Ottevanger's Omphaloskeptic Outpost

[karlhenning]

Which heaven would that be?      

Where no one gets at all bored.

Thanks Mark. You're right, for a spoken intro that would be very long! Actually, what I'm going to say is longer still, however - but I'm not saying it as an introduction standing in front of the audience just prior to the piece being played; I'm saying it earlier in the evening, as a separate more detailed talk about the piece for those who want to attend. Hopefully it won't be too long for that . . . .

You'll gauge that at the time; you can always skip whatever and improvise.

[greg]

Great to see this thread unlocked. 

So the premiere is today? 
I'll have to imagine while at work that I'm actually there, listening to it. 

Looks like you're being performed alongside Beethoven...

[Mark G. Simon]

Thanks Mark. You're right, for a spoken intro that would be very long! Actually, what I'm going to say is longer still, however - but I'm not saying it as an introduction standing in front of the audience just prior to the piece being played; I'm saying it earlier in the evening, as a separate more detailed talk about the piece for those who want to attend. Hopefully it won't be too long for that (I did a similar talk before the performance of The Chant of Carnus which seemed to go down OK)

Everyone who attends will know what they're in for. It will be fine.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Luke! I was in Amsterdam last night. I have only just returned. GOOD LUCK!!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

...though before I go, I've just read over the last few pages of the thread as it was left in October, and I thought, perhaps I ought to report on how the Case of the Confusing Harmonics concluded. 

First rehearsal, strings only. Lead cellist comes up to me. 'I've been looking forward to playing your piece, Luke, you gave us such fun things to do last time.'

'Thank you! I hope you enjoy it this time too - here's your part.'

'Thanks. Oh, look, some harmonics' [proceeds to play them correctly]

[karlhenning]

Here's hoping the composer doesn't mind that I reproduced his notes (with attribution) . . . .

[sul G]

No, Karl, of course I don't. 

Thanks, everyone, for your best wishes here and via email and Facebook. The afternoon rehearsal yesterday was the first time some of the orchestra members had turned up, so it's no surprise that they were among the more noticeable culprits mistake-wise yesterday - blasé brass can be a bit of a problem (lead trombone, playing my piece for the first time, reassured me by saying, 'it's OK, I'll just play what's in front of me', which makes me wonder why he didn't - for me, at any rate, he rather ruined the last page of the piece, though the audience didn't notice). Elegy, which had been fine in rehearsal, suffered from a lead violin full of nerves, who started his simple solo a half a bar early, which makes a difference at this slow tempo - the next page or so was taken up with the players trying to reorient themselves. Ascent went fairly well, though, and generally the sense of the piece was well conveyed. I had some very nice compliments afterwards (even got asked for an autograph  ), and so I can't complain too much, though the non-attendees buggering stuff up does niggle.

The concert was recorded professionally, but I won't put that up here. I recorded both concert and rehearsal on my own machine (a new one, better than the last one) and ought to be able to splice them together to get rid of the worst mistakes, though a perfect version won't be possible. (The rehearsal parts will probably include talking from the conductor, among other things.)

Pre-concert talk was fine, btw. I had copious notes and I stuck to the sense of them whilst ad lib-ing more than I thought I would, but it worked OK.

Oh, and Guido/Karl - the order was: Beethoven PC4 - my piece - interval - Beethoven Symph 5. This was nothing to do with me, but was, in fact, about as perfect an order as could be imagined. A lyrical concerto in G; a piece (first note G) whose first half is full of memories of the sort of music heard in that concerto, and whose second half is an ever-more-calm ascent towards G; a Symphony (first note G) which represents an ascent of a different sort - strife-filled, from dark to light. What's more, there's a brief quotation of the Beethoven symphony in Elegy - all coincidental!

[Guido]

Great to hear Luke, and I greatly look forward to hearing the recording.

People not turning up is just the pits, and apart from anything is just rude, showing contempt towards both the other players and the composers too.

[sul G]

Well, you know, the absences were for the Beethoven rehearsals too. But I guess you can just about get away with that. But for a piece you've never seen before, it's just not on, IMO.

[sul G]

The horn player (no complaints about him) who wrote a review of The Chant of Carnus has also done one of Elegy and Ascent.

It was fascinating to work on Luke Ottevanger's "Elegy and Ascent" - here receiving it's world premier - with the composer playing the piano part in the orchestra. The first half of this piece is an evolution of an earlier work (Memoirs [Memorial, actually]) as the composer explained during his pre-concert talk. The second half started in a manner reminiscent of the music of John Adams but as the ascent proceeded led inexorably to the nominal G harmonically rich bell (actually a Tibetan prayer bowl hit rather than stroked) that represents the culmination of the upward journey. The orchestra played the piece reasonably well given the lack of familiarity with the idiom for many of the members.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have been thinking of you a lot today, Luke, so - thanks for your description of what transpired last night. I wish a professional orchestra would tackle your piece. Let's hope it's only a matter of time. In the meantime I can't wait to get an aural glimpse of Elegy and Ascent in the near future...

[sul G]

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Johan!  Hopefully won't be too long till I can put up a recording, though I don't imagine I'll be able to do it tonight. Other stuff to catch up on which I've been neglecting. 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Johan!  Hopefully won't be too long till I can put up a recording, though I don't imagine I'll be able to do it tonight. Other stuff to catch up on which I've been neglecting. 

No rush. First things first.

[sul G]

And you'll need your best Brianites 'listening-through' ears on, of course!

[karlhenning]

Ho capito, amico!

[karlhenning]

Oh, and Guido/Karl - the order was: Beethoven PC4 - my piece - interval - Beethoven Symph 5.

I'd worked that out at last ; )

[Cato]

Great to hear Luke, and I greatly look forward to hearing the recording.

People not turning up is just the pits, and apart from anything is just rude, showing contempt towards both the other players and the composers too.

Welcome to egocentric, I'm-more-important-than-you-are-so-why-would-I-keep-my-promises America!

Luke: you should quote Jimmy Durante: "I'm surrounded by incompetents!"

[sul G]

Welcome to egocentric, I'm-more-important-than-you-are-so-why-would-I-keep-my-promises America!

Luke: you should quote Jimmy Durante: "I'm surrounded by incompetents!"

I'm in It'll-be-alright-on-the-night-probably-doesn't-matter-what-notes-I-play-anyway Britain, though. May be a worldwide problem!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

And you'll need your best Brianites 'listening-through' ears on, of course!

They never leave the sides of my head.

[Maciek]

Thanks for the report, Luke. And looking forward to the recording!