Not a positive sound was heard.
Just listen. You’ll understand.
Now some might say, “but can he play oboe anyway?” So here is the same guy playing with a real reed:
and this:
I’m assuming you all can hear the huge difference between the fake cane reed and the real ones. If not … get your ears cleaned. Please.
Marcus tagged me. But I played earlier and, believe it or not, that book is still the closest to me at this very moment!
Most of my books are in other rooms. The family room has DVDs, CDs and records (that I can’t even listen to!). Ah, but there’s my Bible. You really want to read about Balaam here? 🙂
…the chief protagonist is an ageing composer/conductor who is obsessed with revitalising his failing powers by humiliating, then seducing, young female musicians in his orchestra, even as his wife is having a serious operation.
Okay, it’s an opera plot, but I did laugh.
You can read about it here.
And it goes on:
An egotistical serial-philanderer? Not like any real conductor, then. “Well, I can certainly think of one or two candidates, as I’m sure you can,” Berkeley giggles. “But this is essentially fiction.”
“Essentially fiction” …? But we all know the stories. Right? Funny how quiet we all are about them, though. I guess no one wants to spill the beans. Some of these conductor stories (rumors, to be honest, and I’ve not ever read anything that makes them fact) are pretty awful and actually criminal. Yet no one talks. I don’t know if it’s about job protection, fear of a lawsuit, or just that we are all very good people who don’t like to ruin anyone.
Well, nix that last one. I know, at least, that I’m not that good of a person. (I’m thankful no one can crawl into this brain of mine and hear my frequently awful thoughts. Sometimes I’m horrified by what comes into my head. Sigh.)
I’m not talking about anyone I’m currently working with, nor would I tell you if I was talking about anyone I’ve worked with in the past, so don’t be guessing. And don’t ask me because I won’t tell. We are currently working under Paul Polivnick who is one of my faves, so no, you can’t be thinking he’s one of these scoundrels! (And he sure has done a fabulous job this week, working with us in this somewhat interesting—as in sort of challenging for reasons I won’t go into right now—set.)
But I ramble.
Okay … exhaustion has hit me hard today. With this exhaustion has come sadness. So I’m going to rest and dump the sorrow. A bit of sleep might help. (Meanwhile I’ve put on some sad music because I do tend to wallow in this mood when I’m weary.)
Over and out.
I went to this link and watched and listened to their demonstration. When we finally get to the woodwind demonstration I wonder “Well, was that supposed to be an oboe or a sax?” Which tells you it doesn’t work for these ears. But how about other readers/listeners? What do you think? I’d love to hear from players of other instruments. Do your sections sound off as well?
And did they put the person speaking way too close to a microphone? It bugs me, anyway.
So check it out and fill me in, if you feel like it.
Or don’t. Your choice. 🙂
So some conductor (woulnd’t ya know it? j/k) is in trouble for saying he bought instruments when he didn’t. Ya just can’t cheat the tax folks. Even in New Zealand, I guess.
Nelson Symphony Orchestra director David John Lindup is in custody after fraudulently claiming GST refunds worth $1.3 million for musical instruments he never bought.
This is rather costly publicity, but it did get me to look up the orchestra.
(RTWT)
Columbus would become one of the nation’s largest cities without a full-time professional orchestra.
(RTWT)
Columbus is fifteenth. We are tenth.
Just because your city is large doesn’t mean a symphony will be supported. Trust me.
But maybe it has something to do with the how we look. Take a look at Wikipedia’s pictures of the cities. Can’t say that San Jose’s is exactly stunning. At least not in that picture.
I notice that Symphony Silicon Valley doesn’t really have a wiki page while Columbus Symphony does have one. I guess we don’t rate. Oh well. The old San Jose Symphony (RIP) didn’t get one either, and we were one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the west. (San Jose couldn’t support that group — one that provided a great deal more work for yours truly. Such is life.)
