Question for Professor Ben Myers (NA)

RotaryWingBob

RotaryWingBob

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Hey Ben,

We went to a Philadelphia Orchestra concert today and my mind started wandering during a Benjamin Britten piece that I don't particularly like. It wandered to this question:

Orchestra members who have really big instruments like tympani, harps, Wagner tubas, marimbas, vibraphones, and the like... Do they all drive F-250 pickups with power lift gates to get their instruments home so they can practice, or do the halls have practice rooms and storage facilities where their instruments can live?

I can't help it -- I have an inquiring mind :)
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Hey Ben,
Orchestra members who have really big instruments like tympani, harps, Wagner tubas, marimbas, vibraphones, and the like... Do they all drive F-250 pickups with power lift gates to get their instruments home so they can practice, or do the halls have practice rooms and storage facilities where their instruments can live?

I can't help it -- I have an inquiring mind :)
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Usually the percussion instruments stay in the hall. There might be extra instruments in practice rooms at the hall, as well. Percussionists will have some of these at home. Also, in many cases they are teachers at a college or conservatory somewhere, and they can practice at school. Now, harpists--I don't know! I remember that in Hartford, the harpist there brought her own, and I seem to remember she did that in a station wagon!

Tubas are taken to and from home. They are heavy, but not as heavy as they look--just throw them in the back with the kids!
 
FWIW,

My mother played the bass viol (double bass) for many years in the local symphony. She would slide the neck over the front seat from the rear door of her Pontiac Catalina (1970 model) and then place the lower end on the rear deck. The peg would have to come out before it would fit in the car. The top of the neck just cleared the inside rear view mirror. She had a canvas slip/zippered cover to keep the scratches to a minimum.

As I remember, the harp player had a VW van and a little custom hand pulled wagon.
 
I have a friend who played the Piccolo in college when ever she was done practice at the Music buildinng I had to go pick her up. I drove a 1980 buick skylark and she was able to fit the piccolo in the back seat without any problem.
 
AdamZ said:
I have a friend who played the Piccolo in college when ever she was done practice at the Music buildinng I had to go pick her up. I drove a 1980 buick skylark and she was able to fit the piccolo in the back seat without any problem.
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Adam (and I say this with all the respect and dignity that your station in life commands)...

...you are so full of crap!

;)

A piccolo!
 
SCCutler said:
Adam (and I say this with all the respect and dignity that your station in life commands)...

...you are so full of crap!

;)

A piccolo!
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I knew I could count on you Spike:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
On my first visit to Jazz Showcase I watched Larry Gray roll in his stand-up bass. He has a nylon bag on it and a single rubber tired wheel that goes in the bottom where the spike goes.

Even the dummers have cases for the all of the drums, although they usually just bring their own cymbals. I guess they want the their own arrangement of notes around them.

They rent the Hammond B3 organ when needed and the Steinway is there permanently. I think Chris Foreman, who's blind, actually has his B3 shipped to each gig.
 
wangmyers said:
Now, harpists--I don't know! I remember that in Hartford, the harpist there brought her own, and I seem to remember she did that in a station wagon!
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Ex-wife's mother was harpist. Seems they had a van.
 
In high school, I was a serious musician (at the student level, though I did make All-State band and orchestra).

As a general rule, percussionists bring only their sticks (and maybe little stuff like cymbals, wood block, etc) to a performance location, unless the instruments that they need aren't there. In that case you bring what you need.

Some drummers are very particular about their snare drum and will bring their own from home regardless of what's there.

I remember one concert that required chimes (big metal tubes mounted vertically). We played the concert at two locations. At the 2nd performance, we brought an aluminum coat rack and only the particular chime notes that we needed rather than hauling the whole set!

I also remember schlepping 2 tympani back and forth from the local middle school to my church to perform the Hallelujah Chorus once a year at Easter. We used a panel van.
 
By the way - I find that tuning tympani and trimming an airplane are VERY similar activities!
 
MSmith said:
By the way - I find that tuning tympani and trimming an airplane are VERY similar activities!
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Except that I can tolerate an airplane slightly out of trim. :D
 
MSmith said:
I remember one concert that required chimes (big metal tubes mounted vertically). We played the concert at two locations. At the 2nd performance, we brought an aluminum coat rack and only the particular chime notes that we needed rather than hauling the whole set!
Click to expand...

Our high school band took a 45 day tour of Europe in 1971. Among the other large items we moved from place to place was the chimes. We had a shipping crate made for that mess. You'd have thought the circus had arrived in town. :D
 
MSmith said:
In high school, I was a serious musician
I remember one concert that required chimes (big metal tubes mounted vertically).
Click to expand...

..... This one time at Band Camp...

I'm sorry I just couldn't resist:rofl:
 
SCCutler said:
A piccolo!
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Somehow I think discussing coeds and piccolos in the back seat of a car during college years must be against the PoARoC.

Len
 
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