ARD Competition Munich... shit happens
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Just watched a documentary about this year's Munich Radio Competition - the famous ARD contest Maurice André won in 1963.
This year's trumpet class was distinguished by its jury which held, amongst others, Sergej Nakariakov and was headed by Reinhold Friedrich. It was most remarkable due to the number of stupid handling mistakes and mechanical failures... Two competitors in the round of the last twenty picked up their instruments by the mouthpieces, with the instruments falling onto their bells. One was so nervous he inadvertently unscrewed a bottom valve cap on an oldish Selmer picc, with the obvious result that the cap fell off and the valve spring jumped out. One - who finished as 2nd Prize! - had his water key break off during performane and had to start anew with a replacement trumpet (the mishap was quickly remedied by Munich instrument maker Holger Mack). One lost his #3 valve slide, and several competitors lost mutes during their go at the almost-unplayable Zimmermann concerto...I am including the finale of the trumpet competition:
Programme starts at 7:56
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Shit doesn't happen, it is caused. That is why the winners win.
What is amazing to me is that the "unplayable" Zimmermann concerto is the current standard to even be on stage here! What is also amazing is that several of the contestants are actually accomplished orchestral players (and not dreaming of being the next Maurice André). -
