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Double Bass My First Orchestral Experience... I Loved It!

K

kurtsnyder

Oct 31, 2006
144
4
Nashville
#1
Well, Tuesday night was my first rehearsal with the Nashville Philharmonic. The NPO is Nashville's community orchestra. Let me tell you, it was a blast! I was able to get a copy of one of the pieces we are going to play (Carmen Suite #1) and was able to get alot of practice in before the actual rehearsal. Other than a couple of parts, it was fairly easy for someone who's only been at this for 2 years. I'm just waiting to see what the rest of the rep is going to be! It's nice to have 7 basses in the section too!

I know that having a good teacher is one of the biggest things that has prepared me for this. It's nice to have someone who plays in a professional orchestra give you tips on what to expect and look for.

I just had to share my excitement! :hyper:
 
#3
Greetings!

Playing in an orchestral bass section is one of the great joys in life! :-)

Every once in a while, you reach a point of Nirvana. I had such a moment a couple of weeks ago in rehearsal. Third movement of Shostakovich 5....slow movement, violins doing what violins do...basses with a very nice suppport/countermelody. Not technically hard...all intonation and tone. I "look down the line" and we're all vibrating away and the sound from the section and orchestra was beautiful. That moment is why I play bass...nothing more I could do but smile!

Enjoy...you'll have a great time. Seven basses in a community orchestra...in my experience...is a big section. You'll have fun when you hit the repertoire that can use all the "horsepower". :-)

Best regards!
Jim
 
#4
JimGullen said:
Greetings!

Playing in an orchestral bass section is one of the great joys in life! :-)

Every once in a while, you reach a point of Nirvana. I had such a moment a couple of weeks ago in rehearsal. Third movement of Shostakovich 5....slow movement, violins doing what violins do...basses with a very nice suppport/countermelody. Not technically hard...all intonation and tone. I "look down the line" and we're all vibrating away and the sound from the section and orchestra was beautiful. That moment is why I play bass...nothing more I could do but smile!

Enjoy...you'll have a great time. Seven basses in a community orchestra...in my experience...is a big section. You'll have fun when you hit the repertoire that can use all the "horsepower". :-)

Best regards!
Jim
Click to expand...

Oh, man, I would love to play Shostakovich 5 (it's what's on my headphones now)! Tomorrow night I'm playing Tchaikovsky 6, which has some nice moments for the bass, and then Sunday I'm playing Tchaikovsky 5 with another orchestra. Have you played Prokofiev 5? That's probably been my favorite piece to perform, apart maybe from Beethoven 9, which is an experience every bass player should be lucky enough to have.
 
#6
mjt0229 said:
Oh, man, I would love to play Shostakovich 5 (it's what's on my headphones now)! Tomorrow night I'm playing Tchaikovsky 6, which has some nice moments for the bass, and then Sunday I'm playing Tchaikovsky 5 with another orchestra. Have you played Prokofiev 5? That's probably been my favorite piece to perform, apart maybe from Beethoven 9, which is an experience every bass player should be lucky enough to have.
Click to expand...

Greetings!

I don't believe that I have played Prokofiev 5. I did play a Prokofiev violin concerto a couple of months ago. I really got to like it by the time we performed it. You could lock me up in a room with an infinite amount of time, staff paper, pencils and tell me to just write music...

....I'd never jot down something that sounded ANYTHING like that! :-)

I've played most of the Beethoven symphonies. I actually prefer the "evens"...particulary 2 and 6. But you're right, the ninth is something you have to experience!

The best part of Shostakovich 5 was at my last lesson, while I was "polishing", my teacher stopped me and told me that I was playing too pretty....I needed to be "thumbing my nose at Stalin, just like Shostakovich was". :-)

Man I love playing bass!

Best regards!

Jim
 

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