Posted by Rick Denney on December 21, 2001 at 08:44:13:
In Reply to: Re: Philosophical thoughts posted by one oboists opinion on December 20, 2001 at 22:19:51:
There's a lot of insight in this analysis. When I think of the oboe, I think of needing the sort of personality that is good with attention to detail. Not everyone has this, of course, nor is it a judgment against them if they don't.
But even more interesting to me is the "section" personality versus the "solo" personality. Some people are comfortable in a supporting role, adding their small voice to the larger voice of the ensemble. Others just don't have any fun unless they can pick out their particular voice in the sound that comes back to them from the back of the hall. I think tuba players who make it into adulthood tend to fall in the latter group, as do most orchestral wind players who are one on a part. Orchestral string players, and folks who gravitate to large concert bands, may go the other way. If they don't, they will be always looking for the chamber group or other opportunity to be a unique voice.
A person who is content to follow rather than lead (again, this is no negative judgment--somebody must follow for "lead" to have any meaning), or who is uncomfortable exposing themselves uniquely, may not be suited for the voices in a band or orchestra that are uniquely theirs, such as oboe and piccolo.
One of the things that was most satisfying to me in playing with an orchestra (despite the limitation of our amateur group), was that it challenged me to be THE tuba player. Until that time, I had hidden in a large tuba section. Since that experience, hiding in a section has less appeal.
Rick "at the moment helping form a brass quintet" Denney