 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Mike Blinn
Date: 2010-06-14 13:01
I thoroughly enjoyed the Tony Awards presentation on CBS last night, especially the clarinet accompaniment to Catherine Zeta-Jones on Sondheim's 'Bring in the Clowns'. Could that have been Mr. John J. Moses playing?
Mike Blinn
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-06-14 16:44
Mike, I think you may have just redefined "clarinet nerd" (someone who wonders who's playing clarinet behind Catherine Zeta-Jones).
Best regards,
jnk
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2010-06-14 16:45
Hi Mike:
I also enjoyed the the TONY'S on TV last night, great coverage for live music!
I have in fact played "Send in the Clowns" on many occasions with many different singers. It's one of Sondheim's great tunes!
I do not play with the TONY Orchestra, but many great NYC doubles do, and they are all my good friends, so..
The doubler who plays the show, "A Little Night Music" on Broadway, is David Young, and he was heard on Zeta-Jones pre-record sound track last night.
Come to Broadway often and hear all the great players this town has to offer!
Cheers,
P.S. I believe "Bring in the Clowns" was written by Billy Joel years ago?
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2010-06-14 19:26
I was actually complaining about the clarinetist! It sounded as if the player was playing on a hard, unbalanced reed and was on the verge of squeaking at any time.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: grifffinity
Date: 2010-06-15 04:06
Quote:
The doubler who plays the show, "A Little Night Music" on Broadway, is David Young, and he was heard on Zeta-Jones pre-record sound track last night.
David Young is AMAZING. He's also on the soundtrack of Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical. That score is tough all around for all three instruments required (Flute, Clarinet, Alto sax).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rcnelson
Date: 2010-06-16 13:10
John Moses,
Do you have a complete list of those who played in the woodwind section of the Tonys? They sounded great, as all NY/Broadway muscians do.
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2010-06-16 14:06
Hi rcnelson:
Thanks for your interest!
The TONY AWARDS woodwind section is:
Lawrence Feldman
Eddie Salkin
Dennis Anderson
Lou Marini
Ron Janelli
They did the pre-record at the Clinton Studios in NYC, and were broadcast to the Radio City Music Hall the night of the TONYS. They were not in the Hall, much to their dislike!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rcnelson
Date: 2010-06-16 15:02
Wow...I recognize those names from a variety of Playbills, CD credits, etc. No wonder they sounded terrific. Yes, too bad they were not in the hall. Thanks for the info, John,
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: grenadilla428
Date: 2010-06-16 16:49
I find it interesting that the orchestra was not in the hall. You'd think it would cost the same (if not less - studio time isn't cheap) to have them appear live. Perhaps the production crew/directors wanted the quick response of a "play" button?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2010-06-16 23:52
John J., I have to assume the Billy Joel comment was a joke....and I got it.
Sometimes the luck of the draw creates these opportunities that allow for a bit of musical fame.
You can only play the hand you're dealt.
David Young is an incredible doubler and can cover the wide variety of books (due to the advent of the synthesizer) that is now required to last long term on Broadway.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wicked Good ★2017
Date: 2010-06-17 01:10
I just heard, from Anita Brown (a college classmate who is now a composer living in NYC), that the Clinton Studios are closing soon. True? Seems a real shame if so.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
There are only 10 kinds of people in the world:
Those who understand binary math, and those who don't.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: FDF
Date: 2010-06-17 01:50
This is a thread that makes the clarinet bboard worth checking in on everyday. Thanks to John J. Moses and all who responded.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2010-06-17 04:27
Hi All:
Two quick answers:
1) No joke, I think Billy Joel wrote "Bring in the Clowns"
http://www.experienceproject.com/song_meanings.php?song=Bring+In+the+Clowns&a=Bill+Joel&s=22451&t=s
Steve Sondheim wrote "Send in the Clowns" which we heard on the TONYS.
2) Yes, the great and famous Clinton Studios is in fact closing. It's scheduled to happen sometime this summer. Real estate in mid-town is extremely valuable, so I assume Clinton sold their studio space to a developer for a hefty sum, and will probably become condos. Too bad for all of us who loved Clinton and have fond memories of recording there.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: DougR
Date: 2010-06-17 06:07
I assume Radio City wanted the orchestra pit area for sets and glitzy platforms and stuff. One year they had the Tony orchestra playing in the same building as Radio City, but on the 4th floor--linked via phone and video lines, I assume. This year apparently there was a fiberoptic link between Clinton Studios and RCMH. And while all of these guys are used to playing shows in cramped little black-box rooms set off from the main stage (sometimes even UNDER the main stage), and watching the conductor on a monitor, getting a cue mix through headphones, still....all the way across town?? Really, if you can do it from across town, you can do it from Omaha...or Toronto...or Bombay. It's not a serious issue yet for professionals, but it may soon be. A few years ago Broadway producers were all hot to substitute the "virtual orchestra" synthesizer for live musicians--now you can see the dollar signs dancing in their eyes as they contemplate hiring an orchestra in Mexico, link them fiberoptically to the theatre, and bingo, live music dirt cheap! (Hmm...each Broadway theatre has a mandated number of musicians required to play anytime there's a musical in that theatre. Wonder if the contracts stipulate that the musicians have to actually be IN the theatre? Maybe they could be in the Ukraine?)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: grenadilla428
Date: 2010-06-17 15:05
Wait - I missed something. Was the orchestra pre-recorded or performing live off-site?
Also, doesn't removing the orchestra lessen the glitz and grandeur of this type of event? Maintaining key stylistic elements in the face of logistical issues is part of event coordinating. There's a certain measure of trouble in making a big deal of something... if it's easy to do, it's not that big a deal after all.
I think it's a bit cheap.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: DougR
Date: 2010-06-17 16:34
grenadilla428: A lot of the Tony stuff is pre-recorded, either by the Tony orchestra or by each show's orchestra. I believe the dance numbers are usually pre-recorded, and some of the featured numbers were too (John Moses might be able to shed some light on which was which). The "Memphis" number was clearly done live, with the same band that plays the show every night at the theatre, and the "million dollar quartet" feature (with all the audio dropouts) was live as well. I didn't THINK "Send in the Clowns" was done live, since Ms. Jones did so many tenutos that a live conductor would have caught and stayed with her on (but I could be wrong about that). Possibly the conductor was off with the band on 46th st., instead of right under her nose where he could see her.
sure, it's cheap. Broadway producers are cheap, too, and (as I understand it) prone to regard musicians as an unfortunate affliction that saps a show's profitability, rather than as contributing artists whose work enhances it. At the Academy Awards, there's almost always a ritual pan across the orchestra pit at some point (usually getting only the reed section, which is fine by me). Not with Broadway--wouldn't want musicians to get swelled heads, since there's always the next contract negotiation to think about!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
