 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2004-03-14 18:00
"Titanic" - a new Musical.
I see that it picked up 5 Tony awards in 1997.
Just been asked to play it in Feb 2004.
I note that John Moses has played it. Any hints as to how you enjoyed it John ? I note also that you changed the band parts around or was the Tams Widmark site innacurate in its scoring ?
Anyone else played it ?
Do we have to duck at the end for the tidal wave as the boat sinks ?
BobT
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-03-14 23:15
bob49t wrote:
> Just been asked to play it in Feb 2004.
You might be a bit late ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) ...GBK
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-03-15 00:18
Hi bob49t:
GBK is right! You've missed the boat! Thankfully.
Seriously, I enjoyed my almost 3 years with TITANIC the musical.
It was written by my dear friend Maury Yeston, who also wrote NINE, and PHANTOM (not the Phantom of the Opera). The orchestrations were beautifully done by Jonathan Tunick, with whom I've done many shows.
Jon & Maury, along with Kevin Stites, our conductor, hand picked the band at TITANIC, and what a Band that was!
Jonathan's orchestrations features the woodwinds, as he was a clarinet/doubler at Juilliard and really knows how to write for us. Maury's score is breathtaking in it's scope and power to portray the beauty and grandeur that was the Titanic.
The clarinet book is quite demanding, but well worth the effort. I still have my copy, which might be interesting to compare to the part you receive.
As a final note, Maury Yeston wrote an interesting book about his experiences putting together TITANIC. Get a hold of a copy of the book, it's titled: The Compete Book of the Musical TITANIC, by Peter Stone & Maury Yeston. I'm thrilled that on page 45, Maury mentions me and our mutual joy in working together again.
Good luck in your voyage with TITANIC!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-03-15 04:40
FYI:
You ask, "was the Tams Widmark site innacurate in its scoring ?"
Tams Widmark lists the instrumentation as:
Reed I: Piccolo, Flute, Alto Flute (or Clarinet)
Reed II: Oboe and English Horn (or Clarinet)
Reed III: Clarinet
Reed IV: Flute and Clarinet
Reed V: Bassoon and E-flat Contrabass Clarinet (or Bassoon)
On Broadway we actually played:
Reed 1: no clarinet
Reed 2: no clarinet
Reed 3: Clarinet, Eb Clarinet, Bass Clarinet (I moved the contra to Reed 5)
Reed 4: Flute, Clarinet, Piccolo
Reed 5: Bassoon, Clarinet, Eb Contrabass Clarinet
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2004-03-15 12:39
GBK,
Thanks for pointing out my slip - although I remember the year changing, my hands don't catch up until April. Thank fully I use a diary to keep me on the rails.
JJM,
Thank you John - great to know.
BOBT
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2004-03-15 14:05
The difference between the original instrumentation and later books brings up a question I've wondered about for awhile....When a local group rents the musical parts, tough to get instruments like english horns and alto flutes are usually doubled by clarinet in most books. Are the original books written that way, or is that something added later for amateur groups?
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-03-15 14:16
Hi FrankM:
You ask, "Are the original books written that way, or is that something added later for amateur groups?"
In my Broadway experience with some 25+ new shows, we always get the books with the instruments we were hired to play. The alternate instrumentations are added later, perhaps for touring orchestras, or to save money. The orchestrators I have worked with are always very specific about which instruments we use. If we have a suggestion, for whatever reason, to try something on a different horn, they'll listen and, occasionally change the instrument. For the most part, the instruments are set by the 2nd or 3rd rehearsals here in NYC. When the books leave town, anything can happen!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-01-19 06:59
For JJM,
Thanks for your input to this older thread.
Just got my book for the above show. Playing it in Feb-Scottish Premiere.
I'm aware it's being repeated close to here in March, then it's being done in Dublin. So the show is certainly taking off. Looks like there may be little dialogue as the story is almost completely told by the music. So the band will be playing constantly.
This is seriously good music. As you rightly say - so well scored for wind and it's not too demanding technically.
Is that you on my CD of the show?
I'm currently playing "A Chorus Line". Great stuff also. All we need is "West Side Story" and you can send me to the great band pit in the sky !
? how can I get a copy of Peter Stone and Maury Yeston's book?
RT
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-01-19 12:19
Although I've heard the term, just what is a "book" anyway in the context of the above references? Also why do bands refer to "charts" ...and what are they exactly??
Bob Draznik
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-01-19 12:39
No banana skins here - this is simply an illustrated reference book written by the originators of this musical, showing the processes up to and including the productionof same.
But I think what you really are asking is what is a show "book". This is simply the musical score for say Reed1, Reed 2 etc.
No idea about charts apart from the obvious applting to commercial popularity.
JJM - I found the book on Amazon and have ordered it !
BobT
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-01-19 18:37
Hi bob49t:
Welcome to the wonderful world of TITANIC. It's a great show and should do very well over there. Yes, I am on the CD of the OBC of TITANIC, and it was a terrific group. We were, in fact, hand picked by Maury Yeston, who I did NINE & PHANTOM with, and the great Jon Tunick, who I did numerous shows for (he is also a wonderful woodwind doubler).
The books were orchestrated with us in mind, so I never tired of playing the show during our long run on Broadway.
I believe Maury is working on a new show that may come to Broadway in 2006, and I'll be there if he needs me. Meanwhile, I'm very happy at my new little show WICKED, (this week's grosses were $1.2M WOW).
Good luck with TITANIC, I promise you won't get wet!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2005-01-19 19:20
Played the show here in the SF Bay Area and it was a joy to play. I loved playing the clarinet book. Lots of great solos. The notes weren't as demanding; it was the stamina. Many of the tunes segue right into the next, so my chops definately got worked. This is not a show where you'll get a lot of reading done. You're playing a good portion of the time. It was great to play!
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-01-19 23:40
Thanks John and 650,
I note you avoided the suspect phrase "Titanic should go down well over there"
Thanks for your encouragement - will let you know how well it "goes down" with the audience.
BobT
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2005-01-24 16:34
For John JM:
what's horns are you playing for the current production of Wicked that you're playing? the show came to SF a little while back, but alas was not on the call for that one.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-01-24 19:10
Hi Steve:
Here's the rundown on the woodwind books at WICKED, currently on Broadway:
Reed 1: Flute, piccolo, alto flute, recorder, penny whistle
Reed 2: Oboe, English horn, bass oboe(!)
Reed 3: Clarinet, Eb clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano sax
Reed 4: Bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, bari sax
That's it, so we're all kept quite busy!
How's the weather in SF, we have 2 feet of snow here in NYC!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2005-01-24 23:30
John:
It was sunny all day today with a low of about 50 degrees. Sorry to hear about the snow. Winter in SF is always temperate; not too hot but not too cold either. Oh wait.....looks like we're going to have "showers" tomorrow, so I guess I might layer tomorrow. Thanks for the woodwind run-down.
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