 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-12-14 14:31
First thanks for the post!
Oddly, I was listening to a recording of Sabine Meyer playing the Weber Second Concerto early yesterday morning. First thing I thought during the second mvt (that I happened to tune to on the radio), "hey, isn't that Spohr?"
The Revelli years were legendary. Now as I listen to the band with older ears, I am still impressed with the great technical prowess of the group. However I wish there was a greater emphasis on playing with smoother, more dynamic phrasing. I'm not saying that they don't play musically, just that they still sound like a band. There are times listening to the Fennel's Eastman Wind Ensemble when you can almost forget it is a band.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2015-12-15 00:55
I sit with one of those students in rehearsal today.
So I'm told, "you, 2nd clarinet 5th chair...letter 'E'," in front of the entire band.
Mess it up you were ostracized. Play it perfectly he'd ask you to do it again.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2015-12-15 07:20
Dave, thank you for posting that link. It's indeed a fine performance, one I wish I'd seen live.
I've now been amusing myself for some time listening to other YouTube vids of Revelli & the U-Michigan band. Some top notch band performances there. The Elsa's Procession recording gave a somewhat jaded moi chills. (Despite some brief audible trouble from the clarinet section - scooping?) But quite magnificent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJFNpLsHCIM
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2015-12-15 07:46
Phillip..
for what it's worth this whole train of though on Revelli began as a discussion in a symphony band I'm in where we're playing Overture and Caccia, quite a challenging piece that we don't play nearly as well as Revelli's crew did on this recording, and at a considerably slower tempo no less.
Here is the link, Revelli does it at the insane 140 bpm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTsWFTD0-Nw
Post Edited (2015-12-15 07:47)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2015-12-15 08:34
Dave - Ha, that Menotti performance is great! Freaky clarinet writing. Thank you once again.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-12-15 11:52
While at Interlochen Arts Academy we had a lot of guest conductors. Revelli came to the school for a week one time and pretty much scared the heck out of everyone. He was just a mean bastard. Wish we could swear on here, that would better describe him! Hated the guy... I was just 14 then and I hated the guy so much I didn't go to one of the rehearsals. Decided to fake a sore throat and went and got a note from the nurse! I'm surprised the whole band didn't go see the nurse!
David, you are right! Did you play under him too? One week was plenty for me!
Played under Fennel too. A total opposite and if I remember correctly he didn't use music to conduct. He memorized the complete scores.
In the Air Force and at Interlochen I also enjoyed Col. Gabriel. Fennel and Gabriel were pretty special people. If you can get hold of some of the old Eastman Wind recordings buy at least one.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2015-12-15 16:42
My Teacher from Virginia Eddie Knakal played All State under him.
He told me this in 9th grade (1978), and I still remember it - Eddie had been asked a question by the player next to him, and Revelli was talking (probably to the brass), stopped, and pointed to Eddie who was whispering to the player in response, and said "YOU, SHORTIE.....SHUTUP!!!"
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2015-12-15 21:25
Quite a performance! I'm not sure if it's still common to have multiple soloists all playing the same solo with a concert band, but it once was done more frequently.
I remember being one of a group of soloists for Cavallini's Adagio and Tarantella with an adult concert band in the early 80s.
I never played under Revelli, but I heard his band on a couple occasions and heard him speak at music teacher conferences a couple times. I found this link to some famous Revelli-isms.
http://www.theyellowboard.com/Revelli.html
Bob, you mentioned Col. Arnald Gabriel. I played in bands that he guest conducted a couple times, and I agree with your assessment completely. I have no experience with Frederick Fennell, but I was quite impressed when I once had Donald Hunsberger as a guest conductor.
Post Edited (2015-12-16 05:49)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2015-12-16 06:43
I played under Fennell once, at All New England. He was a superb communicator in addition to being a top notch conductor. He never raised his voice. He got everyone's full, intense attention without asking for it once. He made everyone want to do their absolute best without ever making a point of it.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-12-16 09:04
David wrote " "YOU, SHORTIE.....SHUTUP!!!"
Revelli was in a good mood that day!
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: Chetclarinet
Date: 2015-12-16 19:42
I was in the Eastman Wind Ensemble in the mid-1960s with Hunsberger. He was a gentleman and always respectful of the students. Fennel would often conduct the Rochester Philharmonic,( I was the bass clarinetist from 1967-69) and was a professional in every way. Actually, I taught clarinet for Robert Renfroe at Texas City High School in 1974 and Revelli came down to clinic the band for two days. He was actually quite calm, and polite to the students.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-12-17 07:17
Clarinetguy - read those comments. They are pretty cool! It's great that people wrote down Revelle's comments. It's actually kind of priceless. I actually put it in my favorites!!
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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