 The Bassoon BBoard
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2009-05-13 01:39
I was talking with a fellow bassoonist tonight and contras came up. He felt that if one has a contra and you can play it, you'd automatically get more gigs. You might have to travel a bit, but once the word got out, you'd get work.
Do you feel that's true? I don't deny that contras are rare, but are there that many places that would want to use a contra in the first place that would go to the trouble of hiring you?
And what are the most common pieces that would use a contra?
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Author: leigthom
Date: 2009-05-13 09:47
Hello Jaysne
I bought a contra as a retirement present about five years ago. Since then I have played Beethoven 5 & 9, Brahms 1 & 4, Ravel Mother Goose, Dewi Sant by Karl Jenkins, Dvorak Serenade in D minor. I'm off to do Camina Burana by Carl Orff in a few weeks. Most of these have involved travelling. But considering I'm an oboist word soon gets around that you have a contra. So far I haven't messed up anything and have thoroughly enjoyed myself!
The biggest problem is carrying the instrument, instrument stand, music stand etc, but a folding trolley has helped. If you have the chance get a contra and a new life suddenly opens up!
Leigh
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Author: Ian White
Date: 2009-05-13 14:09
There are lots of good contra parts in later c19th & c20th choral & orchestral works - Mahler, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Ravel, Richard Stauss, Elgar, Vaughan-Williams, Walton, Britten, Tippett, Bernstein. More Brahms - Symph 3, Academic Festival Ov, Haydn Variations & the Requiem. There is a long solo in Gliere's 3rd symphony - you definitely need to go into training for that one! Beethoven Missa Solemnis is a good test of your stamina. The greatest of the earlier works is Haydn's Creation. You could even get asked to do a large scale performance of Handel's Messiah.
In my part of the world (Oxford, UK) there is so much going on within 30 miles of home that I usually do 20 - 25 contra gigs a year & have to pass on a few & there are 2 other contra players around as well as university players.
Go for it & have some fun!
Ian
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2009-05-14 01:17
Thanks for the responses!
Another question--I've never played contra before--how much different is it from normal bassoon?
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