Timpani Stories (A Very Occasional Series, Vol III)
Alan Watkins
1692 Purcell: Faerie Queene: possibly the first solo for timpani in an
opera in the Sinfonia which opens Act IV
1773: Mozart: Divertimento per 2 flauti, 5 corni e 4 timpani (K188),
written to accompany the famous dancing horses of the Riding Academy
of Salzburg. Requires four drums throughout.
1810: Ferdinand Kauer: Sei variazioni per archi,legni,timpani and
percussione: Variation 4 requires six drums and considerable
virtuosity.
1833: Spohr: Calvary. Two timpanists, three drums each, playing rolls
on different notes at the same time to depict an earthquake as Christ
is crucified.
1846: Mendelssohn: Elijah. Probably the first example of really rapid
tuning. In No 20 just seconds from A-flat to A to B-flat on the same
drum. (Inspired by Einbigler's machine drums).
1895: Strauss: Til Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche: Possibly the first
work that cannot be played on hand tuned drums by one player - rapid
changes of pitch (24 in all) and some executed while playing.
1910: Charles Villiers Stanford: Songs of the Fleet. The timpanist is
instructed to play a roll with his fingertips.
1914: Walford Davies: Conversations for Piano and Orchestra. First
known use of glissandi for the timpani.
1954: Werner Tharichen: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra. Scored
for five drums and a virtuoso piece which makes some contemporary
stuff look easy. Written by the man who was Furtwangler's timpanist
for many years in the Berlin Philharmonic.
There are many,many others in many centuries but I sense the audience
nodding off. That's enough milestones.
Kind regards,
Alan M. Watkins
_firs...@lr_dot_los-gatos_dot_ca.us
Some Hindemith (Mathis der Maler?) has the timpani playing a melody.
Don't remember whether it requires 5 or 6 drums. Note: This is from
extremely foggy memory, last heard it 25 years ago.
>There are many,many others in many centuries but I sense the audience
>nodding off. That's enough milestones.
I'm a piano player, so playing in an amateur orchestra is nearly
impossible for me. I would love to have time to get trained on
timpani, and then find an orchestra to join. Problem is that amateur
orchestras are pretty rare, and they tend to have lots of really good
percussionists already. I used to work for one of the greatest
employers in the world, which had its own symphony orchestra (the
company still exists, and the orchestra still exists, but the company
has split itself, and has had a cataclysmic transformation in culture
and mindset under a new CEO, plus they are probably not a great place
to work these days, and I don't work there any more). They supplied a
very nice set of timpani for the orchestra. So timpani news will not
put me to sleep.
--
The address in the header is invalid for obvious reasons. Please
reconstruct the address from the information below (look for _).
Ralph Becker-Szendy _firstname_@lr_dot_los-gatos_dot_ca.us
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:1097186637.5550@smirk:
> Some Hindemith (Mathis der Maler?) has the timpani playing a melody.
> Don't remember whether it requires 5 or 6 drums. Note: This is from
> extremely foggy memory, last heard it 25 years ago.
They play a bit of the tune, in stretto, in the Turandot-Scherzo of the
Symphonic Metamorphoses.
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page --- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
Take THAT, Daniel Lin, Mark Sadek, James Lin & Christopher Chung!
Matthew B. Tepper
> 1954: Werner Tharichen: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra. Scored
> for five drums and a virtuoso piece which makes some contemporary
> stuff look easy. Written by the man who was Furtwangler's timpanist
> for many years in the Berlin Philharmonic.
Thärichen recorded this (and some early works I consider less interesting)
for Koch; it's a delightful CD.
Michael Schaffer
"Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:62c8649c.04100...@posting.google.com...
> Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>
> 1692 Purcell: Faerie Queene: possibly the first solo for timpani in an
> opera in the Sinfonia which opens Act IV
>
> 1773: Mozart: Divertimento per 2 flauti, 5 corni e 4 timpani (K188),
> written to accompany the famous dancing horses of the Riding Academy
> of Salzburg. Requires four drums throughout.
>
> 1810: Ferdinand Kauer: Sei variazioni per archi,legni,timpani and
> percussione: Variation 4 requires six drums and considerable
> virtuosity.
>
> 1833: Spohr: Calvary. Two timpanists, three drums each, playing rolls
> on different notes at the same time to depict an earthquake as Christ
> is crucified.
>
> 1846: Mendelssohn: Elijah. Probably the first example of really rapid
> tuning. In No 20 just seconds from A-flat to A to B-flat on the same
> drum. (Inspired by Einbigler's machine drums).
>
> 1895: Strauss: Til Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche: Possibly the first
> work that cannot be played on hand tuned drums by one player - rapid
> changes of pitch (24 in all) and some executed while playing.
>
> 1910: Charles Villiers Stanford: Songs of the Fleet. The timpanist is
> instructed to play a roll with his fingertips.
Hey! What about the first performance of Le Sacre du Printemps? Isn't that a
timpani milestone?
> 1914: Walford Davies: Conversations for Piano and Orchestra. First
> known use of glissandi for the timpani.
>
>
>
> 1954: Werner Tharichen: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra. Scored
> for five drums and a virtuoso piece which makes some contemporary
> stuff look easy. Written by the man who was Furtwangler's timpanist
> for many years in the Berlin Philharmonic.
Thärichen also wrote a concerto for percussion and chamber orchestra later
which was premiered by his son (and me at the bass) with Thärichen
conducting.
Michael Schaffer
Larry Rinkel
"Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:62c8649c.04100...@posting.google.com...
The tuning changes in the Nielsen 4th symphony, not only in the famous duel
for two timpanists but in the slow movement as well, appear to me
exceptionally difficult in that the timpani are treated as an almost
completely chromatic instrument. Would you agree?
Peter T. Daniels
>
> Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>
> 1692 Purcell: Faerie Queene: possibly the first solo for timpani in an
> opera in the Sinfonia which opens Act IV
Mercifully few operas have four acts any more. Would timpani solos in
sinfonie opening other acts count?
--
Peter T. Daniels gram...@att.net
Emrla
>From: alanwa...@aol.com (Alan Watkins)
>Date: 10/07/2004 1:53 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <62c8649c.04100...@posting.google.com>
>
>Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries: [some very interesting
facts snipped]
I thought timpanists (and others) might find this amusing. I was sitting in
one of the behind the orderstra seats for one of the Friday mid-morning
concerts. Around me was a large contingent of elderly ladies. Very talkative
and interesting. Suddenly, as the members of the orchestra were filing on
stage, the ladies became very quiet and were looking intently at something on
stage. When I asked one of them what was going on she said "We're checking out
the timpanist!" emrla
Richard Sabey
> Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
> instructed to play a roll with his fingertips.
1899: Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme ("Enigma"). The timpanist is
instructed to play a roll using side-drum sticks.
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in
Is that during the ostensible reference to Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and
Prosperous Voyage" that is also supposed to imitate a ship's motors?
Nightingale
>
> There are many,many others in many centuries but I sense the audience
> nodding off. That's enough milestones.
>
Not even close! I find your occasional series interesting - post more
any time :-)
--
Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions
To all musicians, appear and inspire:
Translated Daughter, come down and startle
Composing mortals with immortal fire.
Alan Watkins
Love it! I must do a "questions from behind me" sometime.
Alan Watkins
Love it! I must do a "questions from behind me" sometime.
Kind regards,
Alan M. Watkins
Alan Watkins
> I keep forgetting to ask: what orchestra do you play in?
Semi-retired but mostly Prague National Theatre opera and ballet
orchestra, Prague Radio, sorties occasionally into Brno and Bratislava
as an "extra", also Czech Phil as a stand in or extra.
Recently toured with a reduced version of Pirates of Penzance (aka
one percussion and a very quick switch in the Overture from snare to
timpani).
Matthew Fields
Alan Watkins <alanwa...@aol.com> wrote:
>"Michael Schaffer" <msch...@gmx.net> wrote in message
>news:<l4m9d.1023$cJ3.666@fed1read06>...
>> I keep forgetting to ask: what orchestra do you play in?
>
>Semi-retired but mostly Prague National Theatre opera and ballet
Is that the place with the giant birdcage in the middle of the square
in front of it? I've been there, briefly... or at least something
or other Narodni Divaldo or something...
--
Matthew H. Fields http://personal.www.umich.edu/~fields
Music: Splendor in Sound
To be great, do things better and better. Don't wait for talent: no such thing.
Brights have a naturalistic world-view. http://www.the-brights.net/
Michael Schaffer
That of course raises the interesting question of how you came to play in
Prague as an obvious Westerner. Did you already play there in Eastern Block
times? There were always a few Westerners in action behind the iron curtain,
if I remember correctly the Gewandhausorchester used to have an American
trumpet player.
Do people in the CR still play natural diaphragms (if that is the right word
for it)?
David7Gable
>Prosperous Voyage" that is also supposed to imitate a ship's motors?
I only know Beethoven's "Calm Sea." What is it that happens in Mendelssohn's,
exactly? (Actually, I think there's a Schubert song, too.)
-david gable
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:20041009022304...@mb-m04.aol.com:
Mendelssohn's overture, also inspired by the same Goethe pair, contains a
melody which Elgar quotes outright in one of the variations. The standard
interpretation is that that particular friend was on an ocean voyage when
Elgar wrote the variation.
Alan Watkins
> Prague as an obvious Westerner. Did you already play there in Eastern Block
> times? There were always a few Westerners in action behind the iron curtain,
> if I remember correctly the Gewandhausorchester used to have an American
> trumpet player.
> Do people in the CR still play natural diaphragms (if that is the right word
> for it)?
I have posted it before but the fact is I came top in the timpani
class in London and this was in the 1960's when the "cold war" was in
full swing. But there was a six month scholarship devised between
various Conservatoires to try and "unfreeze" matters and I had two
options for six month scholarships, one to Prague or one to Budapest.
I chose Prague on the very simple grounds that all the Czech music I
knew at that time (Dvorak, Smetana etc) I loved and so I opted for
Prague. I got some "extra" work through my Professor (Petr Sprunk,
then principal timpani Czech Philharmonic) and I decided to stay on.
I started learning the language which is a nightmare to learn (or it
was for me).
I did not do very well in getting work because it was so haphazard and
the money was running out fast. Just when I was on the point of
returning to the UK I started to get regular work with the NT
orchestra because one of the percussionists was taken ill. He died,
sadly, and so through the tragedy of someone else I got my chance.
They simply telephoned one day and said: "Do you want it?" There was
no audition because I had played for them quite a few times by then
and anyway that was the system of the time. I have little doubt that
Mr Sprunk put in a word here and there:):) because he knew I wanted to
stay on.
It was still touch and go because, at that time, you were only paid
per performance and as I was fourth percussion there were some lean
times. I did not "starve in a garret" but I can tell you that my
(apparently acclaimed) soup making was born in that period.
The system changed about two years later and you got a "staff rate"
whether you played or not.
When I went to Prague the first Velvet revolution was well under way
and, as all know, was mercilessly put down in 1968. I lived and
worked through that period and I am absolutely thrilled to have lived
to see the CR embrace real democracy and be admitted to the European
Union.
I love the music and the people have always opened their hearts to me.
I see similarities with my own original country, Ireland. A small
predominantly Catholic country who underwent occupation by
unsympathetic forces and have now broken free of that and, while
neither are major players in the world, are trying to forge their own
place in history having been given the freedom to do so.
To make it even more bizarre, I met my wife (Elizabeth) when she was
knocked down by a taxi in Prague. She, too, was on a "cold war"
exchange from Virginia, USA, and I translated for her to the ambulance
crew and at the hospital. That is how we met.
In the 1970's the NT orchestra had a clarinet player from Minnesota
but he only stayed for about 15 months before going to a German
orchestra (cannot remember which). It was a financial thing. They
did and do pay a lot more.
Alan Watkins
> in front of it? I've been there, briefly... or at least something
> or other Narodni Divaldo or something...
HISTORY - THE NATIONAL THEATRE
The historical building of the National Theatre in Prague is the
embodiment of the will of the Czech nation for national independence.
The broad masses of the people took a share in its building by making
collections for it and the ceremonial lying of the cornerstone on 16th
May 1868 became a nation-widepolitical demonstration. The idea of
building a worthy stone theatre came into being in the autumn of 1844
at meetings of patriots in Prague and began to be put into practice
with a request for "the privilege of building, furnishing, maintaining
and directing" an indepedent Czech theatre, which the historian
František Palacký put before the Committee of the Estates of the Czech
parliament on 29th January 1845. The privilage was granted in April of
that year. But it was only six years later - in April 1851 - that the
Society for Founding a Czech National Theatre in Prague, which had
been set in meantime, issued the first public proclamation on starting
collections. A year later the money collected was used to buy a plot
of land with an area of rather less than 28 ares (one are = 100 square
metres) belonging to the former Salthouse, which did indeed mean that
the theatre would be in a magnificent position on the bank of the
river Vltava, opposite the panorama of Hradčany, but at the same
time created difficult conditions for the architects owing to its
confined quadrilateral shape with to parallel sides.The period of
repressive absolutism under the Austrian minister Bach stopped the
preparations for the building, supporting the idea of a modest
temporary building, which was built on the southern part ofthe
theatre's plot of land by the architect Ignác Ullman and opened on
18th November 1862. This buildingof the Prozatímní divadlo (Temporary
Theatre) later became part of the final National Theatre building; its
outer casing is still visible in the raised part of the back section
of the building and the interior arrangement was only effaced during
the latest reconstruction of the National Theatre in1977 - 1983. When
this minimum programme had been put into effect by F. L. Rieger and
the Committee of the Czech Lands a great offensive was started by the
young, progressive supporters of the original large-scaleplans for the
building (Karel Sladkovský, journalist and politician, Miroslav Tyrš,
aesthete and politician, Jan Neruda, poet, Vítěslav Hálek, poet).
In 1865 these people came to the head of the Society and called on the
architect Josef Zítek, 33-year-old professor of structural engineering
at the Prague Technical University, to make plans for the National
Theatre. These won a subsequent competition and in 1867 work could
begin on the building site. On 16th May 1868 the foundation was
ceremonially laid, in November the foundation was completed, in 1875
the walls of the new building had reached their full height and in
1877 the theatre was roofed. At the same time a public competition had
been going onsince 1873 for the decoration of the building, the main
theme of which had been planned by a special commitee headed by Karel
Sladkovský: this was to be the one hand classical, in the spirit of
the neo-Renaissance conception of the building, and on the other
inspired by the enthusiasm of the period for Slav mythology end for
the events of the "Královodvorský and Zelenohorský Manuscripts"
(heroic epics on Czech history). These two concepts, evident in
pictures in the style of Mánes and linked with contemporary romantic
landscape painting (also connected with themes from Czech history)
gave the ideational basis for the school of art that is today called
the art of the National Theatre generation. The National Theatre was
opened for the first time on June 11, 1881 in honour of a visit by
Crown Prince Rudolf. After another eleven performances the building
was closed for completion of construction work - during which, on
August 12, 1881, a fire broke out that completely ruined the copper
dome, the auditorium, and the stage. The conflagration was perceived
as a national catastrophe and evoked enormous resolve that aided new
fund-raising drives: within forty-seven days a million florins were
collected. However, the struggles that flared up behind the scenes
after the catastrophe were not in accord with this enthusiasm on the
part of the nation. Prof. Josef Zítek, the architect, was laid aside
and his pupil Josef Schulz was placed in charge of the reconstruction
work. Schulz expanded the building to include an apartment house
belonging to Dr. Polák that stood behind the former Provisional
Theatre, which he incorporated into the overall structure, and he also
changed somewhat the disposition of space in the auditorium to improve
visibility of the stage. He showed great sensitivity in respecting the
style of Zítek's building, and thus succeeded in joining three
structures by three different architects in absolute stylistic unity.
The National Theatre was opened on 18th November 1883 with a
performance of Bedřiich Smetana's opera "Libuše", specially
composed for this gala occasion. The building, perfectly technically
equipped (electric lighting, steel stage constrution) served without
much alteration for almost ahundred years. Only on 1st April 1977 was
the National Theatre closed for more than six years with a performance
of Alois Jirásek's "The Lantern". Its overall reconstrution was
started under the supervision of the chief designer, architekt
Zdeněk Vávra. The extensive rebuilding and competition of the
theatre's surroundings had to be finished by 18th November 1983, as
this was the hundredth anniversary of the original opening. On this
day the historic building was opened to the public, again with a
performance of Smetana's "Libuše". At present this historic, important
and beautiful building, together with its ad joining modern building
where, among other things, the main bookingoffice is located, is the
main stage for three leading National Theatre companies - the
drama,opera and ballet companies.
******************************************************************************
Apologies for the translation but that is the essence of it. I played
cymbals for the re-opening with Libuse in 1983, 100 years on from
whoever played them in the first performance. A magical moment.
Michael Schaffer
That's like in a movie!
> In the 1970's the NT orchestra had a clarinet player from Minnesota
> but he only stayed for about 15 months before going to a German
> orchestra (cannot remember which). It was a financial thing. They
> did and do pay a lot more.
Was it difficult to get a work permit for then Czechoslovakia? Did you have
to go through some kind of "screening"? After all, you came from the evil
capitalist world! Didn't a lot of your colleagues envy you because you could
travel freely?
Jack Crawford
> Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>
> 1773: <..........>
> 1810: <..........>
> 1833: <..........>
> 1846: <..........>
> 1895: <..........>
> 1910: <..........>
> 1914: <..........>
> 1954: <..........>
>
> There are many,many others in many centuries .............>
Is there an accepted date for the first solo percussion work?
Jack
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in
Approximately 1,000,000 B.C.E., an unnamed log-and-skull solo by a chap
named "Og."
cwilson
> jackcr...@ozemail.com.au (Jack Crawford) appears to have caused the
> following letters to be typed in
> news:55a221f.04100...@posting.google.com:
> >
> > Jack
>
> Approximately 1,000,000 B.C.E., an unnamed log-and-skull solo by a chap
> named "Og."
Yes, but I always preferred Gronk's interpretation. Og was always too
cerebral, whereas Gronk always gave a much more visceral performance.
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in
Harrumph! You are a bad person for preferring Gronk to Og, and I'll bet
you vote the wrong way and went off your medications, too! ;--)
Richard Schultz
: "Matthew B. Tepper" <oy?@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<Xns957DCDAD042...@207.217.125.201>...
Does anyone else remember the old "Far Side" cartoon about the Birth of Jazz?
-----
Richard Schultz sch...@mail.biu.ac.il
Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Opinions expressed are mine alone, and not those of Bar-Ilan University
-----
"You go on playing Bach your way, and I'll go on playing him *his* way."
-- Wanda Landowska
Alan Watkins
> to go through some kind of "screening"? After all, you came from the evil
> capitalist world! Didn't a lot of your colleagues envy you because you could
> travel freely?
>
>
> > Kind regards,
> > Alan M. Watkins
There was never a problem, initially because all this had been
arranged in advance through Conservatoires with the approval and
enthusiasm of what was then the Ministry of Culture. Neither did I
have a problem getting extensions through the Ministry although you
needed two referees (which was easy to get from the Conservatoire).
You had to report to the Police once a year and fill in a form saying
where you were living and what your current employment was. So far as
I recall over 40 years ago there was no animosity between the UK and
Czechoslovakia and indeed there is plenty of evidence that the UK knew
full well politically what was going on in the country (and no doubt
worked behind the scenes actively supporting it). In any event I
carried (and carry) an Irish passport which is, perhaps, about as
"neutral" as you can get.
As I say, the first Velvet revolution was underway already and I do
not think there was ever a perception of the West being part of the
capitalist world because, in my belief, the Czechs had always regarded
themselves as part of a capitalist world and as part of Europe, not as
some Soviet bloc satellite. Geographically and historically they seem
to me to have very few links with the Soviet Union but many with
"mainstream Europe". This is why their "revolution" started so early!
It is, perhaps, an interesting thing that one of the "easiest"
Ministries was always the Ministry of Culture and it is probably not
without significance that the second - and successful revolution -
basically began among artists or if you wish to use the dreaded word,
the so-called "intellectuals".
The only time I felt frightened - terrified would be a better word -
was immediately post 1968 invasion. I had to smuggle my wife into
Europe (we had no children at that time) and, as previously posted, I
was then "interviewed" which was an awful experience. It is also a
very chilling experience to hear someone on national TV announcing
that anyone on the street after a certain hour would be shot dead on
sight. One elderly woman was shot dead. She had no television or
radio to hear such an announcement.
It was bad for two or three years. No one spoke to anyone any more.
No one expressed political opinions any more. No one criticised
anything any more. The older and more sage people remembered reading
how, in the time of Stalin, artists were viewed with great suspicion
and how he recruited favourite artists to spy and inform on others,
sending many to their deaths.
None of that was good but thanks to some very brave and determined
people it has ultimately been overcome.
So far as I know the Ministry of Culture did not restrict travelling
pre-1968 (after all they had set up the scholarship with London) in
any way at all although there were restrictions imposed immediately
after the 1968 invasion.
There is a funny story about that. Just after the Soviet invasion the
Smetana Quartet (who were quite a famous quartet of the time) were due
to embark on a tour (France and Germany I think). It is said,
although the story may be apocryphal, that it was allowed on the
grounds "that only four people could defect", presumably as opposed to
an orchestra of 80 plus:):) That's a bureaucrat for you, if true.
It has moved a long way, thank God. And in 2004 the Czech national
football goalkeeper is doing his stuff for Chelsea in the UK and quite
well I believe. A couple of years ago he narrated Peter and the Wolf
for a school concert (and very well, too) although it is entirely
possible that some of the audience were only there for the
narrator:):) He certainly signed a lot of autographs! Nice young
man.
I ought to point out that among musicians in the Soviet Union there
were also some brave people. People like Rozhdestvensky and Sviridov
who never joined the Party. I do not believe that Rostropovich or his
wife ever did so either. Svetlanov certainly was an enthusiastic
member as was his predecessor Alexandr Gauk which is not to knock them
as musicians but merely to explain why they had so many medals.
As also previously posted Gyorgy Nelepp was Stalin's principal
informer on the artistic scene. Great singer but not a terribly nice
person, I suspect. When I read Ms Vishnevskaya's book I was hurled
back to just after 1968 when no one trusted anyone....just in case.
Michael Schaffer
Yes, but they were still integrated into the Eastern Block and couldn't
travel freely, so while I am sure they didn't "identify" with the big, big
brother USSR, they suffered a lot of the restrictions like no free travel
like the other Eastern Block states. I do remember though that it was more
relaxed than, for instance, Poland, which was really bad. Just like Hungary
which was not exactly a model communist state either.
Did you stay there all the time during the 70s and 80s?
This may be a strange question, but if you worked there you probably made
enough money to live there, but what when you visited Western Europe? I
remember vaguely prices and the value of money in the Eastern States was
just a fraction of what it was in the West.
> It is, perhaps, an interesting thing that one of the "easiest"
> Ministries was always the Ministry of Culture and it is probably not
> without significance that the second - and successful revolution -
> basically began among artists or if you wish to use the dreaded word,
> the so-called "intellectuals".
Were you there when it happened? How did you experience it from your point
of view? I wasn't in Berlin when the wall came down. I was in an orchestra
training camp in West Germany, and we didn't watch the news in the evening,
we got completely hammered at the bar. The next day when we went down into
the village (which was fairly close to the border between the two German
states), there were all those Trabants (for readers not familiar with that,
those were the little plastic cars the East Germans had) in the streets. The
East Germans had come over the border to see what it really looks like in
the West, and to buy bananas which were always a symbol of luxury in the
East.
We used to have a mean joke in the music academy: what's a string quartet? -
A Russian orchestra after touring the West...
I remember when the Staatskapelle Dresden came to (West) Berlin in the 80s
and I was a little surprised there were no guards positioned at the stage
doors. I talked to some of the players but didn't ask about that, that would
have been a strange question to ask. After the opening of the wall, I talked
to the same people again and they said there were alwaya a few Stasi people
travelling with the orchestra to keep an eye on the players, but in reality,
if they had wanted to, they could have walked out. But then most of them had
not a bad life, being one of the GDR's top orchestras, and really had no
motivation to just defect.
Some did though, and took the risk of leaving everything behind and
restarting their life in the West which for most of them wasn't a big
problem because they were top players.
Richard Sabey
> crypt...@hotmail.com (Richard Sabey) appears to have caused the
> following letters to be typed in
> news:fdf1ff33.0410...@posting.google.com:
> > is instructed to play a roll using side-drum sticks.
>
> Is that during the ostensible reference to Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and
> Prosperous Voyage" that is also supposed to imitate a ship's motors?
cwilson
> cq_w...@hotmail.com (cwilson) appears to have caused the following
> letters to be typed in
> news:5b5c9ac0.04101...@posting.google.com:
>
> > news:<Xns957DCDAD042...@207.217.125.201>...
> >> jackcr...@ozemail.com.au (Jack Crawford) appears to have caused the
> >> following letters to be typed in
> >> news:55a221f.04100...@posting.google.com:
> >> > Is there an accepted date for the first solo percussion work?
> >> >
> >> > Jack
> >>
> >> Approximately 1,000,000 B.C.E., an unnamed log-and-skull solo by a chap
> >> named "Og."
> >
> > Yes, but I always preferred Gronk's interpretation. Og was always too
> > cerebral, whereas Gronk always gave a much more visceral performance.
>
> Harrumph! You are a bad person for preferring Gronk to Og, and I'll bet
> you vote the wrong way and went off your medications, too! ;--)
I'm shocked, truly shocked, by such an ad australopithecine attack!
Who do you think you are? Some kind of Neanderthal?? ;-)
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in
>> In article <t1m9d.1022$cJ3.200@fed1read06>, msch...@gmx.net says...
>>
>> "Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> news:62c8649c.04100...@posting.google.com...
>> > Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>> >
><...>
>> >
>> > 1954: Werner Tharichen: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra. Scored
>> > for five drums and a virtuoso piece which makes some contemporary
>> > stuff look easy. Written by the man who was Furtwangler's timpanist
>> > for many years in the Berlin Philharmonic.
>>
>> Thärichen also wrote a concerto for percussion and chamber orchestra
>> later which was premiered by his son (and me at the bass) with
>> Thärichen conducting.
>>
> I might mention in passing that a new timpani concerto by William Kraft
> (his second!) is scheduled to be premiered next June by the San Francisco
> Sym. Also on the program, the LvB Ninth. There's something cynical
> going on there, I'm sure, but I'm not going to try to articulate it.
Then I shall. I'm reminded of a January 1974 Los Angeles Philharmonic
concert which was announced with the following program:
Schubert: Symphony #3
Glazunov: Violin Concerto (Kyung-Wha Chung)
Intermission
Penderecki: Symphony [#1] (West Coast Premiere)
After the Schubert, conductor Zubin Mehta stood before the podium and told
the audience that the order of the program was being changed, with the
Penderecki coming next and the concerto after the intermission, because
otherwise ... and he gestured a hands-out shrug in silence.
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in
> As also previously posted Gyorgy Nelepp was Stalin's principal informer
> on the artistic scene. Great singer but not a terribly nice person, I
> suspect. When I read Ms Vishnevskaya's book I was hurled back to just
> after 1968 when no one trusted anyone....just in case.
I have a Russian co-worker at a cubicle near mine. She left in the early
1990s, and has a thick but charming accent (particularly yotating some
vowels, as pronouncing "checks" as "chyecks"). Her husband is a piano
pedagogue and occasional chamber orchestra conductor, and I often speak
with her of musical matters, particularly when I receive a recording in the
office mail and it has Russian performers. The one name which always
causes her to narrow her eyes in distaste is that of Nelepp.
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in news:Yjhad.21110$cJ3.10488@fed1read06:
> "Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:62c8649c.04101...@posting.google.com...
>>
>> There is a funny story about that. Just after the Soviet invasion the
>> Smetana Quartet (who were quite a famous quartet of the time) were due
>> to embark on a tour (France and Germany I think). It is said, although
>> the story may be apocryphal, that it was allowed on the grounds "that
>> only four people could defect", presumably as opposed to an orchestra of
>> 80 plus:):) That's a bureaucrat for you, if true.
>
> We used to have a mean joke in the music academy: what's a string
> quartet? - A Russian orchestra after touring the West...
The Borodin Quartet came to San Francisco around 1974 or early 1975, and
performed at my school. Well, three of them did; cellist Berlinsky was
said to have injured a finger after they got to town, and Laszlo Varga
filled in for him on this stop of the tour (and possibly afterwards as
well). I got to meet Rostislav Dubinsky, and told him of recordings by the
quartet that I particularly enjoyed, such as the Shostakovich quartets.
But his eyes lit up when I mentioned a more obscure pairing, the Barber and
one by Moisei Vainberg (as we used to call him), #7, I think. He produced
his violin and played the opening of the Adagio, and an incipit from the
Vainberg.
Some curly-haired blonde girl, possibly a Ukrainian Jewish emigrée, gave
Dubinsky a Star-of-David pendant, and he looked around nervously before
accepting it. I recall seeing a particularly sour look on the face of
violist Dmitri Shebalin, and somebody whispered in my ear that he wondered
if Shebalin was a KGB informant. This incident took place maybe thirty
years ago, but it remains both heady and scary in my memory.
Matthew B. Tepper
Indeed. But did Henderson give back the gold coins when he was done?
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in
news:5b5c9ac0.04101...@posting.google.com:
> "Matthew B. Tepper" <oyţ@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:<Xns957E60E1CC5...@207.217.125.201>...
>> cq_w...@hotmail.com (cwilson) appears to have caused the following
>> letters to be typed in
>> news:5b5c9ac0.04101...@posting.google.com:
>>
>> > "Matthew B. Tepper" <oyţ@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>> > news:<Xns957DCDAD042...@207.217.125.201>...
>> >> jackcr...@ozemail.com.au (Jack Crawford) appears to have caused
>> >> the following letters to be typed in
>> >> news:55a221f.04100...@posting.google.com:
>> >> > Is there an accepted date for the first solo percussion work?
>> >> >
>> >> > Jack
>> >>
>> >> Approximately 1,000,000 B.C.E., an unnamed log-and-skull solo by a
>> >> chap named "Og."
>> >
>> > Yes, but I always preferred Gronk's interpretation. Og was always too
>> > cerebral, whereas Gronk always gave a much more visceral performance.
>>
>> Harrumph! You are a bad person for preferring Gronk to Og, and I'll
>> bet you vote the wrong way and went off your medications, too! ;--)
>
> I'm shocked, truly shocked, by such an ad australopithecine attack!
> Who do you think you are? Some kind of Neanderthal?? ;-)
Horrors! You are against everybody whose forehead is shaped like mine!
Therefore I must commit my life to answering every one of your posts here
with insults or irrelevancies until everybody killfiles both of us! ;--)
Matthew Fields
Wayne Reimer <wr...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>> In article <t1m9d.1022$cJ3.200@fed1read06>, msch...@gmx.net says...
>>
>> > Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>> >
><...>
>> >
>> >
>> > 1954: Werner Tharichen: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra. Scored
>> > for five drums and a virtuoso piece which makes some contemporary
>> > stuff look easy. Written by the man who was Furtwangler's timpanist
>> > for many years in the Berlin Philharmonic.
>>
>>
>> Thärichen also wrote a concerto for percussion and chamber orchestra later
>> which was premiered by his son (and me at the bass) with Thärichen
>> conducting.
>>
>>
>I might mention in passing that a new timpani concerto by William Kraft (his
>second!) is scheduled to be premiered next June by the San Francisco Sym. Also
>on the program, the LvB Ninth. There's something cynical going on there, I'm
>sure, but I'm not going to try to articulate it.
Consolidation of pieces with big timpani parts.
Matthew Fields
Alan Watkins <alanwa...@aol.com> wrote:
>> Is that the place with the giant birdcage in the middle of the square
>> in front of it? I've been there, briefly... or at least something
>> or other Narodni Divaldo or something...
>
>HISTORY - THE NATIONAL THEATRE
>
Consulting my files, I now see that the National Theater is actually
the thing that looked like a giant golden bar of soap at the east end
of Legii Bridge--a very imposing edifice.
The giant birdcage I am remembering is on something called Anen
Square, and the theater afficianado who was with me at the time
brought me to what looked like an obscure tavern but indeed turned out
to be some sort of theatrical venue on that square, which had some sort
of important role in the events of 1989.
>
>Apologies for the translation but that is the essence of it. I played
>cymbals for the re-opening with Libuse in 1983, 100 years on from
>whoever played them in the first performance. A magical moment.
>
>Kind regards,
>Alan M. Watkins
Jerry Kohl
> "Michael Schaffer" <msch...@gmx.net> appears to have caused the
> following letters to be typed in news:Yjhad.21110$cJ3.10488@fed1read06:
>
> > "Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> > news:62c8649c.04101...@posting.google.com...
> >>
> >> There is a funny story about that. Just after the Soviet invasion the
> >> Smetana Quartet (who were quite a famous quartet of the time) were due
> >> to embark on a tour (France and Germany I think). It is said, although
> >> the story may be apocryphal, that it was allowed on the grounds "that
> >> only four people could defect", presumably as opposed to an orchestra of
> >> 80 plus:):) That's a bureaucrat for you, if true.
> >
> > We used to have a mean joke in the music academy: what's a string
> > quartet? - A Russian orchestra after touring the West...
>
> The Borodin Quartet came to San Francisco around 1974 or early 1975, and
> performed at my school. Well, three of them did; cellist Berlinsky was
> said to have injured a finger after they got to town, and Laszlo Varga
> filled in for him on this stop of the tour (and possibly afterwards as
> well).
By the time they got to Seattle, Berlinsky's injury had worsened. The
press reports said he had a broken leg. Laszlo Varga was still the
locum cellist. Your story is very interesting. Thanks for sharing it.
--
Jerry Kohl <jerom...@comcast.net>
"Légpárnás hajóm tele van angolnákkal."
Richard Schultz
: (particularly yotating some vowels, as pronouncing "checks" as "chyecks").
Is she "yotating" vowels, or is she palatalizing the consonant as it would
be in Russian? (In my experience here in Israel, one of the hallmarks of a
Russian accent in Hebrew is the tendency to palatalize consonants before long
vowels, so that a word like "ahnee" ( = "I") comes out more like "ahnyee.")
-----
Richard Schultz sch...@mail.biu.ac.il
Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Opinions expressed are mine alone, and not those of Bar-Ilan University
-----
"Contrariwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be, and
if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in news:ckd4hm$siq$1...@news.iucc.ac.il:
> In rec.music.classical.recordings Matthew B. Tepper <oy兀earthlink.net>
> wrote:
>
>: (particularly yotating some vowels, as pronouncing "checks" as
>: "chyecks").
>
> Is she "yotating" vowels, or is she palatalizing the consonant as it
> would be in Russian? (In my experience here in Israel, one of the
> hallmarks of a Russian accent in Hebrew is the tendency to palatalize
> consonants before long vowels, so that a word like "ahnee" ( = "I")
> comes out more like "ahnyee.")
Hm, I was unaware of the distinction. I just find her "chyecks" charming.
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:4169F995...@comcast.net:
Maybe he tried to get away and they did something to him?
Derek Haslam
after the Russian invasion reminded me of a former
colleague of mine. He was a pupil of Jan Kapr and played
horn in the Brno orchestra. He married a Czech and then
obtained a teaching job in the UK, which was how I met him.
He said that his biggest problem was obtaining permission
for his wife to leave the country. A friendly official
directed him to a district where many government ministers
lived and told him to just knock on one door after another
and he would probably find someone who could help him. He
did, and his wife got her passport.
Derek Haslam
--
D.L.Haslam
Powerbase Support http://www.boulsworth.co.uk/
Derek Haslam
> the following letters to be typed in
> >>Is that during the ostensible reference to
> >>Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage" that is
> >>also supposed to imitate a ship's motors?
> >
> > I only know Beethoven's "Calm Sea." What is it that
> > happens in Mendelssohn's, exactly? (Actually, I think
> > there's a Schubert song, too.)
> Mendelssohn's overture, also inspired by the same Goethe
> pair, contains a melody which Elgar quotes outright in
> one of the variations. The standard interpretation is
> that that particular friend was on an ocean voyage when
> Elgar wrote the variation.
I though the timpanist was instructed in this variation
("Romanza") to reverse the sticks and use the wooden ends
but side-drum sticks would presumably have the same effect.
Raymond Hall
news:4cfc2cf7...@ukgateway.net...
> Alan's fascinating account of life on Prague immediately
> after the Russian invasion reminded me of a former
> colleague of mine. He was a pupil of Jan Kapr and played
> horn in the Brno orchestra. He married a Czech and then
> obtained a teaching job in the UK, which was how I met him.
> He said that his biggest problem was obtaining permission
> for his wife to leave the country. A friendly official
> directed him to a district where many government ministers
> lived and told him to just knock on one door after another
> and he would probably find someone who could help him.
Up to this point I was reminded of Kafka's The Trial, one of Prague's great
literary sons.
Ray H
Taree
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:4cfc2cf7...@ukgateway.net:
> Alan's fascinating account of life on Prague immediately after the
> Russian invasion reminded me of a former colleague of mine. He was a
> pupil of Jan Kapr and played horn in the Brno orchestra. He married a
> Czech and then obtained a teaching job in the UK, which was how I met
> him. He said that his biggest problem was obtaining permission for his
> wife to leave the country. A friendly official directed him to a
> district where many government ministers lived and told him to just
> knock on one door after another and he would probably find someone who
> could help him. He did, and his wife got her passport.
That's a much more pleasant use of the term "knock on the door" than the
ones we're used to in such circumstances!
Alan Watkins
I know absolutely nothing about the Borodin Quartet story but there
was at least one tragedy of which I have some knowledge and I am sure
there were many others of which I know nothing.
Boris Korsakov was the leader for some time of the USSR State Symphony
and I think was generally acknowledged as a very fine player. There
is a recording of Scheherazade conducted by Fedoseyev on Melodiya in
which you can hear his playing. Beautiful stuff, full of passion, a
real "voice" of Scheherazade, not just the notes, lovely though they
are.
I cannot remember the dates because it was a long time ago (early 70's
I think but I may be wrong) but the story goes that he was planning
to defect while the orchestra was on a European tour. In some way or
another the "authorities" got to hear of this and he got a message
saying that the KGB had "visited" his wife in Moscow, detained her and
ransacked their apartment. I know nothing more of the circumstances
but perhaps he said something unguarded to a "colleague".
He killed himself in his hotel room in Holland the same evening. Of
course, no announcement was made.
Alan Watkins
> Yes, but they were still integrated into the Eastern Block and couldn't
> travel freely, so while I am sure they didn't "identify" with the big, big
> brother USSR, they suffered a lot of the restrictions like no free travel
> like the other Eastern Block states. I do remember though that it was more
> relaxed than, for instance, Poland, which was really bad. Just like Hungary
> which was not exactly a model communist state either.
> Did you stay there all the time during the 70s and 80s?
> This may be a strange question, but if you worked there you probably made
> enough money to live there, but what when you visited Western Europe? I
> remember vaguely prices and the value of money in the Eastern States was
> just a fraction of what it was in the West.
Yes, but remember there was no history of being "integrated" before
about 1948. We lived quite well, not in luxury, but better than a
Skoda car worker for example. The prices were a fraction of the West
but were so were (and are) the salaries. In 2004 there will be no one
in the Czech Philharmonic on more than $900 a month. They may
supplement that by teaching or freelancing but that will be the basic
rate.
As previously posted you can record in Prague for 60 minute CD, one 3
hour rehearsal, conductor, engineers, editing thrown in for $20,000
complete.
Of course, prices still compare favourably with the UK and with USA
(which is why you are all welcomed visitors) but the price of
everything has risen rapidly, particularly in the last decade or so,
and so the gap of living reasonably well narrows all the time.
>
>
> Were you there when it happened? How did you experience it from your point
> of view? I wasn't in Berlin when the wall came down. I was in an orchestra
> training camp in West Germany, and we didn't watch the news in the evening,
> we got completely hammered at the bar. The next day when we went down into
> the village (which was fairly close to the border between the two German
> states), there were all those Trabants (for readers not familiar with that,
> those were the little plastic cars the East Germans had) in the streets. The
> East Germans had come over the border to see what it really looks like in
> the West, and to buy bananas which were always a symbol of luxury in the
> East.
Yes I was woken up by it. A curious roaring and rumbling noise which
I could not identify, probably because I had not previously heard the
sound of tank tracks on a hard road. When I looked out of the window
I saw several tanks, all with a soldier sitting on top holding what
appeared to be a machine gun and all flying the Soviet flag. There
were lorries and jeeps as well heading in the general direction of
Wencelas Square. Everyone appeared to be toting a gun, as I suppose
they would. The TV went off the air for several hours, to be replaced
by a man in Soviet uniform telling of the night curfew and, amusingly
in retrospect, that everyone should be calm after announcing that
anyone breaching the curfew would be shot on sight. This was
repeated endlessly throughout the day. The radio station was taken
over violently but they fled to a secret hideaway and were on the air
within hours. It was the only way of knowing what was going on.
There were wild rumours: Dubceck had been killed, had been hanged, no
one knew what was going on.
Thousands of people took to the streets. I was not one of them
because my main concern was to get my wife out of the country which I
did at the cost of approximately three months salary. When she
reached a border crossing the taxi sailed through. The guards had
fled their post.
The KGB travelled everywhere with the Russian orchestras. When my
orchestra travelled to Hungary in 1969 we had "minders" which was
interesting because none of them could speak the language.
The late Thomas Heinitz, a London hi-fi dealer of some note located in
the appropriately named Moscow Road, Bayswater, at that time recalled
a visit in the late 1960's from Svetlanov buying the then latest Quad
stuff surrounded by four heavy "minders", followed a few weeks later
by a written order from a Mr Shostakovitch. Obviously it surpassed
the "Rigonda" stuff of the time, although Rigonda made decent valve
amps. I still have one but I think it has been overtaken by Roksan
for sound, probably among many others.
Todd Schurk
> Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>
> opera in the Sinfonia which opens Act IV
>
> 1773: Mozart: Divertimento per 2 flauti, 5 corni e 4 timpani (K188),
> written to accompany the famous dancing horses of the Riding Academy
> of Salzburg. Requires four drums throughout.
>
> 1810: Ferdinand Kauer: Sei variazioni per archi,legni,timpani and
> percussione: Variation 4 requires six drums and considerable
> virtuosity.
>
> 1833: Spohr: Calvary. Two timpanists, three drums each, playing rolls
> on different notes at the same time to depict an earthquake as Christ
> is crucified.
>
> 1846: Mendelssohn: Elijah. Probably the first example of really rapid
> tuning. In No 20 just seconds from A-flat to A to B-flat on the same
> drum. (Inspired by Einbigler's machine drums).
>
> 1895: Strauss: Til Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche: Possibly the first
> work that cannot be played on hand tuned drums by one player - rapid
> changes of pitch (24 in all) and some executed while playing.
>
> 1910: Charles Villiers Stanford: Songs of the Fleet. The timpanist is
> instructed to play a roll with his fingertips.
>
> 1914: Walford Davies: Conversations for Piano and Orchestra. First
> known use of glissandi for the timpani.
>
>
>
> 1954: Werner Tharichen: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra. Scored
> for five drums and a virtuoso piece which makes some contemporary
> stuff look easy. Written by the man who was Furtwangler's timpanist
> for many years in the Berlin Philharmonic.
>
> nodding off. That's enough milestones.
>
> Kind regards,
> Alan M. Watkins
As a teenager I remember seeing Roland Kohloff(when he was principle
of the San Francisco Symphony) play the difficult & showy bit(crossing
hands and all)near the end of the last movement of the Beethoven 8th
symphony. I didn't know such virtuosity was possible on timps before
that. Wow! I almost took up the instuments right then. But I ended up
singing opera instead-go figure. But I'll always remember Kohloffs
arms just a blurring fury at the back of the orchestra. P.S. Ol' Josef
Krips was on the podium. Underated he imo. Cheers,Todd Schurk
Alan Watkins
> 1990s, and has a thick but charming accent (particularly yotating some
> vowels, as pronouncing "checks" as "chyecks"). Her husband is a piano
> pedagogue and occasional chamber orchestra conductor, and I often speak
> with her of musical matters, particularly when I receive a recording in the
> office mail and it has Russian performers. The one name which always
> causes her to narrow her eyes in distaste is that of Nelepp.
Yes, is it not bizarre that a noted Florestan should send so many
people to their death? Which he most certainly did. Florestan the
political prisoner languishing in chains?
Surely not.
Alan Watkins
He possibly did not mention that money would have changed hands:):) I
remember the statement from the taxi driver of the battered Octavia in
1968 as I bundled my wife into the back of it. "If I get stopped, I am
coming straight back." he said. He smiled, grabbed the money. But he
did not get stopped and in fairness to him he did make it over the
border and he was probably as terrified as I was.
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in
> I know absolutely nothing about the Borodin Quartet story but there was
> at least one tragedy of which I have some knowledge and I am sure there
> were many others of which I know nothing.
>
> Boris Korsakov was the leader for some time of the USSR State Symphony
> and I think was generally acknowledged as a very fine player. There is a
> recording of Scheherazade conducted by Fedoseyev on Melodiya in which you
> can hear his playing. Beautiful stuff, full of passion, a real "voice"
> of Scheherazade, not just the notes, lovely though they are.
>
> I cannot remember the dates because it was a long time ago (early 70's I
> think but I may be wrong) but the story goes that he was planning to
> defect while the orchestra was on a European tour. In some way or
> another the "authorities" got to hear of this and he got a message saying
> that the KGB had "visited" his wife in Moscow, detained her and ransacked
> their apartment. I know nothing more of the circumstances but perhaps he
> said something unguarded to a "colleague".
>
> He killed himself in his hotel room in Holland the same evening. Of
> course, no announcement was made.
Perhaps no announcement, but the news that he had hanged himself got out,
and I read about it, perhaps not too long after it had happened.
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in
news:62c8649c.04101...@posting.google.com:
>> I have a Russian co-worker at a cubicle near mine. She left in the
Horrific, but sadly the sort of thing one might expect would happen in the
USSR. Imagine the following story, and I'll give you the real details in a
postscript:
Operatives of the KGB seek to undermine a powerful Politburo official,
Comrade Cluckski. One route they select is to investigate some of his
cohorts from a time when they were constructing a power plant. There was
no wrongdoing there, but they seize a couple who are close friends of
Cluckski: Yuri Mallardov and his wife, Sonya Mallardova.
The lead KGB investigator, Kyril Swanski, has the seriously ill Yuri thrown
into prison. He then calls upon Sonya to denounce Cluckski, otherwise her
husband will rot there forever. Sonya refuses. She endures solitary, she
endures being paraded around in chains before the media, and she endures
all manner of hateful stories about her leaked to the press.
Meanwhile, Yuri Mallardov, against whom no charges have been proven, dies
in prison. Unlike the much more fortunate Florestan, his wife has been
prevented from rescuing him.
Finally Swanski finds, through an intermediary, another way by which to
attack Sonya and bring her around. It happens that Sonya used to work as a
personal assistant to Nina Moltova, a former television actress who is now
married to a world-famous conductor, Zinovy Moltov (who has made dozens of
recordings of classical music). Nina publicly claims that Sonya embezzled
money from her, and sues. Sonya sticks to her principles and refuses to
denounce Cluckski. Ultimately the charges are shown to be groundless.
Sounds like another terrible story out of the ex-USSR, right?
Wrong.
For "KGB" read "conservative elements of the Republican party."
For "Politburo" read "White House."
For "Comrade Cluckski" read "President Clinton."
For "constructing a power plant" read "investing in real estate."
For "Yuri Mallardov" read "James McDougal."
For "Sonya Mallardova" read "Susan McDougal."
For "Kyril Swanski" read "Kenneth Starr."
For "Nina Moltova" read "Nancy Mehta."
For "Zinovy Moltov" read "Zubin Mehta."
The idea of Zubin Mehta -- whose wife was complicit after the fact in the
death of a man unjustly imprisoned as part of a political witchhunt --
conducting _Fidelio_ is puzzling to me in the extreme. Perhaps when he
next conducts it, it should be retitled _Rocco_.
Eric Nagamine
>
> The KGB travelled everywhere with the Russian orchestras. When my
> orchestra travelled to Hungary in 1969 we had "minders" which was
> interesting because none of them could speak the language.
>
A friend of mine who played in Mexico City back in the 80's said that
the KGB had agents in the orchestra to keep an eye on the Russian string
players.
--
-----------
Aloha and Mahalo,
Eric Nagamine
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/mahlerb/broadcaststartpage.html
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:7MLad.76$Kl...@twister.socal.rr.com:
> Alan Watkins wrote:
>
>> The KGB travelled everywhere with the Russian orchestras. When my
>> orchestra travelled to Hungary in 1969 we had "minders" which was
>> interesting because none of them could speak the language.
>>
> A friend of mine who played in Mexico City back in the 80's said that
> the KGB had agents in the orchestra to keep an eye on the Russian string
> players.
My Russian co-worker tells a story about two violinists who meet while
competing in a competition. One of them wins, and gets a good violin as a
prize; the other one comes in in last place, and receives a certain make of
handgun (I forget which, but it's associated with the KGB) as his prize.
David Brooks
news:62c8649c.04100...@posting.google.com...
> Some milestones for my instrument across the centuries:
>
> 1692 Purcell: Faerie Queene: possibly the first solo for timpani in an
> opera in the Sinfonia which opens Act IV
>
> 1773: Mozart: Divertimento per 2 flauti, 5 corni e 4 timpani (K188),
> written to accompany the famous dancing horses of the Riding Academy
> of Salzburg. Requires four drums throughout.
>
> 1810: Ferdinand Kauer: Sei variazioni per archi,legni,timpani and
> percussione: Variation 4 requires six drums and considerable
> virtuosity.
>
> 1833: Spohr: Calvary. Two timpanists, three drums each, playing rolls
> on different notes at the same time to depict an earthquake as Christ
> is crucified.
Y'know, I was sure you were going to list 1837 next...
Berlioz Requiem. 16 timpani, 12 players, playing rolled chords as the only
orchestral accompaniment to the Tuba Mirum (and, just as effectively, quiet
chords right at the end of the work). I've played this work, sung it, and
wept during an Internet broadcast of a combined youth ensemble at the Proms.
-- David Brooks
David Brooks
> _firstname_@lr_dot_los-gatos_dot_ca.us appears to have caused the
following
> letters to be typed in news:1097186637.5550@smirk:
>
> > Some Hindemith (Mathis der Maler?) has the timpani playing a melody.
> > Don't remember whether it requires 5 or 6 drums. Note: This is from
> > extremely foggy memory, last heard it 25 years ago.
>
> They play a bit of the tune, in stretto, in the Turandot-Scherzo of the
> Symphonic Metamorphoses.
It only requires four, but you will be much happier if you gather five drums
to play this piece. The only time I played it, I had to have 5 because of
the requirements of another work on the program.
It's enormous fun for the whole section.
-- David Brooks
Matthew B. Tepper
the following letters to be typed in news:416c4526$1...@news.microsoft.com:
> Berlioz Requiem. 16 timpani, 12 players, playing rolled chords as the
> only orchestral accompaniment to the Tuba Mirum (and, just as
> effectively, quiet chords right at the end of the work). I've played
> this work, sung it, and wept during an Internet broadcast of a combined
> youth ensemble at the Proms.
Indeed yes.
Allen
Matthew B. Tepper wrote:
> "David Brooks" <d_w_b...@rhymeswithnotsale.com> appears to have caused
> the following letters to be typed in news:416c4526$1...@news.microsoft.com:
>
>
>>Berlioz Requiem. 16 timpani, 12 players, playing rolled chords as the
>>only orchestral accompaniment to the Tuba Mirum (and, just as
>>effectively, quiet chords right at the end of the work). I've played
>>this work, sung it, and wept during an Internet broadcast of a combined
>>youth ensemble at the Proms.
>
>
> Indeed yes.
>
A few days ago I saw a news release about the most dangerous music to
drive to. First was Ride of the Valkyries, second was the Verdi Requiem
; rock titles unknown to me filled out the list. I would really think
that the Berlioz Requiem would rivet a driver's attention more than the
Verdi. A few years ago (obviously) Robert Shaw conducted a performance
of the Berlioz in Austin; I will certify that no one in the audience of
3800 (totally packed hall) nodded off even for an instant.
Allen
Richard Schultz
: The idea of Zubin Mehta -- whose wife was complicit after the fact in the
: conducting _Fidelio_ is puzzling to me in the extreme.
I believe that the last time we went through this topic, we concluded that
it's unfair to Mehta to be able to withstand the wiles of a Kah-nu-tu
woman. If it makes you any happier, last night, I heard a "concert
performance" of _Tosca_ led by Mehta. I assume that you'll find that
more appropriate. More appropriate still was his biographical blurb
in the program, which concludes (and I am quoting it exactly as it appeared
in the program):
"Maestro Mehta has made numerous recordings for major labels, zzzzzzzzzzzmany
of them with the IPO."
-----
Richard Schultz sch...@mail.biu.ac.il
Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Opinions expressed are mine alone, and not those of Bar-Ilan University
-----
It's a bird, it's a plane -- no, it's Mozart. . .
Alan Watkinsuk
narcolepsy I will post them.
Yes, as has been posted, you can play a snare drum roll while holding a pair of
timpani sticks but in past discussions on Percussive Arts Society it has
generally been regarded as risky and dangerous and not conducive to a really
good snare drum roll....freedom of wrists and all that. This is not four
mallet stuff for vibraphone or marimba.
Yes, you can also use double headed sticks, snare drum one end, timpani the
other.
But the point is, I would think, that when Elgar heard it played at rehearsal
by snare drum sticks but he did not like it, although he had written it,.
When Mr Henderson satisfied him by playing it with coins the composer asked:
"How is it done?"
He had no idea but it was, apparently, the sound he wanted.
Here is what Henderson wrote to Jimmy Blades: "The first rehearsal was not
until the afternoon for me and he told me that my playing sounded far too
mechanical. which was a surprise to me because I had always respected him and
thought also that I had his respect and after all I only played what he had
written but it dismayed him and me, also. I played this roll upon the very
edge but he did not like it and said so instantly. I could not think of
anything except perhaps my fingernails as I could not get it so quiet as he
seemed to want. Then I thought of pennies and when we resumed and I played it
so he liked it. How is it done he asked. I said if he gave me two gold
sovereigns I would tell him:):)
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in news:ckl49r$sor$9...@news.iucc.ac.il:
> In rec.music.classical.recordings Matthew B. Tepper <oy兀earthlink.net>
> wrote:
>
>: The idea of Zubin Mehta -- whose wife was complicit after the fact in
>: the death of a man unjustly imprisoned as part of a political witchhunt
>: -- conducting _Fidelio_ is puzzling to me in the extreme.
>
> I believe that the last time we went through this topic, we concluded
> that it's unfair to Mehta to be able to withstand the wiles of a
> Kah-nu-tu woman. If it makes you any happier, last night, I heard a
> "concert performance" of _Tosca_ led by Mehta. I assume that you'll
> find that more appropriate. More appropriate still was his biographical
> blurb in the program, which concludes (and I am quoting it exactly as it
> appeared in the program):
>
> "Maestro Mehta has made numerous recordings for major labels,
> zzzzzzzzzzzmany of them with the IPO."
*chuckle*
Alan Watkins
> Y'know, I was sure you were going to list 1837 next...
Well, the reason I didn't is that most of you know the major landmarks
like Berlioz and Stravinsky Rite of Spring so I was only trying to
list some of the (perhaps) lesser known "occasions" for the
instrument.
> Berlioz Requiem. 16 timpani, 12 players, playing rolled chords as the only
> orchestral accompaniment to the Tuba Mirum (and, just as effectively, quiet
> chords right at the end of the work). I've played this work, sung it, and
> wept during an Internet broadcast of a combined youth ensemble at the Proms.
And that was the "scaled back" version. His original decision was 32
drums, 20 players.