Adventures in Chamber Music

[minimozart007]

What has everyone played? stories etc.

[ludwig]

I've heard that if you play solo instrument for a living you are uncomprimisable, therefor "difficult" in a chamber group setting... I actually have had a few experiences where the people in the chamber group I was playing in only worried about themselves and their own parts, never listening to others, and the overall sound... which is sad I think it could be the ego of a solo performer.... I find myself being a bit selfish at times too, only caring about what or how I am playing.... :p

[quantum]

Had quite a bit of experience in university.  Before that I was mostly a solo performer, and quite enjoyed it.  Playing clarinet in band since elementery school all the way through university Wind Symphony, tremendously helped my ensemble skills. 

One of my best friends at University is a fluetist, and we have played much music together just for fun.  He was also enrolled in a chamber music course with another flutist, they were just missing piano and he asked me to join.  It was a bit confusing for met at first, I got lost in the music many times.  As time passed, we advanced as a trio quite successfully.  It gave me substantial experience with small ensemble playing (quite different from large orchestral groups). 

I enrolled in pedagogy course for my last year at univeristy.  I've already taken several of these before.  Turns out I was the only one that enrolled in 4th year.  Teacher is a well known accompanist in our city.  She offerst to teach me accompanying instead.  I don't know what to think so I say OK.  Now I get myself into this whole different animal of vocal accompanying.  Very complex, more complex than accompanying any other instrument.  I learn a lot.  I'd recommed studying vocal accompanying to any pianist out there.  It will change the way you think of the piano, and it's possibilities. 


University also was putting on a production of Orff's "Carmina Burana".  They were doing the 2 piano, 5 percussion reduced score.  They needed a pianist, and asked me.  Now this was FUN  .  Much learned here with this experience.  You have to really follow the conductor.  You can't go rambling off like you are playing a concerto or something.   The added problem of 2 pianos is the issue of note attack.  With a whole buch of strings and winds, if one is slighly off the attack you probably won't notice much. On the piano because of it's distinct attack, you have to play exactly with the other pianist. 

[Rach3]

I did Brandenberg 5 recently. Lots of keyboard trio rehersals... unfortunately the harpsichord was so far out of tune that we used a Boesendorfer grand instead... it was interesting to say the least.

[Dazzer]

I did a mvt from one of the mendellsohn piano trios for an assessment. and i had these two teachers playing with me. And it was so annoying because the cellist couldn't count. Yet another case of non-piano instrumentalists who cannot count. Further to that, the cellist REFUSED to follow my timing (yes he has the melody, but its still should be up to me). So i tried to bring out my main beats to make him follow, and he just goes on with his own timing. And then after it, the head of strings (a dickshit) comes up to me and says "daryl you aren't playing a solo piece you cannot play SOO LOUD its not rachmaninov you know" and i was fuming!!!!! ARGH!

okay enough of a rant from me. you can hear my recording at the audition room!

[abell88]

I've played violin (my second instrument, much lower proficiency level) in a chamber music group at music camp. Very frustrating for me because I could only see my part -- as a pianist and choral conductor I'm used to knowing what everyone is doing! But way more fun than playing by myself.

[minimozart007]

My second instrument is the cello.  One time I got the cello section of our orchestra together for an ensemble contest.  On the first rehearsal, I gave them an arrangement of the Cdur Fugue from the first book WTC by Bach.  They were, to say the least, dumbstruck.  At the time, I was unaware of the difficulties of a polyphonic piece for a small ensemble.  for example:

1.  The rythms must be exact.
2.  Intonation is crucial.
3.  Balance is critical in a fugue i. e. subects, etc.

Unfortunately, my section is scared of anything that has a lot of notes or higher notes.

Nonetheless, we played something easier.