 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mario
Date: 2000-05-18 20:51
Hello:
I almost feel like an emotional female teenager who is about to share a very private moment with strangers. But if I cannot do it here, where can I do it?
Yesterday evening, a good friend of mine (a fabulous amateur pianist living in the UK and visiting Montreal) and I spend 4 hours playing the music we have been working off and on together for 2 years now. I rented a 1911 Steinway grand piano from Universite de Montreal (one of their bests). We spent the evening working on the pieces that we had selected
as our core repertoire a couple of years ago.
Over these years, we met regularly (one every three or four months). Naturally, being both amateurs with lumpy practice habits, it took us time to move our pieces from the level of technical struggle to a level where we can, at least, focus on the music and ensemble work.
But yesterday night, everything fell in place. The pieces were technically under control; the sound quality was there; the musical intent that we have in mind got actualized. Balance and ensemble work happened. We both played together probably the very best we ever did in our life. I humbly beleive that the music would have sounded quite pleasant to a friendly audience of friends and relatives (altough we were by ourselves in a practice room).
By the way, the piano was simply perfect. It had a strong sound well matched to mine. We could both use a wide range of dynamic level since the piano was capable of powerful moment. It was quite a thing to be able to let my tone flow without having to worry about burrying the pianist. The room had an excellent accoustic and I could actually hear myself the way others probably hear me (a little of reverberation did the trick).
The previous words are all technical. The point of this is that it was probably the greatest musical moment in our lives. We actually did justice to superb music. We performed at a level that is taking us slowly but surely above the rank amateur level. The feeling of ectasis (I cannot find other words) was exquisite. We left the practice room 30 feet above the ground.
I was not able to sleep yesterday night reliving the moment.
It lingered on in my memory all day.
In a article I recently read about human pleasure, sex (as expected) was ranked at 9.3 over 10 as the most pleasurable experience a human can have. But music competently played was measured just behind at 9.2. (This could be the object of another thread). Clearly, we had a 9.2 evening yesterday. Just undescribable.
I cannot wait for my next encounter with my pianist friend.
There is hope for all of us amateurs out there. Sure it takes us longer to bring pieces of music to their full potential. Sure we loose a little bit of tone color in long phrases after 4 hours of practices (darn diaphram). But is it possible to create beauty even for us.
9.2!
By the way, we played the two Brahms sonatas, the Jenner sonata, a Beethoven sonata for violon and piano transposed for clarinet (the Spring sonata in F), and a little something called "The Victorian Kitchen Garden". Great music, actually suitable for a real recital.
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Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 2000-05-18 22:02
I would expect that music should rank higher than sex, since music typically lasts longer and has fewer undesirable side effects.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2000-05-18 22:12
Mario wrote:
------------------------
* * *
This was probably the greatest musical moment in our lives. We actually did justice to superb music. We performed at a level that is taking us slowly but surely above the rank amateur level. The feeling of ectasis (I cannot find other words) was exquisite. We left the practice room 30 feet above the ground.
I was not able to sleep yesterday night reliving the moment.
It lingered on in my memory all day.
* * *
Mario -
What a great experience! We all live for those rare moments when everything suddenly is flowing easy and comes out better than we could have imagined. You remember it for the rest of your life.
The best thing is that you have that evening "in the bank" and can call on it when you're feeling uninspired, or when you're playing OK but want to take it to the next level.
Once you've had a Magic Moment, you can be sure that another one will come -- maybe next year, maybe in 5 years, maybe next week. I don't think you can call one up -- just cherish it when it arrives.
Hang on. It only gets better.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Kim
Date: 2000-05-18 23:11
I had a similar experience yesterday at my jury. I was playing on brand new equipment (an R-13, a Greg Smith 1* mp, and Chadash barrel), and had no idea what to expect of my performance in front of my professors. In fact, I had never been so nervous since I auditioned for All-State in high school. I was scared!
I was lingering around, and was asked to go an hour and a half earlier than I wanted! I literally gave this professor the death look. If I could, I would have strangled her. However, I went up to a practice room, warmed up for awhile, came down, and they weren't ready. I waited some more, and saw the person who went earlier than me and went upstairs to find a reed.
I then went downstairs and they were ready for me. I went into the room really timidly, kinda like, "Do I have to?" I took my nerves out on E major, a scale I knew really well, but played Ab major perfectly.
The solo I played was Weber's 1st Concerto and from the opening note to the last note I played, it was magnificent! I just made one mistake during the triplet part. I was playing so well that I didn't expect a mistake! I was like, "Go on." This little bobble didn't ruin my performance though.
I then sight read and played all the dynamics, but didn't do as well on the 6/8. However, I was so proud of myself. I stood up, and when I have in the past, my knees have shaken. This time, that didn't happen. I was just so comfortable with what I was playing. In fact, after I played, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was in tears I was so happy. I have never been so proud of myself before.
I know auditions aren't easy for anybody. But, as you grow older, they will get easier and easier. To prepare for this jury, I took 15 days to learn two etudes and the first movement of the concerto. It was only 5 days before the jury that I had played it so much that I wanted to puke. I came to the point that I didn't want to practice it, or even rehearse it, I wanted to perform it. It was unbelievable. Something I will never forget until the next audition.
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-05-19 03:59
I was hoping for one of those at my concert tonight...sigh...let's just say in a few years it will be funny.
We were playing March from Symphonic Metamophisis, which is my favorite song, and my bass just stopped playing. I knew what was wrong, a screw came loose, but I had no choice but to keep playing. That was my last chance to play the song in a audience setting too...If you had a 9.2, I had a -5.
I have had some good experiences...like my solo for solo and ensemble, but otherwise, I'm so happy to hear about your great experience, I know how good that feels...I only wish I would have felt it.
Oh well, life moves on, thanks for letting me vent a little.
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Author: Tim2
Date: 2000-05-21 01:25
I understand your "extasy" (sp) it is thrilling when that magic happens. And with the Brahms sonatas as part of it. Those "Victorian Kitchen Garden" Pieces are great. I heard them for the first time two weeks ago. Emma Johnson on CD.
And with the Rossi's I bet that only added to the experience. Thank you for letting us know. I am sure there will be more.
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Author: Dave Lee Ennis
Date: 2000-05-23 12:57
I've played the Victorian Kicthen Garden pieces before too and had similar moments. For me, it is to do with the piece, if I like it, I have magic moments. The one exception is a piece by Crussell (sp?) which despite my liking of it, I couldn't play in a million years. By the way, how old are you?
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