[TPIN] Orchestral Balance

[Achias1 at mchsi.com]

Yes, it was a regional orchestra; but I'm still of the feeling that regardless
of the size of the string section, a real talented brass section should be able
to balance even without getting "the hand."

Dave


----------------------  Original Message:  ---------------------
From:    Michael Anderson <manderson at okcu.edu>
To:      <Achias1 at mchsi.com>, TPIN <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Subject: Re: [TPIN] Orchestral Balance
Date:    Tue, 5 Feb 2008 15:47:20 +0000

> Its really hard to tell from the back row. It is even hard to tell from the
> podium. You need a recorder out in the hall to know for sure.
> 
> Much of our literature is really hard to play without projecting and being
> aggressive. It looses its sparkle if you back way off and suck on it so that
> you aren't overblowing a lame string section.
> 
> Was this a regional orchestra, major orchestra? Lots of smaller orchestras
> have cut way back on the number of strings for financial reasons. They
> shouldn't program huge works or they should raise the money to have beefy
> string sections.
> 
> MA
> 
> 
> > From: <Achias1 at mchsi.com>
> > Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:13:26 +0000
> > To: TPIN <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
> > Subject: [TPIN] Orchestral Balance
> > 
> > After hearing a local orchestra perform Debussy's "La Mer," I need to bring up
> > a
> > subject that is likely to open a can of worms - orchestral balance.
> > 
> > Everything about the performance was fine except that the brass kept
> > overbalancing the strings (hopefully, I won't lose my "Ba__s Against The Wall
> > Trumpet Players' Club" membership card for that statement.)
> > 
> > Evidently, this has been a problem even with major orchestras in the past few
> > years. If not overbalancing brass, then the overall volume level rising.
> > 
> > I think that part of the skill of playing well in an orchestra is knowing how
> > to
> > balance and I consider it a flaw when a player doesn't listen and balance
> > well.
> 
> 
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