oboeinsight

… or something like that anyway! We had our opening night concert. I only play the first half, and I must confess I didn’t stick around for the reception after the second half. I’m not great at mingling and I’m not really excited about parties, but mostly I wanted to get home because Dan is [...]

I was just listening to Gabriel Fauré’s Pelleas et Melisande, Opus 80. I do love that music. But what I especially love is the Chanson de Mélisande. Sigh. So lovely. The CD* I have includes Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (then billed as Lorraine Hunt). That voice. It’s so moving (that’s a rather lame word for a [...]

Rehearsal Schedule posted on the wall for tonight’s rehearsal: Higdon Tchaikovksy Borodin Prior to the start of the rehearsal I warmed up on oboe. About five minutes before we were to start I thought, “I might as well toot a bit on the English horn.” So I played a little bit, and then packed it [...]

Some readers may notice that I am somewhat self-deprecating at times. I just want to point out that that is better than being self-decapitating. Or is it …? ;-) —–

“In classical music it’s all about the composer, so it’s very indulgent,” he says. “In rock music, there’s no excuse. If you don’t make a connection with your songs, it’s your fault and it’s your music. That’s what fascinates me about rock music; it’s the great equalizer.” So some of the younger generation (I still [...]

I never used to wear ear plugs when playing; I hate the way I hear myself, including my tongue clacking—yes, it sounds like that—against the reed. I can’t stand not hearing everyone else clearly. And I hate “ear plug tone” from my oboe and English horn. But recently I have had to don ear plugs [...]

I download music. Lots of it, in fact. Much more than the 11 pieces of music, which is what those folks older than 50 download. I listen to music on my iPod (right now I have some Malcolm Arnold playing; I decided to become familiar with his symphonies, which I’ve never played). I burn CDs. [...]

May I say that it drives me nuts when a musician decides it’s time to clip his or her nails while in the pit or on the stage? Yes. I might say that. I might even write it down. This is news you can use. Really.

I hadn’t seen Matthew Guerrieri’s site before. But I suppose (I can’t remember for sure … maybe I happened upon it on a blog search) one of the other places I visit (see the long list of links to your right) took me to Eight sentences about classical music I’d be happy never to read [...]

“…experts who have examined the music tell us that while it is tonal, it is quite sophisticated and to be numbered among his best works.” If I’m reading this correctly, the writer is suggesting that music that is tonal is usually not sophisticated? Just thinkin’. And what is sophistication in music? I guess I’ll have [...]

As anyone who visits here knows, I’m not always abounding in confidence. It’s not exactly my middle name. But after my worrying and wondering post I have heard from four people, musicians I admire greatly, who complimented my playing. I didn’t ask for these words, and two of them didn’t even have a clue I [...]