Survived 'The Big One'

FLgargoyle · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:03 pm Post subject: Survived 'The Big One'

... our Christmas Cantata, that is. In the last couple years, I finally talked our choir director to let me play in the orchestra rather than sing. I play the french horn part on an alto horn. After yesterday's 3 hour rehearsal, and today's 2 performances, my lips are toast. Of course, the highest note in the whole thing is the last one!

I've noticed that as I get older, I just don't have the stamina I once had. In some ways, I play better, but the lip inevitably craps out on a long weekend. I survived- just.
_________________
Jay
'64 Olds Super Trumpet
'35 Conn 40B Vocabell
'55 King Master Cornet
'40 Conn Aida Trumpet
'21 Boston Alto Horn

WxJeff · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:28 pm Post subject:

Nicely done, Jay, thanks for sharing the experience.

Attended a local church Christmas program this morning with my daughter and grandson. Extremely well done -- could tell the trumpet and Fr horn sections got a workout -- but made me miss not playing in a church setting myself. Family and work constraints have prevented that the last couple years.

Looking to the future, though, I will immediately begin working on stamina based on your thoughts!!

murph66 · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:41 am Post subject:

Know the feeling. I had a two hour rehearsal in Natchez on Saturday (Baptist), two one hour Christmas cantatas at my church Sunday morning (Methodist), then a drive to Natchez (the Natchez Trace comes in handy for that), a two hour rehearsal again and then the Christmas cantata there. Surprisingly, my chops held out until the last measure- almost.

I have discovered the Baptist tend to play more "swinging" music than the Methodist, who tend to stick to the traditional. But it is fun to play different styles.

The service at Natchez had a tableau which featured a real baby for the Christ child. Unfortunately, the baby tired of show business about 15 minutes from the end. But overall it was a very impressive service with shepherds, wise men, Mary and Joseph, the afore mentioned Baby Jesus and assorted Angels. Now just one three hour rehearsal tonight, a concert next Saturday and I have made it through another Christmas Season, my 74th.
_________________
1920 Vega trumpet
1953 Conn Cornet
1962 Selmer Paris Trumpet
1977 Getzen Eterna Severinsen trumpet
2004 Lawler Model T trumpet
mouthpieces
Schilke 13C4, 12B4, 12A4

VetPsychWars · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:59 am Post subject:

I know the feeling as well. I'm getting better though as I practice more in my upper range than I was before... it's teaching me to be more efficient and the lower range stuff just follows along.

Tom
_________________

Buescher Lightweight 400
Other Buescher horns 1939--1955
Buescher Duo-Cup 88-E mouthpiece
Humes and Berg mutes
http://mmccband.org