I read this, which included this paragraph:

Still, it was in the three central movements that the conductor achieved the greatest results. The Concertante section featured serene contributions from the woodwinds — and a scintillating solo from principal flutist Maria Tamburrino — and the Rondeau sounded downright springy. The Andantino found the orchestra uniting in playing of ravishing warmth and beauty. In addition to Tamburrino, there were excellent contributions from concertmaster Robin Hansen, oboist Laura Griffiths, and clarinetist Mark Brandenburg. Principal horn David Sprung played the brief, but crucial, posthorn solo with flair.

It’s always wonderful when reviewers give musicians a mention. So often we feel invisible. When I play a huge solo (say, for instance, the English horn solo in Ravel’s Piano Concerto, and I don’t get mentioned, I assume I was awful. Other times we are mentioned for something that a reviewer didn’t like. But getting mentioned for doing a good job doesn’t always happen. This review is fun; a few people listed here are colleagues of mine.

Only problem?

There were no clarinets in that work!

How very curious.

So one wonders: was the reviewer there? Was it a different concert the reviewer attended? Surely the reviewer knows what a clarinet is, yes? I’m assuming reviewers of concerts know their instruments.

I do remember one funny incident, however. Many, many years ago a string orchestra played for a ballet. The reviewer said that the viola section sounded particularly strong, because the orchestra went heavy on violas. She was very complimentary. Heh. We were only listed heavy on violas; the folks who put together the orchestra roster made an error and listed all the second violinists under the viola section!

Of course then there was the time I got a very nice mention for my English horn playing when the solo was being played by a baritone horn. Now that was bizarre! Did the reviewer think an English horn was a brass instrument? I’m guessing so.

Speaking of which … no one has yet to answer the question of yesterday! C’mon, folks, give it a go!
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