 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinet87
Date: 2005-01-08 17:53
I was listening to the Vienna Philharmonic play their usual New Year's concert and I'm pretty sure one of the brass players came in at the wrong time. It happened in Tales From The Vienna Woods. It sounded like they forgot to take a repeat. Maybe it was just my imagination, but to me it just didn't sound right. Just wondering if anyone else noticed this.
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Author: edk
Date: 2005-01-08 17:55
I heard it too - you gotta love live recordings. The trumpet player forgot to take a repeat. Maybe he got lost while reading a good novel...
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Author: Clarinetist
Date: 2005-01-08 18:11
It sounds very humane that even great professionals may do a mistake sometimes...
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-01-08 18:15
Strauss orchestral waltzes are like following a huge convoluted road map.
Lots of repeats, da capo, dal segno, 1st, 2nd, and even 3rd endings.
There are also different strains within each waltz - some repeated, some not.
Different guest conductors often have their particular preferences, thus they may omit one or some of the repeats.
I'm certain that this particular lapse in concentration was not the first time, nor will it be the last time.
It happens ...GBK
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Author: Clarinetist
Date: 2005-01-08 18:38
I believe the audience hardly noticed that mistake, after all the audience is not there listening some stupid mistakes, but to listen some great music making.
Even a professional soloist may do a mistake sometimes, but they can cover it pretty well so hardly anyone in the audience notices (or even cares about) it.
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-01-08 19:33
Even more egregious mistake was NPR labelling two of the waltzes as Polkas--did anybody else notice that?
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Author: mystery science dieter
Date: 2005-01-08 21:54
Professionals make mistakes.
What is important is that it was so noticeable by the absence of other mistakes.
The key is not making a lot of them or repeating them.
Ever play ONE Strauss waltz? The road mapping is a nightmare. Repeats, Da Capos, Dal Segnos, Codas by the dozens in every piece.
Now try playing 12 of them in a row without making ONE mistake.
Get the picture?
Post Edited (2005-01-09 00:00)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-01-08 22:01
I heard it too but convinced myself...up to now...that I was wrong. I'm still not convinced that eliminating the Radetzky was an appropriate memorial...
Bob Draznik
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-01-08 22:10
Not sure about that Larry, but certainly some of the intros to the main polkas are in waltz time, and possibly vice versa.
GBK - well said - this was just an accident waiting to happen when you see the scores - it's a wonder we haven't witnessed this before. They're frightening mazes. For exactly that reason we have always avoided a full concert of these pieces. They are great to listen to for half an hour, but to play a full concert let alone all the rehearsals (just to find where you might be going !) , fills a great many of us with fear (not to mention bile).
In defence of the form however, there are so many interesting things to throw in such as sandpaper, the band and director singing, whistles, rattles, bird calls, champagne corks, whips et al, that audiences are sure to be delighted by the music and the spectacle.
In this part of the world, much was made of the "probationary" member -a female violist. Well, this BB has been there before, so I won't fire any cannons.
BobT
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Author: JessKateDD
Date: 2005-01-09 00:12
I used to play in an orchestra that did a Strauss concert every year. The polkas are murder technically, but the walzes are even worse. Just following what is on the music is horrible with all of the d.c.'s d.s.'s, codas, ect. - plus most conductors will make various cuts. Also, in the first clarinet parts, you're constantly having to jump from Bb clarinet to C clarinet (which I transposed) to Eb clarinet (which I sometimes transposed if the switch was too quick) as you change variations. I wish I had only made one mistake per concert!
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-01-09 13:52
Just to set the record straight (and to ensure myself that I wasn't having a "senior moment") I replayed my TIVO of the New Year's Concert. Sure enough, what PBS titled as the "Fata Morgana Polka" and the "One Heart One Mind Polka" were both entirely in 3/4 time. I've played Strauss Waltzes with 4/4 intros (most notably the "Emperor") but I haven't personally experienced the converse.
Re flaming "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES" I beg to vehemently disagree! While many of us have suffered through perfunctory performances of this genius repertoire, one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had musically was playing a "Viennese" concert conducted by Willi Boskowsky, with Elizabeth Schwarzkopf as soloist! sheer Heaven!
Remember what Brahms autographed on Strauss's widow's fan: a couple of bars of the "Blue Danube", followed by the dedication "Unfortunately, not by your humble servant Johannes Brahms." But clarinetist04 probably doesn't like Brahms either!
Prosit Neue Jahr!
Larry
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2005-01-10 04:35
Ah, Brahms. Well, actually I like some Brahms (his piano books) but I have to say that I am one of the few clarinetists that does not like the Premiere Rhapsody. I've listened to it over and over again, played it and simply can't find it in me to appreciate the piece for the masterful work it really is. I know it's a good work, but I can't stand playing it/listening to it.
Strauss and I had a bad experience a few years back, and it went something like, he decided to mandate that I play a watered down version of one of the waltzes that still had all of the repeats and de capos, del segnos, etc. It was torture. The technique was taken out so that the weak instrumentalists could perform it, the dynamics were hardly adhered to by the group and that was enough to ward me off for a long, long time. Strauss, was definitely a master, no question. But I have to say that I like Richard Strauss much better.
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Author: Brent
Date: 2005-01-10 18:30
Um, i've never played Brahms' Premier Rhapsody, so i couldn't say. His Sonatas are very nice, though, and Debussy's Premier Rhapsody is a wonderful piece of music.
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2005-01-12 00:18
I did four New Years concerts this year with exclusively Strauss pieces. Each concert was 2 hours and 15 minutes long with 20 minutes intermission. Two in a row for two days. I had six clarinets around me including a clarinet in E wich was a bit too flat to be useful so I left it on the stand.
My lips were so sour I could hardly kiss my wife when I came home.
Alphie
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