String Quartets at weddings

As much as I hate to admit it, I actually enjoy playing at peoples’ weddings. My string quartet started out doing a few weddings to pay its way and somehow turned into some behemoth. I like being busy.

 

Last year we played at 46 weddings, ranging from the extravagant wedding with a cake atop a fountain to the stylish and understated ceremony for 30 guests. We played for brides with enourmous trailing white gowns, and those wearing simple gold floral dresses. We played in Abbeys and cathedrals, and we played in small country hotels and private houses. We played outside castles, and we played on cliff-tops overlooking the sea. We played at a lot of weddings.

I enjoy the fact that, as a part of the quartet, I’m helping to make someone else’s day special. I like the constant interaction with the audience (although if I ever have another wedding where a drunk guest asks for ‘Amarillo’ again and again then I won’t be held responsible for my actions). I like the fact that the guests show their appreciation, smile and say thank you.

Somehow you just don’t get that in a concert situation. I know a lot of my friends and colleagues don’t agree with that statement, but hear me out. How often do you get to see a member of the audience? If you go to the bar at half-time perhaps, but then most audiences take that imaginary screen between themselves and the stage into the interval (the muso’s are often left at one end of the bar). Both before and after the event we use our special artists’ entrance to seperate us from the audience. As a performer it is almost impossible to make eye-contact with audience members – most people would not even recognise close family members whilst on stage looking out into the masses.

With weddings there is a genuine interest in you as a musician. You get asked questions by guests whilst you are playing, about you personally and your instrument. There have been a few times a guests’ curiosity has ended with them playing my cello. The audience doesn’t have the programme presented to them, with our quartet they can choose what we play to them. They come and go as they please, walking around the venue instead of sitting in a regimented way in fear of moving in case it makes some sort of forbidden noise.

Last weekend we played at Sarah’s cousins’ wedding, and this brought it home to me. This is how music began – music making amongst family and friends in homely surroundings – before it turned into formal suits in venues seating 1,000+ punters. It was fun. It was thought-provoking. Perhaps most importantly, it reminded me what music should be about.

Stress and the younger musician

It always amazes me, given the undeniable anxiety that almost every professional musician has about major performances, that young learners can be so indifferent about the importance of music exams.

Quote of the day, two weeks before the exam: “Oh, is there an examiner there…listening?”

 

The Ring of Fire

No, not a Johnny Cash post (although that perhaps is already overdue), but a Wagner reference. I read with interest that Radio 3 will be airing the ‘Ring Cycle’ in its entirity on Easter Monday. The entire cycle of operas, which took 28 years to write and normally is performed over 6 days, is going to be played back-to-back for 15 hours. Despite its length, Radio 3 said “Without doubt people will sit down and listen to it all the way through”, though frankly I’m not convinced. 15 hours?!?

It is undoubtedly a fete of composition, and one of the most impressive artifacts of music history. Yes stories form a continuous narrative, but like novels which were previously published as serials in newspapers of old, part of its effect was in the anticipation – the modern-day equivalent of waiting all day the the resolution of last nights’ cliffhanger on Coronation Street (for the record, I don’t watch soaps by the way!).

Still, for those avoiding long services in church, I present ‘The Ring’ by Mr Wagner.

I was actually taken more by a small side-portion of news from radio 3, who are commisioning new art works over the coming months. On the music side, such foreigners to Radio 3 as Franz Ferdinand and Belle and Sebastian have been approached to write not music, but poetry for Radio 3. I wait with interest.

Dear Diary

These past few days I have been looking into joining a musicians’ diary service. Essentially, the idea is you let them know when you’re busy and they deal with enquiries from fixers and orchestras and generally try to line-up work to fill in the gaps. An ingenious idea, with the potential promise of generating more work. So I may be joining the dizzy ranks of those elite London professionals…

It just got me wondering, why is it only musicians who need this kind of service? Afterall, surely a ‘plumbers’ diary service’ could be useful? I guess they fall into the category of ‘receptionist’, but there must be a business proposition in that?

You heard it here first.

How to win friends and influence people

Trying to have a career in music is one of the most ridiculous thing a human-being can do. Oh how I recall the days of Middle School computerised career tests that always suggested ‘Librarian’ as a suitable career. Nevertheless, those of us that stick with it year after year come to find ourselves on a constant roller-coaster of highs and lows, but no matter how you fare, you realise that everyone knows each other. I’m sure somewhere there is a true ‘musicians-anonymous’-type organisation, for those who are trying desperately not to fall on/off the wagon depending on their perspective…for now I’ll give you a link to a site which gives little movie clips, interviews and advice from various professionals, including the violinist Lucy Gould, of the Gould Piano Trio.

Soundjunction.org (from the ABRSM) – Lucy Gould ‘Journey’

 

Wanted: Conductor for Popular Midlands Orchestra

Today came the news that the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is looking for a new conductor, as Sakari Oramo anounced that he would be stepping down as Music Director. Fans needn’t panic-buy tickets yet – even after he completes the 2007/08 season he will be staying on in the new capacity of Principal Guest Conductor.

It’s a sad day really. He had an impossible task, filling Sir Simon Rattle’s large curly-haired shoes, and yet he did it. Where Rattle had turned the CBSO into one of the world’s elite, Oramo gave it a modern appeal, making it the Ipod of the classical world. It’s sad on a personal note too – the CBSO was a weekly friend during my time studying in Birmingham, and I have worked with Oramo as a student and professional. He has an amazing energy which is harnessed on the podium. But then all things must end.

So who will take his place? A quick scan of concert seasons around many international orchestras of a similar standing sees that there is no such thing as a conductor tied with a specific orchestra, certainly not in the way there used to be. At least 35% of concerts will be done by visiting artists in even the most enclosed orchestras. Long gone are the days when the name of the Principal Conductor used to justify the existence of an orchestra. Who will take over the reigns at Symphony Hall remains to be seen…

TV Themes – Like a technicolour memory

It’s amazing really. I can listen to dazzling symphonies, finely-crafted songs penned by the Isaac Newton’s of the pop world, and yet it’s TV theme-tunes that seem to be the pieces of music which stir the greatest memories in me. It’s like they bring back memories you can smell.

I know at this point I’m supposed to be a elitist, and say they’re written without any skill by people who churn out hit after hit faster than screenwriters can create them, but I’m not going to dismiss them that easily. Afterall, remember they’re written before the show has been filmed. They won’t know how the finished thing will look, or what reception it will get with audiences. Sure they’re only thirty seconds long, but doesn’t that mean the composers have to work harder to make us remember it and take it to our hearts?

I only say this because this evening’s episode of The Simpsons began with a parody of 60’s TV show Get Smart. Within seconds I was returned to my youth. My mind was filled with the smell of dry Summer mornings in the school holidays, lazily watching the show on a faux-wooden TV before I could go outside in the sunshine. The days seemed so long, everything was so innocent…but maybe I’m over-indulging in nostalgia. But then TV themes do that to you.

Take a listen and see what you think.

Pub Quiz Trivia Fact No.1: Did you know that Don Adams, who played the lead Maxwell Smart, was also the voice of Inspector Gadget in the cartoon series.

Pub Trivia Fact No.2: Barbara Feldon, who played Agent 99, one the top prize on the quiz-show The $64,000 Question, before being persuaded by Mel Brookes to star in the show.

String Quartets – Disharmony and dischord

A string quartet is a lot like a family. Afterall, it’s basis is combining the entire string family of instruments in one group – if you assume that the double bass is the rather strange uncle that nobody invites to family get-togethers. The players too, each assuming a role to make sure the family household runs well; the 1st violinist as the organised mother; the 2nd violin as the loving daughter emulating her every move; the viola is the youngest sibling struggling to get a sense of his or her own identity; and the fatherly cello, there to provide support in moments of need, do all the shouting and the heavy lifting. Maybe I’m taking the metaphor a little too far, but it is easy to see that if one member of the family isn’t pulling their weight, or is acting out of turn, then the whole thing starts to wobble.

Unfortunately not everyone in our quartet felt the same way, and something had to be done. It wasn’t a sudden decision, the dischord amongst us had been well hidden under the suface for some time, but today we parted company with one of our members. Despite the constant, burning desire to push the quartet further, to achieve greater and newer things, it was still sad when it happened. It was like a death in the string quartet family. It came with sadness, and despite the fact we knew it had happened slowly, with a long period of declining health, it was still a shock when it finally happened.

But then this family metaphor thing works on 2 levels. Yes one of our family has departed, but there will be a new sibling. Someone who will have their own unique voice and personality. Someone who will bring new qualities and characteristics which will rub-off on us all, and yet whom we will watch as they grow and develop into something new. We’ll be able to have conversations on topics we talked about a hundred times before, but now there’ll be new takes and ideas on them.

It will be exciting.
It will be refreshing.
It will be inspiring.

To cheer myself up I’ve been reading a blog by a violinist, logging the goings-on of her own quartet. Although it’s not been updated for some time, it’s still a very funny read. I suggest you go visit it here.

“What’s the difference between a chain saw and a viola?
If you absolutely had to, you could use a chain saw in a string quartet.”

Nezehr – Fiddle Stories and Dazzling Ensemble

Blake Theatre, Monmouth – 16th Feb ’06 

Internationally renowned quartet, Nezehr, cast their musical net wide. They draw from the deep well of Welsh traditional music, expanding to the wider Celtic horizon, mixing this together with vibrant colours of the music from Eastern Europe and their own stunning original compositions. A unique musical experience is guaranteed!

So said the blurb on their site, and it didn’t mislead. Nezehr offered something new to their audiences. There are many folk groups around which specialise in music from one tradition or another, but Nezehr have a truly global influence. Their performance  was a selection of works written in collaboration with musicians from around the world, including Bulgaria and Norway. The group work in traditional ‘folk’ way – no transcriptions, just the non-written aural tradition. Their unique sound is also a blend of the modern and traditional – steel-string guitars and ‘Renaissance’ Period viols. No longer the domain of the tweed-wearing performance practice traditionalists, here the viol was returned to its chamber music and folk roots.

An evening of variety and colour. Highly recommended.

Live Recordings are killing live music 2

Following on from yesterday’s post about Sir John’s CD earner, I found a press release from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The SSO have teamed up with a Broadband ISP to webcast live performances from the orchestra.

Libby Christie, Managing Director of the Sydney Symphony says: “We strongly believe that every Australian should have the opportunity to experience a classical music concert.  This is an exciting development for the Sydney Symphony as our audiences will expand greatly beyond the confines of the Concert Hall to, potentially, hundreds of thousands of people to hear some of the world’s finest music. 

In an age where most orchestras are struggling to balance the books, audience numbers are dwindling and concert-halls often half empty, should we really be giving people more reasons to avoid attending? Afterall, who will find out about these webcasts? The very same people, probably, who would have attended the concerts live. Also, by watching the orchestra on a 17″ monitor, and small speakers, do you really get “the opportunity to experience a classical music concert”?

It’s all beginning to smack of trying to tempt the techno-savvy teens to see how good the “classical” sound setting is on their Ipod…

Sydney Symphony Orchestra News