Aida - Acts 1 & 2

Just got in from the band call for tomorrow's Northern Wagner Orchestra's rendition of Aida.  I'm not going to be able to practise this myself, but I need to keep an eye on the following bits, 'cos they're nasty...

Act 1.

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This bit is awkward, fast, and generally unpleasant.  And, to make matters worse, you turn the page, and the whole passage is repeated with a minor change - the penultimate note is the high E rather than the low one.  Gah.

(We've got a big cut missing the semiquaver runs in the Danza Sacra delle Sacerdotesse... indeed, we're cutting that whole number.  But, looking at them, they don't look too bad.)

Act 2.
This is a cut-down version in orchestral terms, so I was slightly surprised to find myself playing a solo with one of the big tunes:

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A double bass tune? Yeah!

Then we cut the ballet, and, before you know it, we're looking at this frankly gratuitous arpeggio:

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I'll write up some bits from Acts 3 & 4, including some double-stopping (hey - I am, after all, the Lone Double Bass!), in the morning.

Beethoven Septet - Tricky bit

I love this piece of music - so many memories tied up with it.  However, there's just one bit that gives me a slight "urk" feeling when I see it hove into view - that's this bit in the middle of the third variation.

Yes, it's nice and slow, but it's still a little bit fiddly.  And it's such a good theme - Harmonious Blacksmith.  Still, it's something else for me to think about for next weekend...

I wonder if the non-aggression pact between the horn and violin is going to hold?  For those who don't know the piece, the Trio (of the Minuet) has a tricky horn bit, and the violinist has the potential to have set a cracking pace...  but if the violinist does do this, then the horn-player gets the option for revenge by setting his own blistering pace with a pseudo-hunting call at the start of the Scherzo.

It's too complicated to describe.  Just go and get a copy, or find it on Spotify...

"Sonata for Seven", Schmelzer

(Schmelzer?  Who he?  ed.)

(No.  Me neither.)

Schmelzer.  1623-1680.  Wrote a septet for recorder ensemble.  You now know as much about him as I do.  This has been rearranged for a Beethoven septet ensemble (vln, vla, vlc, cb, clt, bsn, hn).

Not much to worry about, except, for some reason, I'm finding this difficult:

But why?  There's nothing there to worry about!  So why in the name of all that's sane am I missing that E on the sixth quaver of bar 28?  I'm losing it - it's the only rational explanation.  And it's not a good sign for the week ahead, as I've got a rehearsal on this (+ the Beethoven septet), and the Northern Wagner Orchestra's production of Aida at the weekend, and we're heading rapidly towards the Leeds Youth Opera's production of Faust.  Gah...

Busy - sorry

Sorry for the suspension of normal service here.  I've been a bit busy with the day job - I've actually got one at the moment, which is novel.

But I have got some musical stuff to blog about - I'm currently in rehearsals for a performance of Beethoven's Septet, and for a run of Gounod's Faust with Leeds Youth Opera Group.  I last played Faust for them about 12-13 years ago, and a girl called Sarah Estill sang Marguerite.  Sarah is now a full-time opera diva, working with Opera North, and is back with LYOG, this time directing the show.  She's also one of the main drivers behind the Northern Wagner Orchestra.  (I really need to redo that website...)

That reminds me - must dig out a score of Aida and see if there's anything tricky I need to be aware of, as we're playing that next month!

Mikado excerpts

Probably a bit late for my own use, given that the run has started, but the following two little corners would repay inspection.

Firstly, from the "Wand'ring Minstrel" number near the beginning of Act 1, a tricky little semiquaver passage.

The other passage is from the Finale to Act 1.  It's quite exposed, and it is in unison with the rest of the strings, which may (or may not) make it easier.

That's it in terms of tricky note passages.  The rest of the problems are caused by the times being pulled around, but, as the notes themselves aren't so bad, it's easy enough to keep watching the conductor!

One performance down, eight to go.

"As some day it may happen"

After a delay, the next musical extravaganza looms on the horizon.  A slight change of pace from the most recent "Orpheus" - I'm getting ready for a week and a bit in the pit of Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado".  I don't recall any nasty traps, but I'll take notes if there are!

In other news, I've recently been approached to perform one of my all-time favourite pieces - the Beethoven Septet.  The concert will be in June, so I've got plenty of time to find and practice the fiddly bits.  As ever, anything worthy of attention will be put up here for future reference.

Double Bass Chamber Music

I've just seen a post on Jason Heath's "Double Bass Blog" that neatly summarises the problem that many of us face, and that is the perception that there's a very small amount of chamber music that involves the double bass.  This is true, but the situation is not quite so dire.  The article in question, by a guest writer, lists rather more than I was expecting (including my old friends Onslow & Farrenc), and a few that I've not come across yet!

So, the challenge for the summer is on.  Find more music, play more music!