 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-11-17 08:43
Hi
I am going to play with a group and would like to hear what you think of the best sitting arrangment. I have some ideas to what would be best but I would like to hear what others suggest for more ideas.
The group is six persons. Two persons playing clarinet and bass clarinet (as in each of them play both instruments), one person on alto and soprano saxophones, one violin, one cello, and one contrabass.
If it's important to know anything about the music (for example, there is a long part of just the winds), or about the signals we will have to do while playing I can write them.
Thanks.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Heyou13
Date: 2005-11-17 10:32
Clarinet1_Clarinet2_Sax_Contrabass_Cello_Violin
Thats how I would probably do it. What did you have in mind?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-11-17 12:19
I'm assuming the question is: "How should we be seated for a performance?". You might want to sit quite differently for initial rehearsals.
For a performance, it all depends on the style of the music, and will be a compromise.
As a rule of thumb, if two instruments are playing in harmony, they should be seated together. If they are playing in counterpoint, they should be seated separately.
You can understand this quite clearly by considering how you would arrange a choir. If they are singing chorals in simple four-part harmony, you generally wouldn't want the audience to hear the melody from one direction and the bass from another. But if they are performing an antiphonal piece in which parts of the choir are answering each other, you do want a separation in space, and ideally you'd put different parts of the choir in different parts of the building. (But not at a first rehearsal you wouldn't!)
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-11-17 12:47
Clarinet1_Clarinet2_Sax_Contrabass_Cello_Violin
Totally backwards! Strings should be on the left (as seen from the audience) so as to have their f-holes project the sound into the hall, not away from the listeners.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-11-17 13:31
Edit: I posted this after only one reply. Yes I did mean in the concert and not in the rehearsal.
Thank you for this suggestion. Maybe I should have said something about the music.
I thought of doing something like clarinet-violin-contrabass-saxophone-cello-clarinet.
The reason for having both (bass) clarinets on the edges is because there will be a nice stereo effect, where both bass clarinets play a bass line one after the other repeatedly. Another reason is one of the pieces is only the winds, so I thought it would sound better coming from the entire stage than coming from only one side. For the same reason I thought of putting the sax in one of the middle two places.
We will also make a lot of signals to each other. I will do most signals, most by conducting one or two bars to get everyone to enter in the rhythm. There is a rubato part where the cello plays the melody and signals the winds the beginning of each sentence. The violin will signal some places without counting, and the saxophone will signal only to the clarinets also without counting. The second clarinet and contrabass I think are the only ones not doing any signals.
That's all the details. Like I said, I have an idea of how to do it but maybe others will have ideas I missed or just didn't think about.
Edit: Larry, good point. You refer to the violin right? Since cello and bass are symetrical.
Edit: David, you made good points. I'll explain a little about how the music will be by giving a few example. Cello solo accompanied by winds, violin solo accompanied by cello, Cello solo accompanied by pairs of violin+sax and bass clarinetx2 (each pair is unison), winds play melody and strings accompany, bass clarinet solo accompanied by strings (but not as a section, bass doing walkingbass, violin playing harmony sort of, and cello drumming). Pretty much everyone will be playing both in harmony and in counterpoint with everyone else.
Thanks.
Post Edited (2005-11-17 13:45)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2005-11-17 15:12
There is no "best" seating arrangement--the only consideration should be that you can all see each other (during rehearsal and performance) in order to communicate tempi and cues among yourselves.
Any arrangement except a straight line across facing your audience. For the past 30+ years, I have served as an adjudicator for our states music festivals (held at our various University of Wisconsin campuses) and you would be surprized at the number of middle and high school class A ensembles that set up to perform in a straight line facing the judge--even after the priliminary district festival appearance and (presumably informative critique). One wonders what quality of instruction is offered at their respective schools or private lessons--or if it is simply another case of stge fright or "the racoon caught in the headlights" syndrome that causes them to think they must all be facing the judge, or else!!
Whatever the case, it is ALWAYS important for an ensemble to sit in an arrangement--during rehearsal and performance--that will allow communication between all of the players to set uniform tempos and other cues necessary for a technicaly precise and musically effective performance. Any arrangement will do--except a straight line (never recommended by "the judge") Listen and look--and try not to tap your feet too obviously.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
