Buzzing Reed- Classical Music & Clarinet Culture

This evening at Mozart’s Café I will be performing a set of variations on the popular folk theme, Carnival of Venice, arranged by Paul Jeanjean, an early 20 century French clarinetist known for his difficult but beautiful études for clarinet and also for flute. Several other members of the Symphony will join me in a wonderful variety of great chamber music.

I am happy to say, the event is officially sold out. It is one of many fundraisers organized by grassroots supporters and the musicians themselves to support the beleaguered members of the Columbus Symphony, who were unfairly locked out of work June 1st, work legally contracted to them by CSO management, lead by Tony Beadle and Buzz Trafford. It continues to strike me as odd that the very people who should be leading the struggle to save the symphony are, to all public and private appearances, doing the opposite, destroying the soul of a great orchestra in Columbus.

The Venice song is probably familiar to most people, and has been made particularly famous more by the variations written on it than any original sources. I searched for some history of the melody and found only references to the numerous variations for any number of instruments, from flute to tuba. Wikipedia wasn’t much help, except to note that the song is associated with the words, “My hat, it has three corners”, not very Italian sounding. If anyone has further knowledge of the history of this tune, let me know. (someone forwarded more Wiki info on the piece-More than 150 years ago, French cornetist and teacher Jean Baptiste Arban created the method book, which became the standard manual for brass players all over the world. His playing of and compositions for the cornet helped to establish it as a serious classical instrument. He wrote this set of variations in the early 1860s, undoubtedly inspired by Niccolo Paganini’s 20 variations for violin on the same air, which has been attributed both to Paganini and to German opera composer Reinhard Keiser.)

Here is a fine recording of the Jeanjean variations I will play, performed by Duncan Prescott.

Carnival of Venice – Duncan Prescott (Clarinet)

Enjoy!

Ever since my blog became a central place to disseminate information and opinions on the Symphony crisis, I have lost track of my original purpose for it: to write about music and life as a performer. Though I have gotten heavily involved, as I and all the musicians must, I would like to go back to writing about clarinet, reeds, mouthpieces, my favorite pieces, and other issues specific to my vocation.

So, I created a blog for all of you: musicians, supporters, detractors, volunteers, donors, and music lovers in general. ANYONE can write a post or comment. To comment, just click on the “COMMENTS” link at the bottom of any post you wish to comment on. To post you can send me your email and I’ll register you.

Several substantial posts by other writers have already appeared, notably one by Greg Kufchak, a professional recording engineer in Columbus, and whose son is an extraordinarily talented cellist. Here is his most recent article, Withholding of funding by major donors a referendum.

The blog is listed in the sidebar on the right side of the blog. It’s the Columbus Symphony Musicians Blog.

This letter was posted, apparently anonymously, on Symphony Strong.

Concerning the difficulties the CSO has had with the board- In England the London Symphony Orchestra, one of the great ones of the world, was started in the 20′s or so as an orchestra owned and managed by the musicians themselves. They have a manager, but this person is also a musician with the orchestra itself. (Last notable one was Clive Gillinson, a cellist with the LSO, now manager of Carnegie Hall). Couldn’t this be a model the CSO could at least try, as they have already demonstrated their ability to put together a credible budget plan? Much of the “dead wood” (my opinion only) upstairs in the management dept. would be eliminated, and the musicians would be able to control their own fate, although they might not have the income that they have now…Check it out, CSO, we need you

I am excited to be performing some concerts today, Friday July 11, and tomorrow, July 12. Yet I am also unusually nervous and anxious. Why should I be? I know the music I am about to play and have performed those pieces dozens of times. But this feels different.

There is so much riding on the upcoming concerts for me as an orchestral musician who has been in the orchestra since 1989. The mood and perception of the crowd could make or break one of our last hopes for showing that we don’t need the board and management with their defeatist attitudes to survive and continue to play music for our beloved audiences.

Isn’t it strange that the public’s opinion has been ignored by board and management? Should that not be their goal? Especially in a democratic country? Yet, they are getting away with it, and the Columbus community needs to show them they are wrong with their attendance.

Suppose the audience is small for the huge Vets Hall? It will look so embarrassing for all of us. And the board will have their confirmation to continue as they have.

So I’m nervous for YOU, too! I want us, musicians and audience, to band together in a new kind of solidarity between two traditionally separated parts of the live music making experience.

I want to play my best for you. And I hope you want to be the BEST possible audience we could ever have. Show us how you really feel. We’ll feel it. You’ll feel it. The board will also feel it and fear it.

David

Several folks have inquired regarding details of this weekend’s concerts by musicians of the Columbus Symphony. If you don’t have time to read my passionate philosophical explorations on the implications of the phrase “musicians concerts”, all the information you need for the concerts is HERE. Also, we need volunteers to sell tickets and usher for the Saturday evening concert. Please contact Donna Gerhold at gerhold@insight.rr.com to find out what you can do. Breaking news: Now you can buy tickets at MCSO Concerts, the musician concerts website.

Now for my philosophical entreaty on the value of live classical music:

I can’t help but notice the playful redundancy of the phrase “musicians concert”; yet there it is, in all it’s ironic nakedness. It sounds so honest and real, as opposed to the “such and such symphony orchestra”, which already sounds corporate. (although the word corporate, beyond its business use, also means “united or combined into one”, an ideal for a group of musicians from a musical point of view)

When did the “musicians’ get replaced by an “institution” or an “organization”? As if they didn’t exist in the flesh, but only in terms of something else!

Has the time come when all sides will band together, no pun intended, to make the music happen?

Judging from the recent event here in Columbus and also the longterm history of professional music making, the question arises; How do we traverse this sludge of tradition and habit to attain the pure goal embodied in the phrase musicians concert? We don’t want to throw the good out with the bad. Yet, isn’t that part of the American spirit, to look unflinchingly with fresh eyes and see, or attempt to see, what is of real value and what is dead weight?

Another question; Are these upcoming concerts just a “job” for us, the musicians? After all, we have to make a living at what we do to continue to do it. Then there’s the aching question, what constitutes “making a living”? But we won’t go there just now. Let us assume the concept of “free market” thinking will fumble it’s way to some real truth, if we continue to ask the right questions. Such as, what is the value of the music we play? Can a dollar sign really be placed on the complex emotions aroused by great classical music?

The quality of the music is certainly an important factor. Any “product” (I hate to use the word here) has a “value”. But what system, or organization, determines that value? Are fads valuable because they sell well for awhile?

Continuing with the idea of fads, why is it that many, many people gravitate toward classical music as they age? Shouldn’t their wisdom and experience count as a meaningful indication of the “value” of the music they wish to hear?

Bear with me, I need to work this through.

A few weeks ago, I drove the seven hours trip to Bethesda, MD, where I grew up, to visit with my mother and sister for a few days. I always listen to music on the trip. Since classical music has trouble cutting through the substantial hum of the highway, I picked a half dozen pop/world pop CDs from the library to play during the driving time.

I didn’t listen to more than 5 minutes of any of those CDs. These CD’s were so insipid, all of them, Shafqat Ali Khan, pseudo Indian music (I grew up in India, and heard numerous “classical” Indian concerts), Jolie Holland (get a composer), Astor Piazzolla (a real classical composer) remixed (huh???!), even Steely Dan, whom I used to listen to, seemed washed out, stale. Am I getting old? At least “rock” music didn’t try to impress anyone, and won over hearts and minds with that idea!

Back to the subject: musicians concerts! I could go on with the yadayadayada of how dedicated we are, how much time we spend practicing, how much money we spend on our equipment. Even though it’s all true, we made those choices, after all. So what is all our effort worth? Is it up to the public to decide? You’re darn right? People with whom we share all our passion and dedication, the process and the outcome, the suffering and the joy, the growing pains and the growth spurts, will be like family to us, and us to them. They will love us for what we do, not the product we make.

That’s the real value of music, and especially classical music, which is by FAR the most difficult AND rewarding type of music there is, both for members of the audience and the musicians. (except for really great jazz)

OK, I’ve had my say. Now for some details about this weekend’s concerts. Friday’s concert is for kids of all ages. David Tanner, whose untiring efforts to produce the most complete web site about and for musicians and their supporters, has put all the information you could possibly need, including a big satellite photo with big red arrows pointing to parking, and red warnings of problems you might have getting there, plus really nice, big photos of the venue, HERE. (Hint: You will need to bring your own chairs/blankets)

Saturday’s 7:30 PM concert is at Vets Memorial, 300 West Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215. We need VOLUNTEERS for Saturday’s concert, at least 20, to help out with ticket sales and seating and other very important details to make this concert work for all of us! Please contact Donna Gerhold (gerhold@insight.rr.com) for how you can help.

Please forgive us all (the musicians as a group) for any glitches in this process. We are on a steep, steep learning curve. But don’t worry, we learn fast, but we can’t do it without you. We may be experts at the unbelievably complex details of phrasing Brahms, but need all of you to stay the course with us as we begin to make Brahms’ music, and all classical music, YOURS!

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of one symphony musician, Julia Rose, Associate Principal/Third Horn, we now have a terrific website where supporters of The Musicians of the Columbus Symphony can find their way to us directly.

The site is brand, spanking new. Features will be added soon, so keep checking back. While you’re at it, “favorite” it, so you can come back often.

I will post again soon. I have been very busy getting three rooms in my house ready to rent out in order to make ends meet and keep my beautiful home and garden. I have had to pack up much of my life into boxes and cram my practice space into one small room. Doable, but chaotic.

I am also having to apply for Federal assistance to help pay the high price ($550/month) to continue the insurance plan which has now been dropped by the Symphony, even though several staff member’s salaries and benefits continue to be paid.

I am still sad beyond belief that those in the community who are members of organizations formed to support the Symphony have been convinced by the pseudo-logic of Buzz Trafford’s lawyerly manipulations to believe that there are no other options than what has already been done.

The truth is, the board did not have to withhold ticket sales for the Fall season in order to continue negotiations with the musicians. This simple fact betrays their innocence in handling the situation. They claim they cannot sell ticket because they don’t have a contract with the musicians. In fact, they have a contract, which they have broken. And their efforts to negotiate a fair contract for the current musicians has been anything but fair; it’s been unilateral and immobile. While the musician’s offered a sizeable cut to BEGIN negotiations, the board, led by Buzz Trafford, refused to budge from their original plan. This is not negotiation.

One supporter, who is one of the most circumspect and polite individuals I’ve ever met, spoke up at a recent meeting and stated that, after reviewing the events of the past few months, and as uncomfortable as it was for him to say; the Board intended to destroy the orchestra all along.

Motives are moot at this point. The fact is, our livelihoods and our valuable contribution to Columbus as music makers, teachers, neighbors, friends, is ending. And that end has come to pass solely on the backs of the decision makers on our current Board of Trustees. They are responsible for the destruction of the orchestra, not the failing economy, not the “lack of support” from corporate donors, not any reasons they give. It’s simply their original intention to destroy the Orchestra, masked behind a “financial crisis”. This is not to say there is not a financial crisis. Any musician would agree that there is. But the desired outcome to resolve that crisis is vastly different from the Board’s view than the musicians, or any other of the numerous, educated supporters of the Orchestra.

We need new leadership, plain and simple. Those on the board who are willing to take a fresh look at the situation and actually support the orchestra should remain. The others, who have either been involved in the plan to destroy the orchestra, or who have in complicit in their silence, should step aside.

I also want to mention to any of you reading my posts that you should be aware of any unusually long page loads, especially if the note at the bottom of the screen says “downloading from sum4count.net”, which is a Trojan malware script that piggy backed onto my blog. I have taken all the necessary steps to prevent any further infiltration, but just in case you saw that phrase, you also need to take steps to clean your computer of this virus. I apologize if this has caused any problems for anyone. I can assure you, it won’t happen again. (Luckily I have a Mac and it was relatively unscathed, but my laptop PC has been destroyed and must be completely rebuilt)