oboeinsight

In about an hour the chorale concert I’m involved in begins. Right now my stomach is killing me. It’s not easy to play oboe when you are feeling yucky in the stomach, you know?

So I guess I’ll hope and pray that this achy thing going on is over by then. Time will tell. (And no, it’s not nerves! I felt somewhat poorly right after I ate the quiche; I wonder if I’m reacting to the cauliflower in it. I have a feeling I do react to that sometimes.)

I can’t delay getting ready any longer, so off I go.
—–

Sometimes the way we write is funny. At least to me. Here’s a sample from a review:

If her high notes were occasionally patchy, her coloratura was sound, and she joined with oboist Gonzalo Ruiz in some lovely duet passages in “Vorrei spiegarvi,” K. 418.

So … if her high notes were not patchy does that mean her coloratura was not sound and she didn’t join with Ruiz in some lovely duet passages?

Yes, I’m just plain bizarre. But heck, as you all now know, I talk out loud to myself too, so this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone!

When Dan, Jameson and I were at a restaurant last night the waitress said, “My name is “X” (can’t remember the name) if you need anything.” Often either Dan or I then comment on this (out of earshot of the waitress, mind you), wondering what her name is if we don’t need her.

Gonzalor Ruiz is, by the way, a very good baroque oboist. (I own a Ruiz CD of a ton of Handel.) Just so you know.
—–

I drove to Napa. I dropped off my English horn. I came home.

Some observations:
As I was driving to Napa I was stuck behind a slow car. I said to myself, “I wonder what the tempo is here.” Yes. I said that. Out loud. I talk to myself. Can you live with that? But really … I said tempo … not speed limit. Heh.

When I dropped off my English horn another client was with Mark Chudnow so I didn’t really stay to yak. As I drove away I felt such a sense of loss. I’m not sure why; I’ve left my oboes there and didn’t feel that way at all. But somehow this was more difficult. Odd.

Driving home went very quickly. I was hungry, but I was also in a hurry to get home because I have to drive some high school kids to the rehearsal at 3:45 today. So hurry won over hunger. It usually does!

Now I’ve had a bit of veggie quiche, along with some sweet pickles. Yum. I think it’s time to close my eyes for a small amount of time so I can stay awake to play tonight. Driving really zones me out.
—–