 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-05-29 17:03
From a friend:
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Upper Darby Sousa Band, with a Memorial Day program of patriotic standards at Longwood Gardens. The weather was ideal, in the low 80’s with a light breeze.
Downbeat was scheduled for 7:30 PM and sure enough, the conductor’s baton was raised at 7:30 to play National Emblem March.
About eight measures into the piece, the conductor suddenly stopped the band, for no apparent reason. And then I heard the BLURRSSHHHH as the fountains sprayed their heavy stream of water all over the band. It must have been entertaining to the audience, seeming to be a special effect to enhance the music. But no…the Gardens staff had accidentally left the scheduled Festival of Fountains program scheduled for 7:30 show as well. The biggest fountain was in the center of the stage and rose about 20 feet into the air, nearly wiping out the four bass clarinet players who sat right above the nozzle. After four or five repetitions of the spray the band paused for a few minutes to dry out and move some chairs around. We restarted the concert at 8PM, with no more (BLURRSH) incidents.
The big spouting just before the conductor’s cut-off is the one that got the bass clarinets. Longwood Gardens has graciously offered to pay for all damage to instruments and music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=belxZqS1Yj8
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Jeez .......
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-05-29 17:22
"The four bass clarinets, all of them wood Buffet 1193 low-C models, immediately cracked from the effects of the water spray and had to be replaced at a total cost of $40,000."
[I just made that up]
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2009-05-29 19:49
Reminds me of time I played Die Walkure at Red Rocks Amphitheater, near Denver, and the "magic fire", supplied by the Army, sprayed sparks all over the orchestra pit. Longwoods's inundation sort of reversed Wagner's sequence, didn't it!
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-05-29 19:56
I'd heard you were a fiery bass clarinetist, Larry, but I had no idea that was a literal description!
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-05-29 19:56
Philadelphia Orchestra (back about 6-7 years ago) got sprayed by the sprinkler system testing gone arwy during a rehearsal of Rite of Spring.
They got their rite alrightly....
All kinds of damage to instruments from that one.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: William
Date: 2009-05-29 20:20
LOL The last time I played the annual July 4th band concert at Elver Park, here in Madison, a spent cartaridge from one of the arial bursts landed right next to the bassoonist just five chairs from me.
Did I mention that it was the last time I played the annual July 4th concert at Elver...........?
Post Edited (2009-05-29 20:22)
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