Posts made by trickg

Another set of Easter services in the books!

Overall, I'm VERY pleased with how I played. I had one spot yesterday morning that was less than stellar where I took a breath, and didn't quite reset correctly, so I clammed the next entrance, but otherwise I had two clean gigs. I even opted for the optional D at the end of "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" and nailed it both times, and both renditions of the Hallelujah Chorus rank up there for me as some of the best I've played. This year I started using alternate fingerings on my D trumpet for that long section in the middle with those long held notes - 1&3 for the D, and 3rd valve for the E - that gave me some control over it with the slides because otherwise I'm really pushing up to lip those notes into tune on this particular Eb/D trumpet I own.

We all go through peaks and valleys playing - with luck and diligent practice our valleys and peaks aren't very big, but I was totally at a peak this year - I had good control over everything, and even though I backed off the volume, after our cut-offs, I could clearly hear my horn sitting on top of everything (but very well balanced) in the 3-4 seconds of reverb that sanctuary has. It was great to hear those notes being right on the money and in-tune.

I attribute some of this to finding the "right" mouthpiece - a vintage Marcinkiewicz #2. To make a long story short, years ago I had a gold plated #3 that "liberated" itself when I forgot it sitting on a locker after drill band one day at the Armed Forces School of Music. The music store down the street had Marcinkiewicz mouthpieces, but not a #3 - the next closest they had was a #2, and I did some of my best playing on that mouthpiece. Later I got another one because my original had gotten beat up, but by then they had moved to another facility, and they changed the numbering on the mouthpiece - it read 2/7B, and it never played or felt like the original, so I never really used it. Then I thought I'd "improve" the original by drilling it - that ruined it.

A month or so ago, a guy was selling one that was an original Glendale production with the original "No. 2" stamping. It was like finding an old friend - it feels right, it plays right, and it sounds right - I'm very happy about it.

Anyway, I hope everyone else had good Easter gigs too.

@BigDub said in Easter Services:

@trickg said in Easter Services:

So here's my lineup:

• Hail Thee, Festival Day - arr Joseph Wilcox Jenkins based on Salve Festa Dies by Ralph Vaughn Williams)
• Festival Alleluia - James Chepponis
• Christ is Our Cornerstone - Philp W. J. Stopford
• Mass For the City (only parts of it) - Richard Proulx
• The Earth Is Risen - Gwyneth Walker
• Jesus Christ is Risen Today - arr Jeremy J. Bankson
• Hallelujah Chorus - Handel

Wow - I'm just now realizing how much music this is. Oh well - I seem to be able to get through it ok.

On a side note, this is for 4-piece brass and tympani with organ (a real, well-maintained pipe organ!) and choir that is mostly made up of students from the Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory of Music. I've been paid more to play less, but I always come away from this feeling richer for having been there with these fine people.

I'm playing lead on all of it, so there is that middle section from the Hallelujah Chorus where I'm always wondering if I'm going to make it, but I haven't had an issue with it, so here's hoping that it goes ok on Sunday too.

That is a lot of work load there, especially with the Hallelujah Chorus coming at the end. Is this for one service or are there more than one? I don’t have as much but there are two services, and there’s virtually no break between the Hallelujah Chorus and our postlude, Grand Choeur Dialogue. That will be a challenge........everything I am doing tomorrow (Easte) is on the C trumpet. But for two services. That will be the test of endurance for me.

One performance per day, but I'm playing vigil (currently sitting here waiting to play) and tomorrow morning.

@barliman2001 said in Easter Services:

Now, yesterday we had our only rehearsal for Easter Sunday. The conductor, when questioned beforehand, had firmly promised, "it's Schubert Mass #3 in Bb and Mozart Ave Verum (which has no trumpets), and nothing else." Accordingly, went there with just my Ganter Bb rotary and a deep cup mouthpiece, as I was supposed to play 2d chair. So far, so good. End of Schubert rehearsal, conductor hands out additional music with the comment, "you should be able to do this as well quite easily." One look... Handel, Messiah, Hallelujah... original pitch... scream, shout, throw grenades... call in the Cavalry (which refused to climb the 84 step staircase to the organ loft...)... tried to do Handel first trumpet part on Bb rotary with flugel mouthpiece... failed miserably, sounded like a goose with hiccups... got out the Selmer high-G at home... that's better...

Our music director sent out a bunch of music and the Hallelujah Chorus wasn't on the list, so I texted him to inquire about it. Yep - yes it WAS on the list. I may only use this Eb/D trumpet 2-3 times a year, but I'm sure glad I have it when I need it!

So here's my lineup:

• Hail Thee, Festival Day - arr Joseph Wilcox Jenkins based on Salve Festa Dies by Ralph Vaughn Williams)
• Festival Alleluia - James Chepponis
• Christ is Our Cornerstone - Philp W. J. Stopford
• Mass For the City (only parts of it) - Richard Proulx
• The Earth Is Risen - Gwyneth Walker
• Jesus Christ is Risen Today - arr Jeremy J. Bankson
• Hallelujah Chorus - Handel

Wow - I'm just now realizing how much music this is. Oh well - I seem to be able to get through it ok.

On a side note, this is for 4-piece brass and tympani with organ (a real, well-maintained pipe organ!) and choir that is mostly made up of students from the Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory of Music. I've been paid more to play less, but I always come away from this feeling richer for having been there with these fine people.

I'm playing lead on all of it, so there is that middle section from the Hallelujah Chorus where I'm always wondering if I'm going to make it, but I haven't had an issue with it, so here's hoping that it goes ok on Sunday too.

I loved the look of disgust he gives Edmure when he snatches the bow away to fire the flaming arrow at the Hoster's funeral boat because Edmure kept missing. He snatches it away, looks at the pennants to check for the wind, looses the arrow, then doesn't even watch it hit - he turns around and roughly gives it back to Edmure as he walks off.

@Dr-GO said in List of Undergraduate Schools with Well-known Trumpet Programs:

Indiana University. I know Bill Adam (teacher to Chris Botti and Randy Brecker) are no longer there, but their music program still has an amazing reputation.

Joey Tartell is there - among other places, Joey was at one time the lead trumpet player for the US Army Jazz Ambassadors, and he spent some time with Maynard Ferguson's Big Bop Neoveau band. (I think he did his undergrad at UNT)

Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory of Music would be another good place if you were looking at playing classical trumpet. I know that some of the private instructors are in the Baltimore Symphony.

I also know a couple of fine players in the premier military bands who went to Oberlin Conservatory.

@ButchA said in Game of Thrones Thread:

I know nothing about Game of Thrones either. Never seen it, don't understand all the hub-bub about it.

Now someone earlier mentioned Star Trek. Now you're talking! I still am a HUGE Star Trek fan, and have all the original episodes on DVD, along with the 6 original movies. My family watched every single episode in the 60's and every single one of us got hooked, and never missed it!

Some would probably say the same thing about Star Trek - they don't know what all the hub-bub is about.

Again, and I say with all sincerity, (and I've seen a good bit of the Star Trek offerings too - at least all the major motion pictures and and all of the original "Next Generation" series) that Game of Thrones is some of the best cinematic entertainment I've ever seen. The plot-lines are solid, because they aren't written for the show specifically, but rather they revolve around the books (initially with very few deviations) which were well written. The settings and cinematography are breathtaking. The special effects take the very best of what today's world of CGI enhanced special effects have to offer, and it has wonderful, colorful characters.

The story arcs I think I've most enjoyed are Tyrion's and Arya's. Robtrx mentioned how people can be redeemed. I HATED Sansa's character for the first 3-4 seasons, but she's come a long long way, and her story arc has gotten much more interesting.

The show has 5 episodes left, and I have no idea how things are going to end - it's a show where you can't count on any character surviving the next 5 minutes, never mind the remainder of the series.

@BigDub said in Game of Thrones Thread:

I don’t really make it a practice to dump on people, do I? It’s more a kind of self deprecating type humor, much like my heritage of Norwegian decent. Besides, I don’t have HBO, or whatever network it shows on. So, how backward am I, right?
I honestly don’t have any opinion about the show, so how is that dumping on anyone?
More power to them. Enjoy what you like. I am truly happy for those that enjoy it. I promise I won’t march around their houses with placards or anything like that.

The way you posted your initial response was in a way bagging on anyone who felt they needed to watch the show.

"Never. Watched. One. Episode. Or clip. Or preview.
And yet, I feel fulfilled in life."

It's fine that you haven't seen it, but the way you responded makes it seem like you look down on anyone who would take the time to get into a show like "Game of Thrones." If you hadn't intended it like that, maybe you shouldn't have punctuated each word, or made the comment about feeling fulfilled in life without it. Perhaps?

As for the show being "raunchy" There is definitely some T&A and "adult" content - I'm not sure it was absolutely warranted to move the plot, but $3x sells - always has, and always will. Much of it also followed the books, so there is that. But in any case, I'm pushing 50, have been married for almost 27 years, and have two children - the stuff in GOT really isn't that much of a mystery to me.

I had hoped that this thread would be a neat discussion revolving around characters, plot points, story arcs and that kind of thing. Instead it seems that I need to defend myself for the simple fact that I (like millions of other people around the globe) choose to watch this show.

As for getting or not getting HBO, I have an HBO Now subscription - it's like Netflix or Hulu or Amazon Prime video - a few bucks a month and you can stream it through any smart TV, Roku or Fire Stick.

@Newell-Post said in Notre-Dame de Paris:

The stone vaults have collapsed at the crossing and at various places in the nave and transept. Re-building that is a completely different level of effort than replacing the wood rafters and lead roofing.

But it CAN (and will) be rebuilt - that's the important thing to take away from this, that this world landmark will survive this. Such a horrible, horrible thing, but I was worried yesterday that the fire was going to cause damage that would cause it to collapse entirely.

@manfredv said in Notre-Dame de Paris:

@trickg this is so sad, I visited Notre Dame about 5 years ago it was an extremely impressive structure, to think of how big and old it was and the artifacts that are inside. I believe it took nearly 200 years to finish construction and while they can rebuild the structure they can't replace the artifacts.

They can "replace" some of the artifacts though - they did. Many of them were recreated during a 25 year renovation initiative in the mid-1800s. Much of the artwork took heavy hits during various eras of French history, particularly the French Revolution - most of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. None of the stained glass is original - it was all replaced with white glass at one point to allow more natural light to come in. The central column from the main portal was removed so carriages could be driven through - in 800+ years, it's had some ups and downs. This is definitely a down point, but I believe that it will be fully restored.

Even the spire that toppled wasn't original - from what I gather, the original spire was smaller than the one they rebuilt in the 1800s.

It is definitely a blow - I've wanted to visit this masterpiece since I was a kid because my mom had all of these picture books of various architectural wonders of the world - The Pyramids and Sphinx, Hagia Sophia, The Taj Mahal, and Notre Dame de Paris.

But, even though certain things can never be replaced, I know that much of it can be restored, and will be restored - not only is it a French national treasure, but it's a world treasure, and it wouldn't be the first time that the cathedral was restored and repaired. The spire was removed at one point, as were the stained glass windows - it wasn't until the mid 19th century that a major effort to renovate and repair the cathedral was made, which included restoring the original stained glass and statues based on original drawings and engravings - most of the statues were destroyed at one point for one reason or another.

I thought I'd read in that book my mom had that at one point part of it had collapsed and had to be rebuilt, but I can't seem to Google-fu that today.

The "good" news is that it will be repaired and restored to its former glory - hopefully it lasts another 800 or more years.

I've never understood why some people have to try to dump on people who enjoy this show by making sure everyone knows that they've never seen a single episode. Ok, whatever. But with that in mind, rather than try to wear that like a badge of honor, why not at least give it a try? It would be like me proudly proclaiming that I've never heard Bud Herseth play Mahler 5 - not even once, or that I haven't listened to even a single recording of Maynard Ferguson. (Not true - just trying to draw a comparison.)

I can tell you that it's some of the best screen entertainment I've ever seen, and I'm a movie guy - that's kind of my thing. The story-line and plot are wonderful, and the production value is stellar. it's like watching a really well made movie, only they don't have to try to shove all character and plot development into a 2-hour block - they have had 10 episodes per season (for the first six seasons - seasons 7 and 8 were/are shorter) to tell a great story full of twists, triumphs, heartbreaks, frights, action, etc.

The plot-lines and story arcs for the characters are superbly done - the good guys don't always win, and the bad guys don't always lose. Sometimes characters you love will get killed off the show by other characters you wish would die - that's just the way the cookie crumbles. There are others characters who were despicable in season 1, but their story arcs have taken them through redemption and they actually become likable as the seasons progress.

I got into the show because I read the books - those were great by themselves, but IMO HBO has done a great job of bringing those books to the screen.

@ButchA said in Anyone watch The Masters golf tournament yesterday?:

Worst moment ever, where I almost needed psychiatric counseling afterwards - landing in a massive greenside sand trap, that was full of very fluffy, very deep, sand (sand trap/bunker shots are my weakness anyway)... Swing - miss, ball still at my feet, sand flew everywhere. Swing again, ball went 2 feet and rolled back to me. Swing yet again, ball hit the top lip/grass knoll, and rolled back down into the bunker. Final swing, ball finally got out, but landed way far away from the cup. Long story short: I scored a quadruple bogey 8 on that hole!

I was never that serious about it - I probably would have picked up the ball and chucked it up out of the sand trap, then proceeded to play it, adding only one stroke for the toss up out of the trap.

I've been playing at the same church for 4 years - this is my 5th Easter with them. Big domed church in Baltimore off of N. Charles street called St. Philip & James Catholic Church. As for music, I honestly can't tell you what we're doing - I don't have the music yet and I'm not likely to see it before rehearsal tomorrow night, although I can assume that at the least we'll do the Hallelujah Chorus. I'll update this thread once I actually know.

To me it sounds like you may not clean your horn often enough. I've noticed that if I let too much time pass between cleanings, there really is a significant change to the blow, and it can actually detrimental immediately following the cleaning - it's amazing how much your lips/body shift to accommodate the horn, so that when there is a shift, it can take your chops a couple of days to catch up. It's not as bad as the shift you experience when changing horns, but it's still there.

But in any case, yes, I have noticed how a clean horn will play and respond much differently than a dirty one.

I used to golf a little bit when I was a kid - I just don't have time for it now. Maybe I'll take it up again when I retire, but I see golf out here as a rich man's game - it's just not something I'm going to do with any regularity at this stage of life. Still, there's something VERY satisfying when you line up for a drive, you hit the sweet spot, and you watch that ball just rip down the fairway.

Is anyone else here as into Game of Thrones as I am? Yesterday was the season 8 premier, and it didn't disappoint. It's hard to believe that we only have 5 more episodes left to finish the series, and it's so well crafted that I have absolutely no predictions on who will live, who will die, who will win, who will lose, or even what the final outcome will be.

It's been a great ride. I started reading the first book around the time the first season wrapped, but I didn't watch the show until I'd finished the first book. Of course the show is well beyond the books at this point, and there has been enough deviation from the source material that I'm not sure if the end result of the show will look anything like what winds up happening in the book at all.

Let's just hope that George R.R. Martin doesn't kick the bucket before he finishes the books - I'd really like to read them.

@Tobylou8 said in need perfect pitch to play trombone ?:
Perfect pitch and $5 will get me a Venti Americano at Starbucks!

Yay - 20 oz of terrible coffee.

Definition - Trombone: Human wind powered pitch approximator.

You don't need to have perfect pitch - you only need to be able to hear whether or not a pitch is sharp or flat relative to another pitch.

@moshe said in Scream Machine by Maynard Ferguson... Wow!!:

[Steven Caudill] "This is not Maynard Ferguson. It's Dave Detwiler who was the lead player for the Army Blues." as stated in the comments section 2 years ago.

But I have been loving that song for years !!!!!!

moshe

You mean the same Dave Detwiler that I mentioned in post #3 of this thread when I explained the whole part about Dave and the US Army Blues? That's ok - reiteration/redundancy can be a GOOD thing!