The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-09-16 17:33
This is a cute story I posted earlier. Just want to see if anybody else was amused by it.
Last month, I was with my family on a pass in the Green Mountains in Vermont, where we stopped to eat lunch. Among the people enjoying the view up there was tenor Ben Heppner with his two sons. Later in the day, we ran into them again at the Ben & Jerry's factory. While waiting for our plant tour to begin, Ben related the following story.
He had soloed with the Chicago Symphony. I am embarassed - I can't remember what piece - but the tenor sits for 60 minutes and then sings exactly 144 notes.
Sir George Szolti was rehearsing the strings endlessly. Ben sat in the back, quietly talking with horn Gail Williams. This went on for quite a long while.
Suddenly, out of the blue, Szolti turned to him, and in a very loud voice said, "HEPPNER, STOP FLIRTING WITH THE HORN PLAYER!"
At this point, Larry Combs stood up and demanded "Hey, what's going on over there?"
The entire orchrestra cracked up.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2003-09-16 23:39
I find it mildly misogonistic and dull, but not funny - the old school of male conductors were often (but not always) sleezy.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: CPW
Date: 2003-09-17 00:27
I am really not sure why Combs' question cracked up the orchestra.
Was it the way he said it , or.....Maybe its one of those "you had to be there" situations.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-09-20 02:47
Steve,
Yeah, I was trying to not have to come right out and say that. Thanks!
Ralph
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
|