Lisa Hirsch brought this to my attention. I was sorry there wasn’t any way I could get to any of Mr. Ross’s events here in the Bay Area. I guess this video is the closest I’ll get. Maybe you too?
Or maybe it’s called obetry when it’s oboe poetry?
Anyway, you can read In the Beginning or you could just order the entire chapbook of poetry by Margaret Christie, called The Oboist’s Bedside Book. It’s from the UK, so I’m not sure how difficult it will be to get it sent elsewhere. (Nor how much it costs.)
I know I’d like a copy, though!
Would you consider adding me to your list? I promise to be a good girl.
(I used to be on the Bloggnoggle classical music blog list but I’ve been deleted. I’m feeling … oh I dunno … as if I am disappearing. Or don’t exist at all.)
🙂
… who have to leave the stage during a performance.
Guess it’s that time of year, yes?
The Met has an interesting way of dealing with singers who get ill and their covers. Some might grumble. (The covers, for instance.) Others might cheer. Who knows? But it does keep people alert, don’t you think?
Hmmm. Having been exposed to the flu on Thursday might I have to leave the recital stage tomorrow night? Hope not! I think I’m only the second oboist to play the Freihofner, so I doubt anyone in the audience could jump in. (It’s not technically difficult at all, but there’s a bit of counting to be done that might throw someone on first read.) Of course prior to tomorrow evening I do have two Symphony Silicon Valley performances, but considering I only play the first ten minutes or so I suspect I could hold out until I finished the work. Maybe.
But no. I’m not going to get sick. It’s not on the calendar! (And I have a very fun visit with our daughter planned this coming week!)
DEAR CARRIE: I have a question about a colleague who is becoming a problem. We both play in a university orchestra, sit side by side and often share a solo. I play principal flute, and she is the principal oboist. Working with her is tough because she is often in her own world during rehearsals. At times she even forgets to pay attention to the conductor.
Then she interrupts me to ask where we are, even after the conductor has stated three times which part of the piece we are starting. I doubt that she has put any effort into learning her parts. And she doesn’t try to play in tune with others. When confronted about her problem, she becomes defensive and pouts. And then nothing changes. Some of us are really fed up, primarily because the conductor doesn’t seem to want to deal with the issue. He has to be aware of the problem but has said nothing to her. What should I do? — Noteworthy
Sigh. Not a way to solve the problem, really. And writing to someone who isn’t inside our very wacky world could prove to even be disastrous.
But of course the first thing that comes to my mind is … what school?! Who is the oboist? And one might wonder if this was sent hoping the oboist might read it. (And yeah, I realize the instruments may have been changed to protect the innocent. And not so innocent.)
But really, if the conductor won’t deal with it I’d probably tell the flutist to just deal. And welcome to the wonderful world of music. 😉
If you’re curious what Carrie said, go here.
