New Music

Saturday we had our first orchestra concert of the season, which went pretty well, except for my walking on stage when I wasn't supposed to.  The orchestra played five pieces, but I was only in the first and last, and I apparently need to get more sleep, because I walked up there after intermission with the rest of the section. Thankfully the basses were still coming on stage so I slipped back off behind them. The viola section will be laughing about that for a long time.

Before we even played the concert they gave us the music for the next. That was slightly depressing. We barely got "the satisfaction and pride of a job well done" before we were given our next assignment! On the other hand, that is the most efficient way to handle it. No wasting rehearsal time handing out parts.

Yesterday I listened to a recording of one of the pieces, Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmilla. I recognized it immediately, and my heart sank. I had noticed when I got the sheet music that it starts out presto, but I didn't remember it was THAT degree of presto. Sigh. (Presto is the second fastest tempo marking, 168-200bpm, outrun only by prestissimo, more than 200bpm). I'll have to give my fingers caffeine injections.

My parents and sister came to the concert, but were surprised at how different the music was. This is interesting, because it didn't seem that unusual to me. If you have the time, could you please listen to these pieces and tell me how they sound to you? Are they hard to listen to? Do they sound like they have no center or base, or both? I've become used to listening to this kind of music, so I'm not sure how they sound to the casual observer anymore, and I would like to hear what you think.

Here are the pieces, composer then title:
Castellanos: Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
John Adams: The Chairman Dances (Foxtrot for Orchestra)

Thank you!

The Days are Just Packed

This is me. In my mind.
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"Do you think he plans it all out or just makes it up as he goes along?"

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Here's my schedule for the day. Just so I know.

10:30 - Write Afghan Women paper

11 - lunch

11:20 - Research childhood in Germany, find pictures, add to iMovie, do voiceovers

12:00 - Finish Afghan Women paper/statistics homework

12:45 - play bubbleshooter :) If I don't schedule this I'll just be doing it the whole time.

1:00 - get ready for Chimers concert

4:30 - change out of concert clothes

4:45 - vacuum/homework/write letters

6:00 - dinner

6:20 - practice

8:20 - homework

9 - watch Raising Hope :D

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This picture should have gone with the previous post, but here it is.

~Halifirien Pilgrim

Tale of the Cramming Orchestra

...And the orchestra pulls an all-nighter, rehearsing until their bow hair is gone, their fingers stiffen up and their reeds can give no more. But the musicians labor on, knowing that they have only one more day until the concert, and their playing needs to improve. Tempers flare, nerves grow thin, and ears wear out. “I honestly can’t tell the difference between an A and an A-flat anymore, maestro. Really.” 

Okay, well, it didn’t go exactly like that, but we did add half an hour to the practice time, and my sextet had to practice for an hour on top of that. That’s 3 1/2 hours total playing time. Gabe, my stand-partner, and I had sore backs by the end, but it didn’t turn out as bad as we thought it would. Maybe we passed the point of the night when we are usually getting ready for bed, so we got a second wave of energy.

Anyway, it was a good rehearsal, considering we lost two practices to the snow storms. I’m looking forward to the concert.