30. June 2009 · Comments Off on We Musicians Do Speak Us Some Italian · Categories: Videos

Youth Choir Balsis sings Richard Genee, Insalata Italiana:

Here’s the text:

Piano, piano, dolce, soave ed amabile
Forte, piano, pianissimo
Venite gua
Forte, fortissimo, forte, piano,
Crescendo, stringendo, più mosso
Rinforzando, diminuendo
Decrescendo, morendo, smorzando.
Recitativo, O Dio, O cielo,
Coloratura, lo tremo.
A piacere, colla parte, fermata.
Lento, con espressione,
larghetto, sostenuto, ritenuto
Espressivo, ben marcato,
Pizzicato, arco, arco,
Precipitato, sospirando,
ritardando, arco.
Tra ta ta ta, suona la tromba
Tra ta ta ta, a la vedetta
Con fuoco, staccato
Assai scandaloso,
non più lamentoso.
Bravo, bravissimo,
sono contento!
Volti subito
L’accompagnamento
Con rabbia, con furia
In tempo di polacca,
con impeto, con scandalo,
con grazia, con anima.
Agitata ta ta ta ta,
Più mosso stretto
Fine dell’opera.
Felicità, felicità.
Fine dell’opera.

30. June 2009 · Comments Off on TQOD · Categories: TQOD

Played the oboe tonight funny that the band hall has a bar!

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on Bassoon For Sale · Categories: Bassoon, For Sale

BassoonForSale

In case this isn’t terribly clear … I think I don’t know how to post pictures well! … this reads:

FOR SALE
Püchner Bassoon #7677
$13,500
tuned & serviced by Holden McAleer
Contact: Paul Barret pbarrett [at] lava [dot] net (808) 263-0021

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on Extroverted? Not I! · Categories: Ramble

I’m watching The Singing Life on PBS. Something one of the men from Chanticleer just said doesn’t connect with this instrumentalist at all. He said “We’re all extroverted people,” and went on to say that they are that way on the stage and after with people and that that’s what makes them singers and musicians.

I wonder if that’s a difference between singers and instrumentalists, or if it’s just some singers who feel this way. I do know that when I was in school the singers were the noisy people. And huggy too. We used to call them “mouth majors” which I’m sure wasn’t appreciated by them! But it is true that singers tend to be noisier than instrumentalists if I am speaking generally. Is it that much of a surprise? They emote via their mouths. I emote via my oboe.

I’m guessing I’m generalizing too much. But whatever.

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on Ear Update · Categories: Hearing, Ramble

I don’t want to become one of those people who only talks about herself and her health, but I figured some might want an ear update:

My left ear is still ringing. The tinnitus hasn’t gone away, but I’m learning to live with it. I don’t even notice the issue when I’m teaching. I also am not finding loud sound as painful. Today I cleared the dishwasher without putting in a plug (too darn lazy to go get it!) and it was not bothersome. I vacuumed too, and that was fine.

I am more aware of the hearing loss, now that I realize I don’t hear birds singing or the fan noise if I’m lying on my right side — this means my right ear is against a pillow and my left ear is doing the major hearing. And gee … there’s the silver lining! Nice! I don’t notice the hearing loss in most instances, though. No biggie. 🙂

I will have another hearing test 6 months from the first one to see if things have changed. I’m guessing it’ll all be the same, and I’m not worried. I’m thankful, though, that my otologist has been so wonderful and takes this seriously.

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on BQOD · Categories: BQOD

Grass reminds me of classical music. It has its own rhythm and is always dancing.

(Yes, the blogger is talking about grass … as in lawn.)

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on Required Materials …? · Categories: Ramble

Hmmm. I saw an oboe teacher’s list of “required materials” for students:

48 Famous Studies (1st Oboe Part) Edited by Albert Andraud, W. Ferling.

Oboe Solos: Set of performance parts (includes separate pull-out oboe part) for oboe and piano. Series: Everybody’s Favorite Series #99.

Oboe Concerto In C Major, K. 314
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), edited by Franz Giegling. K. 314 (285d). Set of performance parts (includes separate pull-out oboe part) for oboe and piano. Urtext of the New Mozart Edition. C Major. 40 pages. Published by Baerenreiter-Ausgaben (German import).

I do hope the site is wrong! I can’t imagine suggesting only those three things! How very odd.

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on Advice (that you already know!) · Categories: Ramble

I was just watching and listening to a video of a trio. (Don’t worry, readers, it’s no one who subscribes to this site.) The players are quite good. They are students at a music conservatory, so that usually means they had a bit ‘o talent! I can see and hear some issues, but I’m guessing many in the audience wouldn’t have known about the little bloop one player made if only he hadn’t shaken his head right after.

Never communicate an error to the audience. Ever. If they hear it, they hear it. If some don’t, why let them know?

I also think the oboist might have gotten some of the low notes had the oboe been held a bit closer to the body. But of course I’d need to try to reed to say for sure.

Just things you already know. But sometimes a reminder helps.

29. June 2009 · Comments Off on TQOD · Categories: TQOD

I just ran away from an old yelling janitor lady…holding an oboe…

I’ve heard that at birthdays the New World Symphony bassoonists put together fun ditties for the birthday boy or girl. Enjoy!