Posted by bill anderson on February 10, 2002 at 19:06:46:
Just came back from one of the best concerts that I've ever seen. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam performed Mahler's second symphony. Unbelievable. I now have a new definition of what a great symphony orchestra should sound like. My wife, a clarinetist, noticed how full the sections were- 10 horns (6 on stage and 4 off stage), 5 trumpets (plus one or two off stage), 6 trombones (and one or two off stage), 4 oboes with 2 of the doubling on English horn, 5 clarinets, 4 flutes, ten tympany played by two percussionists (5 each), a staff of other percussionists to manage Mahler's usual clanking plates, gongs, bells, sticks, ... And ONE tuba. We had absolutely no trouble hearing him, though. Does make you wonder. If you want to in the orchestra, the odds don't exactly favor tuba players, do they?