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Paul
Tseng ICS Staff 
Administrator
Posts: 1321
(5/25/01 2:29:08 pm)
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Question for BA
(and others)
BA (et al),
I've found that sometimes the orchestra I'm
doing a concerto with will be out of tune in the middle of one of my
phrases (like woodwinds in Rococo variations, etc.) Sometimes they
are *really* out of tune. I have found that I have to just stick
with my own intonation and be consistent otherwise if I adjust to
the winds, I will sound horribly out of tune.
Hopefully,
with a good orchestra this won't be an issue, but have you had this
experience and how did you handle it?
Paul Tseng
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BA
Registered
User
Posts: 191
(5/26/01 12:25:54
am)
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hmm...
Well, aside from when I've played with my own orchestras, the other
orchestras I play with range from somewhat passable to truly
profane. And let's not even talk about the conductors. (I suspect
that many of us are in the same boat with this because good
orchestras usually have the money to hire someone you've heard of!
;-)
The thing that is the most difficult for me is that these
orchestras tend to drag, and the 'conductors' follow the orchestra.
The best solution I have found is to push hard in the rehearsals-
hopefully the conductor notices- and then when they are prepared for
breakneck speed you can relax a bit in the concert. But slowing down
to play with them is a recipe for disaster because they will keep
slowing down until the whole thing is a dirge. I do what I can to be
accomodating but when the concert comes I really have to think- I am
going to play the way I want and they will have to adjust. When it
becomes a choice between them looking bad or me looking bad trying
to help them, I have to choose the former.
So that was kind
of OT, but I think it's the same for the intonation. What we have to
do is too hard to be moving around trying to help them. Stick to
your guns- you won't help them much and will make yourself sound
worse by moving. I think it is really so much harder to play with
these groups than it would be to play with the major orchestras- but
we takes what we gets. And I'm beginning to wonder if the winds are
EVER in tune in the Rococo. And let's not talk about that sustained
horn note right before the cello entrance...Cheers
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mcello
Registered
User
Posts: 91
(5/26/01 9:35:49
am)
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playing with out
of tune orchestra
I had a problem last February with an orchestra that especially in
the first rehearsal, the winds were very sharp to the strings. I
called my teacher the next morning and his advice was tune high and
make the strings come up to you. It did go better for the next
rehearsal and performance. This may be a totally different problem
than what you are facing and it may just be basic advice, I don't
know. Thankfully there were no horns in the orchestration!
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MaryK
Registered User
Posts: 600
(5/26/01 10:09:43 am)
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Re:
hmm...
Interesting perspective from the soloist. Good to hear, from this
amateur orchestra player's perspective. I'm always so thrilled to be
in the back-up band if the soloist is really fine that I forget the
experience may be torture for him/her!
Cheers,
MaryK
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Rich
Rodriguez
Registered User
Posts: 54
(5/26/01 11:47:22 am)
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Re: Question for
BA (and others)
Paul,
It's funny you mentioned the Rocco Variations because I
have experienced that very thing. When Benjamin Shapira played the
Rocco with my orchestra I thought he was terriblly out of tune
especially on the radio telecast where I could really hear
everything. He may have tried to adjust to our wind players,who I
have to admit are not anything to brag about. I saw him after the
show and he was visually shacken. I heard him say under his voice"
I'll remember this one for along time".
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BA
Registered
User
Posts: 195
(5/28/01 12:12:23
am)
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Don't get the
wrong idea
Mary- I was only addressing some of the dificulties of playing with
less experienced orchestras and conductors. But believe me, it is
not at all 'torture' -quite the opposite. First of all the music is
wonderful and it is always rewarding to play the concerto with the
full orchestra as the composer wrote it. Secondly the energy and
enthusiasm of volunteer players in the unpaid orchestras is
admirable and infectious. I wish we saw the same from certain
players in the top orchestras. I've also enjoyed sitting in the back
of the section for the second half on many occasions. While it is
more challenging than playing with more experienced orchestras and
conductors, if it's great music and nice people, it' always a
pleasure. Rest assured that your soloists are enjoying themselves.
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zambocello
Registered
User
Posts: 604
(5/28/01 1:14:25
am)
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Re: Question for
BA (and others)
Like BA, I find tempo more troubling than intonation when
concertoizing with orchestras that don't play at a very high level.
I once played a Lalo Concerto with a community orchestra,
the conductor of which just couldn't help me move the tempo.
Especially in the concert -- maybe because of nerves -- he was as
slow as could be! Things went okay, though I suspect that it was a
bit dull because of the tempos. The next morning my right hand had
bunches of "spider web" veins around my knuckles. I guess there was
lots of pressure in there dragging out those long, loud bow strokes.
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MaryK
Registered User
Posts: 604
(5/28/01 10:23:30 am)
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Thanks,
BA
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