 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: marcia
Date: 2003-12-17 17:20
I recently played a concert with my community band. I am first clarinet, third chair. At the concert our soloist was unexpectedly absent so the few solos were played by the second chair. (actually by the person sitting in the chair!!) We played the Rhapsody for Hanukkah which has clarinet solo with three separate entries, short rests in between entries. She played the frist one okay but after she missed the next one it became fairly obvious she was not going to get the others-which is what happened. I had not played them at rehearsal, but I know I'm capable of playing them well. For a brief moment I considered jumping in and playing it (it was doubled in flute so it's not as if there was a big hole) but refrained and came in on the next Tutti entry. Any comments on the correct, or accepted way to deal with such a situation?
Thanks
Marcia
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-12-17 18:35
We need a secret "distress" signal that a soloist can give the next chair if they need help. The worst possible thing that could happen, imho, is that you BOTH jump in and play it.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-17 19:54
What a question! I've been thinking about this for a while, with no solid conclusion. It seems obvious that if her Clarinet should suddenly disintegrate (could happen, especially if she's playing an old Conn Pan-American stick), or if her eyes suddenly glaze over and she appears catatonic, sure -- jump right in. Otherwise, I just don't know.
I think EEBaum's comment on signalling is good. However, I don't think it would be tragic if you both played it. Nicely together, to be sure. I was in one "absent soloist" situation where the conductor asked how many in the section could handle it. When hands were raised, he said, "Okay, all of you will take it." Surely, this would not work with any ad lib cadenza involved.
Regards,
John
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-12-17 20:03
Playing in a band, or orchestra is a team effort and you are all contributing to the best musical performance the group can deliver.
As an assistant principal player, or assistant concertmaster, etc... your unwritten responsibility is to back up the principal when needed, especially during an emergency (a broken string, a stuck valve, etc...). In this case it would not be wrong to help out with the exposed solos as this was certainly an unforseen occurance.
It is also not uncommon for an assistant to aid during long and tedious solos, even if for only a measure. An example would be the slow clarinet solo passages from Beethoven 9. I have had my assistant "fill in" for a bar as I briefly rested my lip and caught a quick breather.
Remember, you are all after the same ultimate goal: beautiful music making...GBK
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-17 20:24
As a performer and music director ... I would assume that the deputy would play a solo if something happened and I would be very annoyed if it was just left out. But that's my style (not everyone's the same). Then I would talk to the person and, if it were a technical issue (broken gadget) then I'd accept it and tell them to have it fixed. If they froze because they were nervous, it would be the last time they played in a solo position.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-12-17 20:25
There has to be a prearranged agreement, with the other players, and with the conductor. If there isn't and you step in, you are leaving yourself open to big problems down the line. The 2nd chair and not the 3rd chair should assist the 1st chair. On the other hand, the 2nd chair should know what they can and cannot do and ask for assistance. Many groups will enforce the pecking order, no matter the level of compentancy.
A professional situation might be much different. What comes to mind is a performance of "Man of LaMancha" at Stratford, Ontario, where Dulcinea's wireless mike failed. The actor playing Don Quixote changed the blocking, so that his wireless mike would pick up her voice. The actress didn't know her mike went south, but she knew that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the performance, and the directors thanked him for his quick thinking.
If you were to say to the person ahead of you "Let me try that" and they agreed, then go for it. If they don't respond, let them spoil the performance. The conductor will take the heat, we would hope, for not verifying that a stand-in was prepared.
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-12-17 20:26
Perhaps the band director could make a short speech, making the points in GBK's response above, so that all players understand her/his expectations and band policy for future reference.
Hans
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Author: marcia
Date: 2003-12-17 21:50
Thanks for all your replies. I still am not sure what would have been the best thing to do in the situation. My biggest concern was whether I would step on her toes, or help her out of a difficult situation. I'm not sure how she would react if I discussed it with her after the fact so I probably won't. We play together n a quartet so keeping on good terms is important. As we are searching for a permanent conductor, any discussion on it with the "boss" will have to wait till we find one. I think her problem was one of nerves. I have been an orchestral player for many years so am very accustomed to playing exposed parts on my own, while she is strictly a band person and I think the pressure was just too much. There have been times in rehearsal when a similar thing has happened. Maybe I should discuss it with the soloist when I next see her.
You have given me food for thought.
Marcia
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-12-17 22:03
Marcia... I think you did the right thing under the circumstances, especially since, as you say, "it was doubled in flute so it's not as if there was a big hole". But I agree that there should be a policy in the future to avoid a repeat. Good luck! These things are delicate indeed.
Henry
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-12-17 22:56
Once in a clarinet quartet, there were many dove-tailing solos between myself (2nd) and the 1st clarinet. I'd just performed, went off stage for a second, then went back on with the quartet. For some reason, nothing came out of my instrument - something had gone wrong in the mechanism between performances. The 1st player, an EXTREMELY good player, filled in all my solos as I just sat there and made it look like I was playing something in the harmony and the solo appeared to be completely his.
Remember that you might not always be as lucky to have someone brilliant to fill in for you!
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-12-17 23:02
She was probably nervous because she sensed you were ready to pounce. There is nothing worse than feeling that somebody down the line is just itching to push in. Team work is the issue.
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2003-12-18 01:51
I agree with the theory of "it depends on the situation." I think it can go either way, depending on the people involved, and if the issue is with the horn or player. I realize your spur of the moment quick decision was probably the best choice, as it was doubled elsewhere in the band.
I too play in a quartet, and as much as I hear everyone's parts, I can't reproduce them by memory. It's usually a matter of realizing "oops, she's lost/confused for a minute" and the problem is hers, for example. (Then again, we're all good friends and rehearse frequently enough that we know what to expect to hear.)
In community band, our first chair will sometimes let the second chair play the solos in rehearsal just for the heck of it. Again, we're all friends and it's not competitive. If the first chair is absent, the second chair gives me a shot at it sometimes!
Two more stories, then I'm done. I remember in high school playing one of the movements from "Pueblo de Los Angeles" at a festival before chair auditions. The director let whoever wanted to take the cadenza that first morning, and five of us tried it individually during successive repetitions. We understood it would be the first chair's solo after auditoins. (They didn't even have us audition on that piece--go figure!) It was nice to get the experience, anyway.
Our college wind ensemble was on tour, and I was first chair 3rd. There were several songs with short clarinet trio sections, one on a part. During one of the many concerts, my mind wandered and the girl next to me came in for me. When I jumped in, she stopped. I wasn't happy at my own mistake (counting cut time measures rest in 4) but was glad the part was played by someone.
Remember, it's all for the good of the sound of the band.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-18 01:53
I'd love to find a clarinet quartet to be a part of . . . one day I'll just have to start one I guess.
US Army Japan Band
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