 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: knotty
Date: 2010-01-06 01:16
Maybe a strange question, perhaps it's my inexperience but if your playing a major solo and the spotlight is on you, what happens if something like the reed acting up or some mechanical problem occurs where you couldn't continue playing. How is a situation like that handled, and does it happen frequently?
Thanks..knotty
~ Musical Progress: None ~
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-01-06 01:30
Well, it doesn't happen very often if at all for most players. Though probably every player has had an experience or two though and it depends on how bad it is. Obviously it depends on where and what you're playing. If the instrument simply stops playing you don't have much choice other than stop playing. I've never had a complete breakdown but I put my cap through a reed once at a symphony concert and just did my best playing it until intermission since I left my other reeds in my locker, I don't do that anymore. One time, at a chamber music concert, I completely broke my reed on my lip and I couldn't play at all so I explained to the audience what happened, went off stage to change my reed and began over again. One time one of our players springs broke on a top trill key while he was warming up so we taped the hole shut until he could get it fixed the next day. Forturnately this kind of thing is rare, very rare. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BartHx
Date: 2010-01-06 01:49
In the event of a mechanical failure, I can't imagine and audience that would be offended by an honest explanation followed by a brief pause while the problem is corrected -- possibly, even the soloist borrowing an instrument from another member of the orchestra to finish the performance.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2010-01-06 02:01
The have been numerous instances of solo violinists who break a string or even a bow during their performance.
In most cases the concertmaster gives them his instrument to finish the piece.
A wind soloist might have a back up instrument with them, or could temporarily borrow one from another member of the section.
In an orchestra setting, if a clarinetist's instrument suddenly has mechanical problem, there are a few things you can do:
1. transpose the remainder of the piece on your other clarinet
2. borrow a Bb or A clarinet from the bass clarinetist ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: USFBassClarinet
Date: 2010-01-06 02:09
Last year I was at a concert with a guest violinist playing some concerto. (I don't remember who, but if anyone is really excited about it I can dig through my programs and find it.) Just as he got to the climax of the movement, his E-string popped. Being a partial string player, I expected the concert master to hand her violin over, but she refused. The soloist walked backstage, got his extra string, and chatted with the few hundred in the audience while he replaced it.
I would assume if it was an orchestral setting with a solo, that the 2nd clarinetist would have the solo practiced just in case as well? At least that is my limited experience. I've seen a clarinetist tap the other and 'hand over' the solo if they had an issue of some sorts.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2010-01-06 02:25
Once, back when I was a student, I was playing the bass clarinet part to the Janacek "Mladi" sextet (wind quintet plus bass clarinet). During a performance my low Eb wouldn't speak. At the end of the movement I quietly tested the instrument, but with very poor results.
Suddenly there came a voice from the audience saying "If you are looking for the pad that fell off your bass clarinet, it is under your left foot"!
Needless to say I was a bit chagrined.
Recovering my composure, I asked if anyone in the audience had a lighter. One was produced and we chatted with the audience while I reseated the pad by heating up the glue. I got the low Eb working again and we continued the performance.
To date that has been my worst equipment failure during a performance!
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
1193 Bass Clarinet Center
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2010-01-06 12:36
Once many years ago I think 2001 a clarinetist here in Iceland got the tiny point screw on the upper joint which holds the first ring and connects to the bridge mechanism loose during the 3rd movement of the Weber quintet. He didn't stop and held the key with his finger and then went of stage after the movement and screwed it back. He got a lot of critic for not just stop right away and fix it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-01-06 14:34
Where you're in a position to stop the performance (unlike Ed Palanker's predicament), you just stop it. I was playing a quintet concert when my instrument started behaving oddly. I looked down and saw that a screw had come loose. At the end of the movement, I stood up and said "We'll have to take a short break. A screw has come loose on my clarinet, and a key is about to fall off. It'll take me about a minute to tighten it." I then fixed it and we went on.
A friend was playing the Carter Quintet, in the movement that consists of a single pitch, with the instruments coming in and out. In the middle, the sliver key for his left ring finger came completely off. He picked up his A clarinet and continued. At the end of the movement, he got a screwdriver and put the key back on.
Charles Neidich can play anything, on any equipment or reed, but during a concert a year or so ago his reed died so completely that even he couldn't play it. He said "I have to put on a new reed," did so and went on.
Short of a mega-disaster -- say, a falling chandelier http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._96_(Haydn) or the famous Bangkok piano recital joke review http://www.snopes.com/humor/nonsense/piano.asp, the show must go on, and audiences are more amused than scandalized.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: aero145
Date: 2010-01-06 15:17
Stefán - could you by any chance give me abbreviation of that player’s name? Just curious.
I personally haven’t had any problem like that though.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: salzo
Date: 2010-01-06 15:43
A few years ago I was playing Fiddler on the roof. Hours before the performance, I was giving a lesson, and my students pad came off. I gave her a shellac stick that I keep in my tool bag, told her to return it the next lesson, and went off to play the gig. I keep it in my bag 'just in case', but have never had to fix a pad before a performance. So I lent it to her.
Five minutes before the show begins, a pad falls off. I dont remember which one, but it was an important one. I grab my tool bag, which of course has no glue in it, because I lent it to my student, because I never need it. I cant get the old glue to heat up, no one has a lighter ( a lot of good that shellac stick would have been without the lighter-now I carry a lighter). So I find a stage hand, who does not have a lighter, but has a tube of crazy glue- it is about two minutes before the curtain, I take the Krazy glue. Get back to my seat, it is one of those tubes which requires the applicator be cut. So I go in my bag, grab a razor blade, slice the tube, the glue is all over the place. All over my clarinet, all over the music, all over my hands. I got the pad on, but several keys were now glued closed, and two pages of the music were glued together. Ohhh Geez, thgis is going to be an absolute nightmare.
I start playing, avoiding certain notes, and the whole time I am thinking about the clarinet solo in one of the dance pieces-real klezmer stuff, and real exposed. Get to the solo, and added A LOT of glissandos, left out certain notes- but it came out pretty good. I was very happy when that night was over.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Nessie1
Date: 2010-01-06 16:33
salzo wrote:
> A few years ago I was playing Fiddler on the roof. Hours
> before the performance, I was giving a lesson, and my students
> pad came off. I gave her a shellac stick that I keep in my tool
> bag, told her to return it the next lesson, and went off to
> play the gig. I keep it in my bag 'just in case', but have
> never had to fix a pad before a performance. So I lent it to
> her.
> Five minutes before the show begins, a pad falls off. I dont
> remember which one, but it was an important one. I grab my tool
> bag, which of course has no glue in it, because I lent it to my
> student, because I never need it. I cant get the old glue to
> heat up, no one has a lighter ( a lot of good that shellac
> stick would have been without the lighter-now I carry a
> lighter). So I find a stage hand, who does not have a lighter,
> but has a tube of crazy glue- it is about two minutes before
> the curtain, I take the Krazy glue. Get back to my seat, it is
> one of those tubes which requires the applicator be cut. So I
> go in my bag, grab a razor blade, slice the tube, the glue is
> all over the place. All over my clarinet, all over the music,
> all over my hands. I got the pad on, but several keys were now
> glued closed, and two pages of the music were glued together.
> Ohhh Geez, thgis is going to be an absolute nightmare.
> I start playing, avoiding certain notes, and the whole time I
> am thinking about the clarinet solo in one of the dance
> pieces-real klezmer stuff, and real exposed. Get to the solo,
> and added A LOT of glissandos, left out certain notes- but it
> came out pretty good. I was very happy when that night was over.
Great story if you weren't the player! It reads hilariously.
Vanessa.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: knotty
Date: 2010-01-06 19:58
Thanks for all the great replies, enjoyed reading each one's experience. Yes, stopping and making the repair or having a spare instrument makes the most sense. The only audience I have is 3 kitties, so no problem for me and the rate I'm going, I'll never be standing in front of people.
knotty
~ Musical Progress: None ~
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-01-06 22:54
At the ClarinetFest 2005, Claude Faucomprez was playing and right in the middle of the piece, there was big earthquake. Not one of those tiny "Did you feel that?" earthquakes. More like "Should we go?" ones.
He just kept playing. Amazing!
I would have been out the backdoor before people noticed I had left the stage!!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JEG ★2017
Date: 2010-01-07 00:24
My question to GBK is - what do you do when you ARE the bass clarinettist? :-)
In February 2006 I was playing bass clarinet in a clarinet ensemble concert in a library on Long Island NY. At the very end of a multiple-movement transcription for clarinet quartet the left middle finger pad fell halfway out of its cup, which was more than enough to render all notes lower than bottom-line E useless. Luckily all I had at that point was a few held notes and nobody in the audience except my wife noticed that anything was amiss. When I got backstage I mentioned my plight to the other players. We were able to juggle the program order so that a piece that didn't require bass clarinet was rescheduled next, and after that was the intermission.
The pad that fell out was original to the horn, a Selmer Model 33 that I bought new in 1971. As I quit playing professionally in the 80's and did not play at all for a few years after that I never had it overhauled, and the shellac was in no condition at that point to be re-melted. My colleagues fanned out through the audience and the library to see what we could use to re-attach the pad. My choices turned out to be artificial fingernail cement, Elmer's Glue and, if I remember correctly, some kind of Krazy Glue. I opted for the Elmer's and managed to install the pad perfectly on the first try. I was able to finish the concert without incident and do several more concerts before I had the instrument overhauled in June of that year.
I also had at least two occasions when I had springs on my clarinet break right after I finished a gig. I must have been living right. But that taught me to keep rubber bands in my case.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2010-01-07 00:50
JEG wrote:
> My question to GBK is - what do you do when you ARE the bass
> clarinettist? :-)
I have played a number of concerts with Jess and he is a VERY fine bass clarinetist and clarinetist.
On Long Island, where we both live, when a bass clarinetist is needed he is usually the first one called.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-01-07 02:58
To all of you who have had a pad fall out (or fear it happening), have your pads installed with silicone glue (a.k.a. silicone caulk, silicone sealant, or RTV). Your pads will never fall out, even if exposed to very cold or very warm temperatures. The old hot-melt amber glue, frankly, stinks. But it's traditional, so it is still used. Too bad!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: catina
Date: 2010-01-07 03:59
Years ago I was playing an all-Sousa concert when the bass clarinetist left her instrument lying across her chair at intermission. Needless to say, someone knocked it over and broke it in half above the lower joint. Without missing a beat, she picked up the two pieces, spit out her chewing gum, sealed it around the crack, and-somehow-managed to play the rest of the concert.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2010-01-07 21:36
I've actually been the concertmaster of an orchestra and popped my E string during a performance. I switched violins with my Assistant, and he had to deal with the lack of E string. (Of course by the time we found a long enough rest to switch, we were on the last 3 pages of Three Cornered Hat, 2nd Suite.
During Nutcracker this year (playing 2nd Oboe), the Principle Oboist kept getting water in his 2nd Octave Key (And I in my G key actually...lol), and one of his small solo's was coming up and he was swabbing out his instrument, and I noticed he couldn't get it together in time, so I covered for him.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2010-01-08 14:21
David Spiegelthal wrote,
>>To all of you who have had a pad fall out (or fear it happening), have your pads installed with silicone glue (a.k.a. silicone caulk, silicone sealant, or RTV). Your pads will never fall out, even if exposed to very cold or very warm temperatures.>>
The pads will never *fall* out, true, but eventually they will *wear* out, and then what do you do? So, David, do you have any good tricks for completely removing the beat-up old pads, in order to install the new ones?
I ask because, as a retired stained glass designer-builder, I'm all too familiar with silicone glue. It's the curse of the stained glass restoration business. I've also encountered silicone glue / caulk a few times in restoring old clarinets, and have heartily cursed whoever installed the pads that way. The silicone-installed pad generally pulls apart when I try to remove it. Then, after peeling out the cardboard back of the pad and chipping out the bulk of the old glue, I've found it time-consuming, frustrating and nearly impossible to get all of the silicone residue out of the pad cup. Just giving up and leaving some of that hardened residue in the cup is a bad idea, obviously, because it makes the interior surface of the pad cup uneven. Using sharp implements or abrasives can damage the cup.
Hot-melt stick shellac does eventually get brittle. But, pads installed with traditional hot-melt are easy to remove completely and replace when necessary. They won't fall out if they're installed properly and checked now and then to make sure the glue is still stable.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2010-01-08 14:22)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2010-01-08 14:50
Lelia Loban wrote:
> I ask because, as a retired stained glass designer-builder, I'm
> all too familiar with silicone glue. It's the curse of the
> stained glass restoration business. I've also encountered
> silicone glue / caulk a few times in restoring old clarinets,
> and have heartily cursed whoever installed the pads that way.
There is (only very recently released) product that saves the day:
Permatex Silicone Stripper #80649
I just used it this weekend - PERFECT!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-01-09 02:39
Not to worry, removal of the silicone glue is easy and takes maybe ten seconds per pad cup. Just take a screwdriver or something similar, pry off the pad (getting the screwdriver between the metal of the cup and the glue as much as possible) and dig/peel it out. Most of the time this can be done without damaging the pad itself, if it matters. It's similar to (and easier) than removing the mastic-type glues used as original equipment by some clarinet makers, and no messier nor more time-consuming than chipping out the traditional amber (resin) hot-melt glue.
Why do I get the feeling most of you write negatively about such things without ever having done them? It's not rocket science (pardon the cliche, but I may be partly exonerated for using it as I am a former 'rocket engineer').
Install a few pads as I suggest (with junk pads you don't care about), give the stuff a day to cure fully, then remove the pads and glue. You shall be a convert.......
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: hinotehud ★2017
Date: 2010-01-09 02:40
Mark,
Is that a relative of yours - Steve Charette conducting? Very impressive young group. I just read this piece today with a string trio with me playing clarinet on the viola part.
Keith Hudson
Post Edited (2010-01-09 03:00)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bill G
Date: 2010-01-09 04:01
This story is told of a clarinetist in Duke Ellington's orchestra. He was soloing at a concert when a key click disclosed that a conk had fallen off a key. Fortunately he was free to imporvise so he merely integrated appropriate
This story is told of a clarinetest n Duke Ellington's orchestra who was soloing on mike when an unexpected click disclosed that a cork had fallen off one of his keys. He was improvising, so he merely integrated additional clicks into his solo. The solo was a great success.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2010-01-09 04:10
hinotehud wrote:
> Mark,
> Is that a relative of yours - Steve Charette conducting?
Son - he conducts both symphony orchestras and opera companies in the Tokyo/Nagoya area. This was a taping of a Suzuki violin class where he works with younger children on "adult" music.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-01-09 05:05
I've tried silicone glue for pads, several types. First, some types cure but are still flexible while others cure to much more solid. I would avoid the flexible types. Usually you can't know until you try a specific type.
After trying the silicone glue I decided not to use it and prefer heat melting glue or shellac (mainly heat melting glue for clarinets). There are a few things I didn't like.
- It takes much too long to harden. With heat glues the player can play very shortly after and this is a lot more common to do than let's say a full repad. It's even possible to do pretty significant repairs when they are urgent while the player is waiting, which for some reason happens pretty often (at least here).
- Somtimes I prefer to glue the pad, then align the pad cup, then align the pad with heat if necessary. This is impossible with the silicone glue.
- I found that for the most reliable seal, the pad has to be glued solid before aligning or harden very fast when aligned. Otherwise any small movement can mess up the alignment and there is no going back. Anyone who simply pressed a pad with soft glue behind it knows that this is unlikely to achieve a good alignment and can mess up the seal.
- It can be very annoying to replace a pad glued with silicone, especially if you didn't know it was glued this way. You'd pretty much have to resort to heat melting glue for repairs while the player is waiting. Do you keep track exactly what keys on what clarinets you used what glue?
- Re pads falling, I've never seen a pad that was glued correctly with good heat melting glue or shellac fall. I've heard from some people who have pads lasting with one of those glues for even 50 years (in extreme varied weather even). How often pads don't need to be replaced for that long anyway? Every time I've seen a pad fall there wasn't enough glue behind it (usually almost no glue at all).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-01-09 22:47
I have to disagree with most of your points, Nitai.
It is very possible to install a pad with silicone glue and start playing immediately while the glue sets, because the silicone glues I use (specifically GE or Permatex brands) have enough initial "tack" to hold the pad in place from the start. And playing while the glue sets is very helpful in causing the pad to seat perfectly.
Perhaps there are significant differences in the properties of commercially-available silicone glues which are responsible for our different experiences. If the GE product (sold in the US as household caulk or sealant, for bathroom or window use, that sort of thing) is available, I'd recommend its use.
I use the following technique: Install the pad, and seat it using a leak light and/or cigarette papers as usual. Then 'pop' the key a number of times (operate shut/open/shut etc.) using somewhat more than normal pressure, preferable with the operating lever rather than pushing directly on the cup. The clarinet can be played immediately thereafter. Full cure takes about 24 hours but there's no need to wait for that, except that the clarinet should not be left in a shut case until full cure is complete because the glue "offgasses" acetic acid (that vinegar smell) which can (a) stink up the inside of the case and (b) tarnish silver plating. So it's best to leave the clarinet on a table or counter for the glue to cure.
I have been using this technique for about 15 years now on literally hundreds of clarinets and saxophones of all sizes. I have occasionally had to remove pads that I had installed earlier in this way, and it was no trouble at all. By the way, it isn't necessary to remove every trace of old silicone glue when installing a new pad -- the new glue will stick even after a 'quick and sloppy' cleanup job of the old glue.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-01-10 03:45
>> Perhaps there are significant differences in the
>> properties of commercially-available silicone glues
There definitely are. The main differences are from more flexible/soft to more solid when dry. I've tried the GE brand glue and it was the best of all the many I tried.
>> I use the following technique: Install the pad, and seat it using a
>> leak light and/or cigarette papers as usual. Then 'pop' the key a
>> number of times (operate shut/open/shut etc.) using somewhat
>> more than normal pressure, preferable with the operating lever
>> rather than pushing directly on the cup.
I agree it's always better to check key for seal pressing the same place where you'd press when playing. However I found that regardless of the type of glue, if pressing like this when the glue is still soft it is more likely that the pad wouldn't seal, usually hit harder in the back. The shorter the key cup arm the worse it gets.
So the question is, when do you do this? After the glue has set enough so the pad doesn't move anymore? How long does that take? Every silicone glue I've tried I also put some on a piece of paper to see how long it takes to dry and check its condition during that time. Everything (including GE) was too slow for me to get to the point I would need it. Also the window for adjustment was too short and no window for re-adjusting at all.
Re re-replacing pads, that is not often but happens more with bladder pads which most people here prefer. But I meant if I wanted to use a different glue next time, like shellac. I'm not sure I would trust it to glue to left over silicone and it might be a hassle to clean it enough for that.
Sorry but I just can't see any advantage to silicone glue but for me many disadvantages. The pads falling simply doesn't happen when they are properly glued with heat melting glue. The only possible advantage could be no heat, so no need for heat source, heat material (gas, alcohol) so a tiny bit cheaper maybe. The heat itself, a direct flame, was never a problem for me even on a plastic Eb clarinet so that is not an issue IMO.
I guess we just disagree.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-01-10 04:00
Nitai,
I "pop" the key repeatedly right after installing (and seating with leak light) the pad, before the glue has started setting. Then I check once more with the leak light, and if the pad is still properly seated, I forget about it and move on to the next key. The pad is thus seated and will remain seated for the next 20 years (if you use leather pads like I do) or 3 years (if you use the typical bladder pads).
I hereby agree to disagree with you. ![[toast]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley15.gif)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2010-01-11 13:30
David Speigelthal wrote,
>>Why do I get the feeling most of you write negatively about such things without ever having done them? >>
What, you're calling me a liar? Good grief, David! As I thought I made clear, I've never *installed* pads with silicone, but I've*removed* pads someone else had installed with silicone.
>>Not to worry, removal of the silicone glue is easy and takes maybe ten seconds per pad cup. Just take a screwdriver or something similar, pry off the pad (getting the screwdriver between the metal of the cup and the glue as much as possible) and dig/peel it out. Most of the time this can be done without damaging the pad itself, if it matters.>>
I admire anyone who can dig around in pad cups with a metal screwdriver blade with good results, but I don't trust myself to avoid accidental damage with that method. I use a hard plastic pry-tool from my stained glass supplies.
Mark Charette wrote,
>There is (only very recently released) product that saves the day:
>
Permatex Silicone Stripper #80649
>
I just used it this weekend - PERFECT!
>
Wow! Thank you! I'll look for that product. Easy removal might change my mind about silicone installation.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-01-12 21:34
I got to say I this is the first I have ever heard about using caulk as pad glue!!
I personally would not use anything that was not heat activated. Pads need to be adjusted to get the best results. They always pack in a little unevenly and if they are new and perfect today, there will be a few pads that need to be adjusted in a couple weeks.
If I want something softer than shellac I use hot melt glue sticks for glue guns and I have fine results.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tom H
Date: 2010-01-12 23:30
On the pad subject- years ago I was in Saskatchewan soloing with our Alumni Jazz band playing the Artie Shaw. It happened. The lead Alto gave me the match and I melted it back on. My conductor, a good freind and fellow native New Yorker, told the audience "Tom's pad fell off. He's not burning up his clarinet, he's...." Glad that's all on video.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris Card
Date: 2010-01-18 10:43
Walter Grabner wrote:
>Once, back when I was a student, I was playing the bass clarinet part to the Janacek
>"Mladi" sextet (wind quintet plus bass clarinet).
> ...
I was browsing in a bookshop this weekend and came across a (very large) biography of Janacek, and I was amused to read a description of the first performance of "Mladi":
the clarinetist had a mechanical failure just before going on stage, which meant that one note, very prominant in the piece, didn't sound at all. Rather than stopping and trying to fix it, he soldiered on to the end like this. Throughout the performance, Janacek, in the audience, became more and more agitated and at the end he ran to the green room to remonstrate with the performer, before coming out and telling the audience that what they'd heard (which must have sounded rather odd) wasn't what he'd written!
Chris
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-01-25 02:38
I remember reading of a prominent oboist who was to play with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra many years back. The orchestra played the intro to his solo piece, and as he raised the instrument to play the reed caught on his lapel and fell out. The conductor realised what was happening and smoothly took them through the intro again, while the oboist scrabbled under his chair for the reed. While doing this, he trod on it and squashed it flat.
A player in the orchestra passed him his instrument and he successfully played the piece on a strange instrument, with a reed of unknown characteristics. I can't speak for the absolute truth of this, but it's the sort of thing that nightmares are made of.
Tony F.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
