• FAQ  • Search  • Memberlist  • Usergroups   • Register   • Profile  • Log in to check your private messages  • Log in 

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Last Night!



 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Orchestral/Chamber Music/Solo
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Derek Reaban
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Posts: 4221
Location: Tempe, Arizona

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:35 am    Post subject: Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Last Night! Reply with quote

I had one of the best playing experiences in recent memory last night in the reading orchestra that I’ve been playing with for a number of years. This week was Till Eulenspeigel, Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, and the Janacek Sinfonietta! I spent enough time learning the 2nd part for Till and looked over the various sections of the Janacek, but the lion’s share of my work was polishing up the 2nd trumpet part for the Bartok. I have worked on this in lessons countless times in the past (with a number of different players), played many excerpts on different auditions, and done an extensive chordal analysis of the chorale section in the 2nd movement.

Last night I got to sit beside my good friend and former teacher who was playing first trumpet on the Bartok. All of our lessons on this piece came back to me as soon as we started playing and it was like we were in lockstep, with me following all of his subtle nuances. The opening statement for the trumpets was a little faster than what we were expecting, but it was nice at this quicker tempo. The fugue in this movement was simply perfect! I remember struggling with one of the bars in the past (eighth, eighth, 2 sixteenths) to get the timing right (I had always been just a little late)), and last night it fell into place seamlessly. The big chorale in the second movement was just spotless, and I got a nice nod from my friend after we finished. Little did I know that all the work that I had done to understand where I needed to fit in the chord structure for an audition years ago was really meant for me to shine last night. That made all of the hard work worth it! And then on the big second trumpet solo in the final movement I had the sounds of George Vosburgh (2nd CSO) and Peter Chapman (2nd Boston) going through my head, and when I played, it just jumped out of the horn! When I dovetailed in and out of this section, with my friend Jim playing the first trumpet part, it was simply like a dream come true! This has to be one of the best second trumpet solos in the orchestra literature. Wow. I’ll remember this night for a long time!

Till and Janacek were equally fun, but the Bartok was one of those "bucket list" items that I didn’t know I’d ever get to do. Truly a memorable evening!
_________________
Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe Winds / Symphony of the Southwest
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
KevinInGeorgia
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 738
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 6:29 am    Post subject: Re: Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Last Night! Reply with quote

Derek Reaban wrote:

Till and Janacek were equally fun, but the Bartok was one of those "bucket list" items that I didn’t know I’d ever get to do. Truly a memorable evening!


Isn't it incredible to have those "Bucket List" items and get to lay them.. I'm still hoping to get to some of mine.. A few years ago I got to play the Saint-Saens " Organ Symphony" that was on my 'Bucket List: This year Looks like I'm going to be playing Principal more than 2nd in the two orchestras I play in. I'm also working on "Quiet City" to perform with the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra later this year.

What are some more off your Bucket List??
_________________
Kevin M.
Sounds of Sawnee Community Band

“Heroes turn into martyrs on this instrument.” ~ William Vacchiano
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
Derek Reaban
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Posts: 4221
Location: Tempe, Arizona

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kevin,

I’ve been really fortunate to do a lot of the big literature with my former teacher before life got so busy with kids. This of course was all in lessons over the course of about 3 years (in the early 90s). Mahler 2 and Bartok CFO were pieces that we learned backwards and forwards! To do the Bartok sitting beside him with a real group was just magical for me!

I had played in a community orchestra with him years ago and one of the big pieces that we did together was Tchaik 5 with me playing the second trumpet part. Well, this season (several weeks ago) I got to play first trumpet on Tchaik 5. That was another one of those bucket list items for me. I heard his sound so strongly in my mind and I really like the piece. It’s also accessible for me (fits very well with my strengths as a player). Jim was doing a recording session in Utah that week, so I got to cover the 1st part. It was really cool!

I’m sure I could come up with others (this reading orchestra that I play with did Mahler 5 and 6 last season – I covered 2nd tpt). I think I would really like to play the posthorn solo from Mahler 3 with this group. I’ve done Mahler 1 with the Mesa Symphony years ago, and the offstage parts (me on third) was really fun, plus that whole piece is great.

I’d have to contemplate my list, but it would include the prominent melodic lines in the literature that aren’t ridiculously high. Since we get to put in requests for things that we’d like to do next season, it would be interesting to see what others would put on their "Bucket Lists"!
_________________
Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe Winds / Symphony of the Southwest
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
KevinInGeorgia
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 738
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Derek Reaban wrote:
it would be interesting to see what others would put on their "Bucket Lists"!


Some of my Bucket List:
Mahler: 2 & 5
Tchaik 4 & 6
Shostakovich 5
Wagner "Götterdämmerung" "Lohengrin"

A few I've done:
Saint-Saens "Organ Symphony"
Pines of Rome
Pictures At An Exhibition
Marche Slave
Capriccio Italien
Capriccio Espagnol
_________________
Kevin M.
Sounds of Sawnee Community Band

“Heroes turn into martyrs on this instrument.” ~ William Vacchiano
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Orchestral/Chamber Music/Solo All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group