I've noticed a change of attitude recently in store clerks when I enter a store carrying my bassoon. Like most bassoonists, I have a black case cover.
Lately, I've been getting more attention upon entering the store than I'm used to. I went into a CVS in an inner-ring suburb in Cleveland last week. When I've been in this store in the past, the clerks mostly couldn't be bothered to ask me if I need help finding something. I'm quite fine with that as I prefer to do my own looking around.
However, this time upon entering the store with my bassoon over my shoulder, the clerk behind the counter immediately asked me if I needed help finding something and the store manager walked towards me briskly and asked the same thing. Their attentiveness startled me for a minute, but I declined their offer of help and strolled down an aisle to start shopping.
This has happened to me in a few other stores recently. Normally I would have just attributed this to having entered the store during a less busy time, but the CVS had plenty of other customers in it when I was there.
Some things my daughters have told me combined with recent events in the United States leave me wondering if I am being profiled because of the "black bag" I'm carrying.
My older daughter had a job in a bakery this year. She recently had to participate in "Active Shooter Training" or ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training. Additionally, my younger daughter recently had a day off from school because her teachers had to attend an all-day workshop for ALICE training.
My older daughter says one of the things you look for when a suspicious person enters the store is someone carrying a large black bag. The Boston Marathon bombers used black bags to carry their pressure cooker bombs, for instance. Shooters have used them to carry concealed weapons.
I wonder how many businesses are now requiring this kind of training of their employees and whether the stores I've entered recently have trained their workers this way.
My younger daughter says the teachers at her school are even being trained in how to resist an armed attacker. This is from the Wikipedia page on Active Shooter:
"On-Location Responders (school staff, faculty and campus security) play a
crucial role during the initial moments of an attack, prior to law
enforcement intervention, when most casualties occur (in the first 10
minutes). People on site that are properly trained can rapidly assess the
threat, use cover and evacuate safely when possible, or barricade and
hide from the shooter. Collective resistance tactics can be used as Last
Resort Survival Measures to fight the shooter and take control of their
weapon. Pre-incident training and preparations can save lives."
In other words, teachers may now be expected to fight shooters and take control of weapons! Given the fact that most of my daughter's teachers are petite 20-somethings I find this a preposterous idea!
There is something wrong with a world that looks at the black bag that surrounds an instrument and thinks it's concealing a weapon. Would that it were the case that musical instruments were more numerous in this country than weapons!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
The "Rite" Ice Cream
This year many orchestras and ballet companies are celebrating the 100th anniversary of one of the most famous -- or infamous -- premieres in the history of the arts.
On 29 May 1913, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, concertgoers witnessed the birth of one of the towering works of the past 100 years -- Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.
The Cleveland Orchestra will mark the anniversary with performances with the Joffrey Ballet at the Blossom Music Center this August.
The Columbus Symphony recently performed the work to sold-out audiences with its ballet company. Principal Bassoonist, Betsy Sturdevant writes about it in her recent post. Betsy's blog is terrific, by the way. Another view on life inside a big symphony orchestra. She gives some very helpful tips on how to play the opening solo.
In what must be one of the most unusual and tasty ways of marking the centennial, Jeni's Ice Cream (a Columbus based company) has produced a limited edition ice cream in honor of the Columbus Symphony's performances! Its flavors (absinthe and meringue) conjure up the atmosphere of a Belle Epoque Parisian cafe like those frequented by artists such as Toulouse-Latrec and other absinthe drinkers.
I had heard that this flavor was available at the Jeni's stores in Columbus, but was pleasantly surprised to find it also in our local Chagrin Falls store! You can also order pints on line!
Taking a cue from the craft beer movement, Jeni's produces ice cream by melding exotic ingredients and by offering limited edition flavors. Warning! If you're a plain vanilla/chocolate person, this one's not for you! However, if you would like a creamy, anise-flavored treat, this is just the ticket!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Pilgrimage to Rochester
As many of you know, I spent my college days at the Eastman School of Music where I studied with K. David Van Hoesen.
Since graduating, I've made several trips back to Rochester to play for him and receive feedback on my playing. Maintaining a relationship with your primary teacher after graduation is important and helpful in many ways.
That person can write recommendation letters for you when you apply for positions, be a reference and a good sounding board for your playing as well as give advice on your career.
David Van Hoesen has been all these things for me. In addition, I know from personal experience that it's very rewarding for a teacher to see how former students are doing long after they've graduated.
I have played audition excerpt lists for him prior to auditions on many occasions. During one visit I interviewed him for an article published in the Double Reed Magazine. Here is the article in case you would like to read it.
And here's an interview of me done by Carol Cope Lowe about Van Hoesen.
This time I traveled with Jonathan Sherwin and his wife, Sally. At the Van Hoesens we were joined by Rochester Philharmonic bassoonist, Martha Sholl for quartets. Yes, David Van Hoesen is still making reeds and playing at age 86!
Another former student, Ann Davis stopped by to say hello, too.
We spent the better part of the afternoon playing and talking. It was really nice to get caught up.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
An Action-Packed 48 Hours
48 Hours On Tour
An orchestra tour is a study in contrasts. A lot of musical activity is compressed into a short time frame. Concerts we present on tour are often high-profile, intended to make a big impression. Therefore, we have to be ready to play our best. The repertoire features big works and often we accompany a renowned soloist. When there is downtime, often it's enough just to stay rested and practice, make reeds, etc.
On the other hand there is a lot of time spent waiting in airports, riding on buses or sitting in hotel lobbies waiting for rooms to be ready. Occasionally there are some stretches of free time as well.
In this sense, our March trip to Miami was typical. At the beginning of the week we were busy with rehearsals for Beethoven's 9th Symphony. The end of the week was less busy with just three evening performances. On the way home on Sunday, we stopped in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to play a concert there. More about this hectic day later!
There is usually not a complete day off on a short tour like this one, so free afternoons or mornings become cherished time off. It's fun to see what others plan for these short breaks in the action.
Some went to the World Baseball Classic in the Marlins' new stadium, others shopped and looked around in South Beach.
After our Friday night Beethoven, two friend and I got up EARLY on Saturday morning and drove up to Lake Worth to run in the Shamrock 10 miler
The weather was cool and the times were fast! I hit a PR in the 10 mile, finishing in 72:20.
After a rest in the afternoon we packed and played the concert on Saturday night. The next morning we flew to Chapel Hill for that concert.
The Chapel Hill concert is what we refer to as a pass-through concert. You start the day in another city, fly to the concert venue, get back on the plane after the concert and arrive home that night.
This was a tough day! The concert venue (Memorial Hall) had very little room for storage, so our wardrobe trunks were not available that day. That means we had to bag our concert attire separately on Saturday night after our concert in Miami.
We would also have no access to checked luggage so that meant that reed knives, etc. had to be packed in the instrument trunks (not in your instrument case if you were carrying your instrument on the plane!) if you wanted to adjust reeds that day at all.
The program was different from that in Miami. We played Copland's Billy the Kid Suite, Lieberson's Pablo Neruda Songs (actually we had played this in Miami) and Petroushka. We had played the outer two pieces with our conductor,Giancarlo Guerrero in Cleveland last November. Prior to this concert, though we rehearsed the Copland and Stravinsky for just parts of two rehearsals earlier in the week - essentially just run-throughs with no time to work on details.
This is what I call a "Warm and Serve" concert! We arrived at the Raleigh-Durham airport at a little after 4:00pm, were instructed to get something to eat there, got on the bus and at the hall just before 6:00pm for the 7:00pm concert.
At intermission I was able to spend 5 minutes with my mother-in-law and her husband who live in the area, before getting back to my seat for Petroushka. John Clouser had the concert off, so I was playing the entire concert.
After the concert we dressed and packed our trunks, bussed to the airport and flew home. We touched down in Cleveland at 11:59pm, missing overtime payment by 1 minute!!
An orchestra tour is a study in contrasts. A lot of musical activity is compressed into a short time frame. Concerts we present on tour are often high-profile, intended to make a big impression. Therefore, we have to be ready to play our best. The repertoire features big works and often we accompany a renowned soloist. When there is downtime, often it's enough just to stay rested and practice, make reeds, etc.
On the other hand there is a lot of time spent waiting in airports, riding on buses or sitting in hotel lobbies waiting for rooms to be ready. Occasionally there are some stretches of free time as well.
In this sense, our March trip to Miami was typical. At the beginning of the week we were busy with rehearsals for Beethoven's 9th Symphony. The end of the week was less busy with just three evening performances. On the way home on Sunday, we stopped in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to play a concert there. More about this hectic day later!
There is usually not a complete day off on a short tour like this one, so free afternoons or mornings become cherished time off. It's fun to see what others plan for these short breaks in the action.
Some went to the World Baseball Classic in the Marlins' new stadium, others shopped and looked around in South Beach.
After our Friday night Beethoven, two friend and I got up EARLY on Saturday morning and drove up to Lake Worth to run in the Shamrock 10 miler
The weather was cool and the times were fast! I hit a PR in the 10 mile, finishing in 72:20.
After a rest in the afternoon we packed and played the concert on Saturday night. The next morning we flew to Chapel Hill for that concert.
The Chapel Hill concert is what we refer to as a pass-through concert. You start the day in another city, fly to the concert venue, get back on the plane after the concert and arrive home that night.
This was a tough day! The concert venue (Memorial Hall) had very little room for storage, so our wardrobe trunks were not available that day. That means we had to bag our concert attire separately on Saturday night after our concert in Miami.
We would also have no access to checked luggage so that meant that reed knives, etc. had to be packed in the instrument trunks (not in your instrument case if you were carrying your instrument on the plane!) if you wanted to adjust reeds that day at all.
The program was different from that in Miami. We played Copland's Billy the Kid Suite, Lieberson's Pablo Neruda Songs (actually we had played this in Miami) and Petroushka. We had played the outer two pieces with our conductor,Giancarlo Guerrero in Cleveland last November. Prior to this concert, though we rehearsed the Copland and Stravinsky for just parts of two rehearsals earlier in the week - essentially just run-throughs with no time to work on details.
This is what I call a "Warm and Serve" concert! We arrived at the Raleigh-Durham airport at a little after 4:00pm, were instructed to get something to eat there, got on the bus and at the hall just before 6:00pm for the 7:00pm concert.
At intermission I was able to spend 5 minutes with my mother-in-law and her husband who live in the area, before getting back to my seat for Petroushka. John Clouser had the concert off, so I was playing the entire concert.
After the concert we dressed and packed our trunks, bussed to the airport and flew home. We touched down in Cleveland at 11:59pm, missing overtime payment by 1 minute!!
Monday, April 1, 2013
Auditioning via DVD Follow-up
Auditioning via DVD
A friend of mine wrote me today with some great comments engendered by his reading of my recent post about DVD auditions.
Here's what he had to say:
"I'm always interested in thoughts on auditions because . . . I've served on juries at the (Vienna) State Opera many, many times. Awesome, the advantages made available by modern technology.
On occasion, I've advised young people on how to approach an audition. String players should tune as quietly as they can and thereby demonstrate bow control and how well the pegs on their instrument are maintained, for instance. Regarding the music itself I agree that it should be clear from the musical presentation — the playing itself — that the player knows the required excerpts IN CONTEXT — that they know what is going on around them while they are performing. Any member of the jury will immediately notice, as you say, whether the candidate knows the music or is simply trying to get the notes right. And in Vienna it is very important to be familiar with the style and traditional Viennese interpretations of these works — in the vein of the "picky" part of your blog. (How often have I heard: "great playing, but that's not the way we do it in Vienna!")
If, for whatever reason, at a live audition a candidate is interrupted by a member of the jury (which can actually be a very positive sign) and asked to play a passage differently, it will always impress the jury if the candidate can spontaneously and professionally respond to what is asked of him or her.
Given the always stiffer competition I agree that the more professional tape may very very well make the difference, all other things being equal. It is also a sign of respect to the adjudicators, who are human beings and react unconsciously to subliminal signals."
A friend of mine wrote me today with some great comments engendered by his reading of my recent post about DVD auditions.
Here's what he had to say:
"I'm always interested in thoughts on auditions because . . . I've served on juries at the (Vienna) State Opera many, many times. Awesome, the advantages made available by modern technology.
On occasion, I've advised young people on how to approach an audition. String players should tune as quietly as they can and thereby demonstrate bow control and how well the pegs on their instrument are maintained, for instance. Regarding the music itself I agree that it should be clear from the musical presentation — the playing itself — that the player knows the required excerpts IN CONTEXT — that they know what is going on around them while they are performing. Any member of the jury will immediately notice, as you say, whether the candidate knows the music or is simply trying to get the notes right. And in Vienna it is very important to be familiar with the style and traditional Viennese interpretations of these works — in the vein of the "picky" part of your blog. (How often have I heard: "great playing, but that's not the way we do it in Vienna!")
If, for whatever reason, at a live audition a candidate is interrupted by a member of the jury (which can actually be a very positive sign) and asked to play a passage differently, it will always impress the jury if the candidate can spontaneously and professionally respond to what is asked of him or her.
Given the always stiffer competition I agree that the more professional tape may very very well make the difference, all other things being equal. It is also a sign of respect to the adjudicators, who are human beings and react unconsciously to subliminal signals."
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Auditioning via DVD
A few days ago, I spent part of my morning reviewing auditions for this summer's Kent/Blossom Music Festival.
Each summer, three bassoonists are chosen to attend the Festival. Included are private lessons, chamber music coachings, chamber music concerts, free tickets to Cleveland Orchestra concerts at the Blossom Music Center and a chamber orchestra concert and side-by-side concert with the Cleveland Orchestra.
This will be my first summer as bassoon instructor and I'm very excited to be part of the Festival.
Like many other places, Kent/Blossom has begun requiring recorded auditions in the DVD format. While this adds time and expense for the students in what is already a demanding pursuit, the format gives the institution more flexibility.
To review the applicants I don't have to wait to receive CDs from admissions or go to a room to listen with others to playback. I can just visit a website (Kent/Blossom uses Decision Desk), log in as an administrator and start listening and watching.
Another advantage of this system is that I can look at a person's complete application including contact information and recommendations. No need to collect files with hard copies and return them.
Scoring is done on the site and there is a place for comments as well. Rankings can be adjusted later if need be. Administrators can view my rankings immediately and act on them.
CIM has also begun using this format in its audition process as a precursor to live auditions. Outgoing Admissions Director Bill Fay says the time commitment and preparation required to put together a DVD audition may discourage some less-serious applicants who are just "window shopping" from applying, saving them time and expense and saving us time by eliminating some applicants who are either not up to the standard or not serious about CIM in the first place.
I found the process interesting and want to share my impressions. Maybe what I have to say will help those of you making these DVDs present yourselves better to those adjudicating your talent.
VIDEO
Since I'm not a videographer, I'll just make a few comments about the video aspect.
1. Position the camera so the viewer can get a good look at you. An angled shot is best, especially if there is a music stand directly in front of you.
2. A video shot from the seats in a large recital hall tells us nothing about how you play. We can't see fingers, hand position, embouchure, posture, etc. Conversely, don't opt for an extreme close-up. A shot that includes all of you and a bit of the area around you is best.
3. Try to choose a location that is good acoustically and visually. While this is not always possible, you want to sound and LOOK your best. Treat the recording like a face-to-face interview.
Having said all this, I feel that the visual aspect of your presentation is secondary compared to HOW YOU SOUND. When I view these recordings, most of my attention is on listening, not watching.
Sometimes, though the video will corroborate something I hear in a person's playing. If the playing sounds tight or forced, maybe I can also see something in the body language that reinforces this perception.
AUDIO
The sound quality for the Kent/Blossom applicants varied greatly from person to person. While this shouldn't make a difference, it really does. Spend the time and funds necessary to reserve a good acoustic space (recital halls are best), get someone to operate the equipment who knows what they're doing (a recording engineer) and someone to be your recording session "valet". This person can sit in the hall with the music and help you with comments on different takes, get water, help move equipment, etc.
Now that technology is so advanced and readily available, it's tempting to just record yourself on your phone and submit. Of course we'll listen to you, but all things being equal, if you were judging these things which would you choose -- a professional level recording or one done on a phone?
Try to eliminate things that would distract from the impression you're trying to make. These include excessive key noise and embouchure leaking.
THE MUSIC
Of course, the most important component in someones recorded audition remains THE MUSIC. I think most people can ignore a less-than stellar audio and visual recording if the playing is compelling.
In reviewing the submissions for Kent/Blossom this summer, I was impressed by the high quality of the playing. As has been the case for many years now, there are great bassoon players at more music schools than when I was a student.
The required repertoire is:
Mozart: Concerto K. 191 (first movement exposition and second movement)
Mozart: Marriage of Figaro (recapitulation)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (2nd movement final solo)
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (second movement and cadenzas)
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (opening)
Here are some general comments on what I heard:
1. The players I liked the best were the ones who adopted a different style, sound, etc. for different excerpts. These players exhibited a versatility of approach that made it clear they weren't just "playing the bassoon", they were playing the music.
Let me elaborate.
Dynamics are a good example. In the above repertoire, only the first movement of the Concerto and Sheherazade have a full range of dynamics. Marriage of Figaro has only extremes (pp, p and ff) and I would say the ff is not a Mahler or Strauss ff!
The 2nd movement of the Mozart, Tchaikovsky 4th and Rite are NOT LOUD excerpts!
One more: Sheherazade and Marriage of Figaro are worlds apart in style. They should not sound the same. Figaro does not need a lot of dynamic shaping to its lines. It should just be a quiet, accurate murmur. Sheherazade on the other hand should demonstrate the full range of espressivo in a person's playing.
2. Since it's possible and advisable to record excerpts, listen back and re-record, there's really no excuse for an erratic pulse in any of these.
3. Double tonguing in Figaro needs to be smooth and even with no stuttering and not at a tempo that is different from the slurred runs that preceed it.
PICKY, PICKY, PICKY
Lastly, there are a few picky little things to mention. I wouldn't bother with these if I hadn't noticed them in other situations as well (e.g., our recent Second Bassoon Audition).
These things are like having bad breath. You may not notice it yourself, but if someone mentions it to you, you are embarrassed to realize you had without knowing it and vow to put a stop to it immediately.
1. Do not place a fermata on the last note of the second movement of Tchaikovsky 4th. Occasionally a conductor will ask for this, but let's not volunteer this ourselves. Pretty soon everyone will be asking for it if you do -- and it's not in the music.
This is how it appears:
2. Playing the quintuplet figure in the Rite of Spring as a sextuplet with an eighth note on the C. Well, it's certainly easier to play this way, but the rhythm is not correct. The emphasis in the phrase is on the B after the grace notes, anyway. Grace notes tend to preceed important notes in a phrase. They highlight stresses in a phrase's structure.
Correct is:
3. Playing the end of the recap of Marriage of Figaro with a crescendo and accents on the lower octave A's.
The octave displacement of the A's at the end of the phrase should serve to relax the intensity. They come after the culmination of the tongued passage and merely serve as a bookend to the phrase. No need to shout here!
In the score, you can see that holding out the final F in the solo line will cause it to clash with the F# in the bass line -- a very un-Mozartean dissonance!
Milan Turkovic suggests changing this F to an eighth note in his notes to the Universal Edition of this piece. For more on the Mozart Concerto see previous posts in this blog.
I think Turkovic is right. We don't have the manuscript of this piece, so we'll never know if this was added later by someone else, an omission by Mozart or sloppy copying, but it's clearly wrong to observe the quarter note here.
Each summer, three bassoonists are chosen to attend the Festival. Included are private lessons, chamber music coachings, chamber music concerts, free tickets to Cleveland Orchestra concerts at the Blossom Music Center and a chamber orchestra concert and side-by-side concert with the Cleveland Orchestra.
This will be my first summer as bassoon instructor and I'm very excited to be part of the Festival.
Like many other places, Kent/Blossom has begun requiring recorded auditions in the DVD format. While this adds time and expense for the students in what is already a demanding pursuit, the format gives the institution more flexibility.
To review the applicants I don't have to wait to receive CDs from admissions or go to a room to listen with others to playback. I can just visit a website (Kent/Blossom uses Decision Desk), log in as an administrator and start listening and watching.
Another advantage of this system is that I can look at a person's complete application including contact information and recommendations. No need to collect files with hard copies and return them.
Scoring is done on the site and there is a place for comments as well. Rankings can be adjusted later if need be. Administrators can view my rankings immediately and act on them.
CIM has also begun using this format in its audition process as a precursor to live auditions. Outgoing Admissions Director Bill Fay says the time commitment and preparation required to put together a DVD audition may discourage some less-serious applicants who are just "window shopping" from applying, saving them time and expense and saving us time by eliminating some applicants who are either not up to the standard or not serious about CIM in the first place.
I found the process interesting and want to share my impressions. Maybe what I have to say will help those of you making these DVDs present yourselves better to those adjudicating your talent.
VIDEO
Since I'm not a videographer, I'll just make a few comments about the video aspect.
1. Position the camera so the viewer can get a good look at you. An angled shot is best, especially if there is a music stand directly in front of you.
2. A video shot from the seats in a large recital hall tells us nothing about how you play. We can't see fingers, hand position, embouchure, posture, etc. Conversely, don't opt for an extreme close-up. A shot that includes all of you and a bit of the area around you is best.
3. Try to choose a location that is good acoustically and visually. While this is not always possible, you want to sound and LOOK your best. Treat the recording like a face-to-face interview.
Having said all this, I feel that the visual aspect of your presentation is secondary compared to HOW YOU SOUND. When I view these recordings, most of my attention is on listening, not watching.
Sometimes, though the video will corroborate something I hear in a person's playing. If the playing sounds tight or forced, maybe I can also see something in the body language that reinforces this perception.
AUDIO
The sound quality for the Kent/Blossom applicants varied greatly from person to person. While this shouldn't make a difference, it really does. Spend the time and funds necessary to reserve a good acoustic space (recital halls are best), get someone to operate the equipment who knows what they're doing (a recording engineer) and someone to be your recording session "valet". This person can sit in the hall with the music and help you with comments on different takes, get water, help move equipment, etc.
Now that technology is so advanced and readily available, it's tempting to just record yourself on your phone and submit. Of course we'll listen to you, but all things being equal, if you were judging these things which would you choose -- a professional level recording or one done on a phone?
Try to eliminate things that would distract from the impression you're trying to make. These include excessive key noise and embouchure leaking.
THE MUSIC
Of course, the most important component in someones recorded audition remains THE MUSIC. I think most people can ignore a less-than stellar audio and visual recording if the playing is compelling.
In reviewing the submissions for Kent/Blossom this summer, I was impressed by the high quality of the playing. As has been the case for many years now, there are great bassoon players at more music schools than when I was a student.
The required repertoire is:
Mozart: Concerto K. 191 (first movement exposition and second movement)
Mozart: Marriage of Figaro (recapitulation)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (2nd movement final solo)
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (second movement and cadenzas)
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (opening)
Here are some general comments on what I heard:
1. The players I liked the best were the ones who adopted a different style, sound, etc. for different excerpts. These players exhibited a versatility of approach that made it clear they weren't just "playing the bassoon", they were playing the music.
Let me elaborate.
Dynamics are a good example. In the above repertoire, only the first movement of the Concerto and Sheherazade have a full range of dynamics. Marriage of Figaro has only extremes (pp, p and ff) and I would say the ff is not a Mahler or Strauss ff!
The 2nd movement of the Mozart, Tchaikovsky 4th and Rite are NOT LOUD excerpts!
One more: Sheherazade and Marriage of Figaro are worlds apart in style. They should not sound the same. Figaro does not need a lot of dynamic shaping to its lines. It should just be a quiet, accurate murmur. Sheherazade on the other hand should demonstrate the full range of espressivo in a person's playing.
2. Since it's possible and advisable to record excerpts, listen back and re-record, there's really no excuse for an erratic pulse in any of these.
3. Double tonguing in Figaro needs to be smooth and even with no stuttering and not at a tempo that is different from the slurred runs that preceed it.
PICKY, PICKY, PICKY
Lastly, there are a few picky little things to mention. I wouldn't bother with these if I hadn't noticed them in other situations as well (e.g., our recent Second Bassoon Audition).
These things are like having bad breath. You may not notice it yourself, but if someone mentions it to you, you are embarrassed to realize you had without knowing it and vow to put a stop to it immediately.
1. Do not place a fermata on the last note of the second movement of Tchaikovsky 4th. Occasionally a conductor will ask for this, but let's not volunteer this ourselves. Pretty soon everyone will be asking for it if you do -- and it's not in the music.
This is how it appears:
The fermata is on the REST, not the F. When the excerpt is played by itself, the long F should be counted out carefully with a slight sense of ritard, cut off at the end of the quarter note and that's all.
2. Playing the quintuplet figure in the Rite of Spring as a sextuplet with an eighth note on the C. Well, it's certainly easier to play this way, but the rhythm is not correct. The emphasis in the phrase is on the B after the grace notes, anyway. Grace notes tend to preceed important notes in a phrase. They highlight stresses in a phrase's structure.
Correct is:
4. The F quarter note at the end of the phrase in mm.10 and 33 of the second movement of the Mozart Concerto should not be played full value.
Milan Turkovic suggests changing this F to an eighth note in his notes to the Universal Edition of this piece. For more on the Mozart Concerto see previous posts in this blog.
I think Turkovic is right. We don't have the manuscript of this piece, so we'll never know if this was added later by someone else, an omission by Mozart or sloppy copying, but it's clearly wrong to observe the quarter note here.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Off Label Checking For Leaks
Finding the Leak
What do a jeweler's screwdriver and cigarette paper have in common? Combined they form an effective tool for checking bassoon pads for leaks!
A pin vise like the one used to house small screwdriver heads like those used by jewelers doubles as a handle for holding the strip of paper.
This is called a pad feeler.
Cut a narrow strip of cigarette paper and tighten the vise around one end to fasten it to the handle.
Slide the end of the strip under the edge of the pad. Be careful to place the strip so that it only contacts one edge of the tone hole and doesn't touch the tone hole on the other side.
Press or release the key needed to close the pad on the tone hole. Slide the paper out from under the pad and notice whether there's any friction or "grab" when doing this. If the paper just slides out with no friction, then you've got a leak.
Check the pad every 90 degrees or all four compass points (N, S, E, W).
There should be about the same amount of "grab" on all four points of the pad with just a little bit more "grab" on the point farthest away from the rod to which the pad cup is soldered.
If you notice a leak using this method, by telling the repair technician where to look, you may save time and money at the repair shop!
What do a jeweler's screwdriver and cigarette paper have in common? Combined they form an effective tool for checking bassoon pads for leaks!
A pin vise like the one used to house small screwdriver heads like those used by jewelers doubles as a handle for holding the strip of paper.
This is called a pad feeler.
Cut a narrow strip of cigarette paper and tighten the vise around one end to fasten it to the handle.
Slide the end of the strip under the edge of the pad. Be careful to place the strip so that it only contacts one edge of the tone hole and doesn't touch the tone hole on the other side.
Press or release the key needed to close the pad on the tone hole. Slide the paper out from under the pad and notice whether there's any friction or "grab" when doing this. If the paper just slides out with no friction, then you've got a leak.
Check the pad every 90 degrees or all four compass points (N, S, E, W).
There should be about the same amount of "grab" on all four points of the pad with just a little bit more "grab" on the point farthest away from the rod to which the pad cup is soldered.
If you notice a leak using this method, by telling the repair technician where to look, you may save time and money at the repair shop!
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