I’m just home from work. Eugene Onegin, in case any readers have forgotten. Some operas get easier as we go along. Some get harder. For me, Eugene Onegin is the latter. And it’s a reed eater too. So far I’ve used four reeds, if I’m remembering correctly. Tonight, though, I wasn’t happy, wasn’t comfortable, and [...]
Archive of entries posted on August 2008
When I’m Not Working In The Summer …
and by working I mean playing (because I continue to teach through the summer), I begin to doubt my playing ability. I wonder if I really know how to produce a sound with these two skinny pieces of cane. I play with my students, and I even practice, but there is nothing like playing with [...]
Headaches & Oboe
A few years later, he began having headaches, mostly after performances. Kjome’s doctors eventually concluded the tremendous pressure needed to send a column of air through a tiny oboe reed was the cause. “The doctors didn’t tell me to quit, but I knew I’d not be able to play at the same level,” he said. [...]
Why I Won’t Use Cocaine
If I inject cocaine into my arm and think I may have goofed up and injected some air too, and then think I’d better cut off my arm to save my life, well, I might just succeed (could my Landwell manage that task?) and then how in the world could I play oboe, huh? Really. [...]
BQOD
People often tell me, “the appreciation of classical music is a definite sign that you’re getting old”, but why should that be the case? Am I doomed to middle-age at the not so tender age of 21, with senility looming by 30? Some who know me personally may respond with a resounding “yes”, but despite [...]
Bonn & Beethoven
What do younger people think about Beethoven? Well, check this out and read the comments, mostly from “Bonn-ites”. (My term … I’m sure it’s not correct. But at least I didn’t call them Bonnets, right?) Here’s a teaser for you: Of course I like Beethoven, he was the greatest citizen of Bonn there ever was. [...]
Me Too …
She bought a $12,000 crystal-studded silver lace halter gown with a ruffled tulle skirt that she will wear Friday to the opening night of the San Francisco Opera. I would have worn something similar if I was going to opening night. Alas, I’m not going. So no $12,000 crystal-studded silver lace halter gown for me. [...]
I’m on facebook, but I gotta tell you, I don’t fully “get” it. For one thing, the whole “friend” thing is odd. People I don’t know ask to be my friend. So I puzzle over the word “friend” a lot. And it’s now a verb. We “friend” people. Or we don’t. But we don’t reject [...]
Free!
Amazon.com has a bunch of free MP3s for you. A ton. 3,212 songs, in fact. The categories are these: Bestselling Song Title: A to Z Song Title: Z to A Artist: A to Z Artist: Z to A Album: A to Z Album: Z to A Time: Short to Long Time: Long to Short Price: [...]
MQOD
We musicians aren’t in this business to make money. There isn’t very much to speak of, and the government gets most of that. Nor are we in it for personal fame (there isn’t much of that, either), or ego gratification (ditto). In fact, taken at face value, it’s a lousy deal all the way around. [...]
Because it’s MY site, that’s why!
I can brag when I want. I don’t brag about myself; that just comes back to haunt me and I hate when that happens. But I can brag about my kids, right? So today I’m just gonna put up the link to my daughter’s and son-in-law’s (I prefer to just call him my son, because [...]
Yes, Opera is Only for Old People
Or is it?
Ah, Opera!
Back home, the veteran opera singer recounted the rigors of performing in the Olavinlinna Castle, a 15th-century fortress. “You can imagine my surprise when I was shown how I was to make my first entrance to the stage. I had to climb up a very high ladder in the back of the castle – maybe [...]
Reed Making DVD
I’m guessing I’ll want this, even though it appears that she is teaching the short scrape. Still, it would be fun to have, and she does include Martin Schuring and I’d like to see what that part is about. I don’t know, though, what the video costs. So we’ll see. If it’s like a Tiger [...]
BQOD
I’ve discovered that practising sitting down – something I’ve been somewhat against in the past as it seemed like laziness – is actually really helpful for orchestral stuff. It helps me picture myself in the actual woodwind section, surrounded by my friends, and the bits I’m playing become more like orchestral solos, and not random [...]