asked whether they were going to a concert. They answered "yes" and i almost shouted "where is it!" They showed me and i found a parking spot (a legal one, yet!) and got onto the stage two minutes before show time. I think i began to generate moisture again after twenty minutes of playing. Oh, yes, i got to sight read Brahms 4th--including transposing the 3rd movement for C clarinet.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-02-21 17:59
Great cl stories, reminds me of " 1 2 3, its in the key of H, your chorus, GO !!". Stressful? Don
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Author: J. Calhoun
Date: 2000-02-21 22:38
About four or five years ago, I got a job filling-in on New Year's Eve, with a rock band, for really good money. Went over a couple of tunes with the guitarist/leader at his house a couple of weeks before, got road maps for a couple of tunes I didn't know real well. Played a gig with them for a little money about two weeks before NYE, so I had their routine down well.
So far, so good.
On NYE, drive to the Harvey Hotel. Walk in, ask where the ballroom is. "Upstairs and to the right". OK, no problem. Walk in, and now the strangeness begins. There are about five guys in there, unpacking accordions, clarinets, violins...Did the leader hire some unusual instrumentation for the Top 40 rock band? "Hey, who are you guys?" "We're the Russian band, who are you?" Uh Oh. Called home, my wife answered, asked her to check the calendar. Sure enough, it says Harvey Hotel. I start calling all the Harvey Hotels in town (there are about four or five, all at least 30 minutes from where I am, and it's about 30 minutes from downbeat by this time). After several fruitless calls, my wife calls me back and says "listen to this phone message". It's the band leader, telling me how to gain access to the loading dock of the Embassy Suites Hotel!!
Good news! The Embassy Suites was about three minutes from the Harvey. I got my horn put together just about five minutes before the downbeat. I will never know if HE said Harvey or if I just THOUGHT I heard it, but that was the closest call I've ever had to date.
By the way, the gig went great, but I never heard from the guy again. I guess his regular sax player came back, or the band got restructured, or something.
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