oboeinsight

I just read via Steve Hicken’s listen that Henry Brant died yesterday. He was in San Jose a couple of times and there is even a recording that includes the San Jose Symphony. If I’m remembering correctly I wasn’t involved in the recording; I seem to recall no English horn in the piece. I was at the recording session, though, so maybe I’m wrong about that. Maybe it’s the following that I missed out on:

April 19 to 21, the San Jose Symphony, (408) 288-2828, will perform the world premiere of Henry Brant’s “Old Italians Dying,” a musical setting for a poem, which will be read by its author, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. (Found here, from a 1991 New York Times article. A LOT has changed since that was written.)

I don’t remember a lot about Mr. Brant, but I do remember him always wearing some sort of a cap. And I remember musicians being in different parts of the auditorium. I seem to recall that in one work some singers were situated behind these large built in screen-like things in the CPA. He seems … hmmm … maybe “sprightly” is the word? Energetic.

Rumors suggest that the Berlin Phil musicians aren’t happy, or maybe it’s just publicity to get people to pay attention?

Maybe the orchestra doesn’t like the way he stifles a cough …?

In any case, I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in an orchestra where what the musicians think matters completely. How ’bout that?

Did you hear that?

Me neither.

Thanks to The Standing Room I have learned that I really don’t have younger than springtime ears. Sigh. I like to think I can pass for younger. But, well, I can hear the 50 and younger** … and I’m 51!

So there.

Younger than springtime, they hear
Older than winter, my ear
So much for thinking I
might just pass for twenty, oh me.
They will get older, they’ll see
And miss a phone call, dear me!
Then I’ll be laughing, r – o – f – l
I’ll text with glee.

**I have removed the link; I think I was getting spammed because of it! Just search on m0squit0 ringt0nes and you’ll probably find it!

Clarinetist David Thomas has requested that I read his letter to Columbus at his site.

Other bloggers have mentioned the situation as well (see here, here* and here for instance).

Having been in San Jose Symphony (RIP) since 1975, and having been there when it died, I feel for these musicians. Trust me, it is heart breaking to deal with. I do hope Columbus can get things together and that the musicians don’t have to go through what we did here. It’s devastating.

*link no longer working

Last night, near the middle of the first act of Magic Flute, between two numbers, someone yelled out, “Is there a doctor in the house?” I didn’t see any reaction from the conductor, but I wasn’t looking right at him when this was yelled. We kept playing.

But my heart went to the floor.

I’m not sure why something like that shakes me up so much, but it does. I did play Les Mis once after a 30 minute delay, when a man was being worked on by EMT folks. We later learned he died. Maybe it’s that memory. But I don’t think so.

Anyway, after the next number was finished I still saw no reaction from anyone, so I leaned over to the second oboist and said, “Did someone yell out “Is there a doctor in the house?” or did I imagine that?” She heard it too.

For a time I heard voices faintly in the background, so I’m assuming they were treating the guy. During intermission I heard that, indeed, someone had a medical issue and a couple of doctors were helping him. I was told he was fine. (I was told the man at Les Mis was fine too, though, and only learned he had died through a bizarre story that will remain untold.)

Back in San Jose Symphony (RIP) days a chorus member went crashing to the floor during a performance. Our conductor was quite proud of himself for not stopping. I believe the stage hands went onstage to drag the woman, who had fainted, off stage. (I wasn’t there, but that’s the story I was told.) The orchestra was very upset and I believe actually managed to get something written up that said we’d stop if something like this happened again.

I’m guessing that in most instances the show simply has to go on … that there is really nothing we all can do. But last night I felt cold and callous, knowing we didn’t even stop for a moment. I wonder what other performing groups do in instances like this.

If I keel over dead while performing, I do hope someone will at least stop to make me look presentable; if my underwear is showing just take a few minutes, please, to cover me up.

The performance last night went well, if a little on the slow side in places, but I’m really struggling; if I breathe, I cough. And I’m finding it very difficult to stop breathing. I’ve not mastered that yet. Of course if I DO keel over dead I’ll at least have mastered that.

I have decided to join Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I think it would be a good idea, don’t you? And, well, I think they’d like me, too.

Yeah, it’s about that easy. And it’s a “perfect job for … musicians.”

Well … for THIS anyway:

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
posted 04/25/2008
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Join our record-breaking telephone fundraising team! Perfect job for graduate students, actors, and musicians. Part-time, mornings or evenings. Commission/ base plus complimentary tickets to most concerts. No cold calling and we will train. Call Oakes Spalding at 312-294-3297.

;-)

I don’t often do these, but T sent me this:

Hi, Friends-

Elaine Fine from Musical Assumptions sent me this. No hard feelings if you’re not the meming type. If you do feel like playing (it’s fun), here it is:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Happy Blogging,
‘T.

Okay, here goes:

“Why should I worry about that? Who’s doing it now? My shirts haven’t felt the touch of a woman’s hands in years.”

Anyone know what that’s from? I’m guessing I’m supposed to tell, but the instructions don’t include that. I’m a real a follower of instructions.

I was always bad at tag. Too much pressure. So I don’t really want to tag anyone. But any reader out there who reads this can feel free to run with it. Or not.

Sometimes I am absolutely stunned by what I read online:

One good thing about the lack of parking spaces and the traffic mess that occurred Sunday in and around the brand-new Long Center for the Performing Arts?

Since a lot of people with tickets to the opera “Carmen” couldn’t get there in time to see the show, some lucky guys got out of attending the opera.

What a blessing in disguise.

When some of these poor schleps left the house Sunday, they thought they were being dragged by their old ladies to sit still during three torturous hours of screeching, howling and musical bellyaching. But suddenly, thanks to the City of Austin’s usual poor planning, some of these dudes avoided the operatic experience because there was no place to park. Or, they just couldn’t get there at all, because of the gridlock that occurred at South First Street, Barton Springs Road and Riverside Drive.

So, how many folks couldn’t get to the Long Center to see the opera because there was no place to leave the car, or they just couldn’t get through the traffic snarl in time to hear some fat lady try to bust a drinking glass with a high C?

You can read the whole thing here if you really want to.

Hmmm. Should I write something snide about Texas? No. I should not.

Can you find the errors?

Seen over at emusic.com:

Beethoven: Sting Quartet, Op. 132; String Quintet, Op. 104
Artist: The Lindsays
Genre: Alternative/Punk
Styles: Classical
Label: ASV / KOCH Dist.

Hmmm. So maybe Sting is involved (he has, after all, joined the classical world, eh?). But what about alternative punk? Maybe the Lindsays play Beethoven in some new way I’ve not heard of. Or maybe we just have a typo and a genre error. Or maybe it really is something explainable? (You can see it here unless they’ve already corrected it.

Or maybe … just maybe … emusic.com really needs to hire me to help correct these sorts of errors.