A New Job?

25. April 2008 · 3 comments · Categories: Ramble

I have decided to join Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I think it would be a good idea, don’t you? And, well, I think they’d like me, too.

Yeah, it’s about that easy. And it’s a “perfect job for … musicians.”

Well … for THIS anyway:

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
posted 04/25/2008
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Join our record-breaking telephone fundraising team! Perfect job for graduate students, actors, and musicians. Part-time, mornings or evenings. Commission/ base plus complimentary tickets to most concerts. No cold calling and we will train. Call Oakes Spalding at 312-294-3297.

😉

Differences

25. April 2008 · 1 comment · Categories: Links, Listen, Oboe, Ramble

I sometimes talk to my students about how different oboists can sound from one another. I want to bring attention to this site … go there and look at the number of well known oboists from around the world. Have a listen to the various clips! Can you hear the differences? I’d love to see a picture of the oboists’ reeds next to their names, but that would be asking a lot, wouldn’t it? Fortunately I do own a copy of Oboe Reed Styles, but it’s rather old so the newer players aren’t in it.

I don’t see Pierre Pierlot there. He was my first introduction into a “different” sound. I have an album with him playing Baroque oboe concerti, and I’d pull it out and listen again, but our turntable isn’t really working any longer, or so I’ve been told. (I’d at least put a photo of the ugly album cover here, but since we updated WordPress I can’t put up images. Argh!) It would be interesting to hear him again and see if I am still surprised by his sound. (If I recall, it was closer to soprano sax than anything I’d heard before. Not that it was exactly like it, but closer. But perhaps I’m remembering incorrectly.)

I’m not one to say “only the American sound for me” as I really love the variety. If the player is musical (and in tune) I’m just fine with the differences. Different can be fun.

Meme

25. April 2008 · 2 comments · Categories: Ramble

I don’t often do these, but T sent me this:

Hi, Friends-

Elaine Fine from Musical Assumptions sent me this. No hard feelings if you’re not the meming type. If you do feel like playing (it’s fun), here it is:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Happy Blogging,
‘T.

Okay, here goes:

“Why should I worry about that? Who’s doing it now? My shirts haven’t felt the touch of a woman’s hands in years.”

Anyone know what that’s from? I’m guessing I’m supposed to tell, but the instructions don’t include that. I’m a real a follower of instructions.

I was always bad at tag. Too much pressure. So I don’t really want to tag anyone. But any reader out there who reads this can feel free to run with it. Or not.

Ouch!

25. April 2008 · Comments Off on Ouch! · Categories: Links, Other People's Words, Ramble

He is the flip side to Esa-Pekka Salonen, the former conductor of the LA Philharmonic, sold on posters throughout all the trendy neighborhoods more on the basis of his boyish charms than on his music-making abilities. Salonen used to make his point in favor of avant-garde music by conducting Brahms and Beethoven as though they bored him.

Read here, this makes me wonder if the conductor to whom the writer, Lionel Rolfe, is referring knew that this was going to be written about Salonen. I can’t imagine a conductor would want to have another (somewhat more famous) conductor bashed. Doesn’t seem wise to me.

Amazing

25. April 2008 · 2 comments · Categories: Ramble

Sometimes I am absolutely stunned by what I read online:

One good thing about the lack of parking spaces and the traffic mess that occurred Sunday in and around the brand-new Long Center for the Performing Arts?

Since a lot of people with tickets to the opera “Carmen” couldn’t get there in time to see the show, some lucky guys got out of attending the opera.

What a blessing in disguise.

When some of these poor schleps left the house Sunday, they thought they were being dragged by their old ladies to sit still during three torturous hours of screeching, howling and musical bellyaching. But suddenly, thanks to the City of Austin’s usual poor planning, some of these dudes avoided the operatic experience because there was no place to park. Or, they just couldn’t get there at all, because of the gridlock that occurred at South First Street, Barton Springs Road and Riverside Drive.

So, how many folks couldn’t get to the Long Center to see the opera because there was no place to leave the car, or they just couldn’t get through the traffic snarl in time to hear some fat lady try to bust a drinking glass with a high C?

You can read the whole thing here if you really want to.

Hmmm. Should I write something snide about Texas? No. I should not.