Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rotary vs Pistons in Germany(and Europe)


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Posted by Klaus on January 19, 2003 at 17:22:27:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rotary vs Pistons in Germany(and Europe) posted by Doc on January 19, 2003 at 16:32:05:

It can be very hard to relate experiences/rumours/gossip/or-whatever of situations involving persons still alive. However with a bit of fluffiness in the description nobody should loose face.

A prestigious ensemble had a section, that had been stable for quite a number of years. A lot of younger players were very eager to get the spot left open, when the senior section member retired due to age.

That spot required doubling on a variant of the main instrument of the section. A variant hardly ever owned privately due to its price and, at least back then, rarity.

The ensemble knew of that and allowed players to use other more common variants at the instrument in question.

Especially two young players were expected to end on top of the selections.

One of them had a teacher, who could loan him a sample of that very rare doubling instrument. So he was the only one, who could perform at the audition on thoroughly "realistic" equipment. His teacher told him: "That fact will guarantee you to be the winner!"

However the other favourite won despite his less realistic equipment! Which made the "looser" quite disappointed, as his teacher had guaranteed him the spot.

Both were and still are great players (I have played behind both of them, when they soloed in major concerts for their instrument).

The first-time-looser a couple of years later won one of the two solo spots in the same section. Today both are professors at each their conservatory in two different countries.

Often audition committees of course will go for players, that fit into the section/ensemble sound and playing style. But equipment is no major factor, as long as it is good enough to let the player present his/hers musical virtues. ("Dead" notes will be ascribed to the player, not to the instrument!)

Some orchestras anyway will demand the players to use equipment owned by the orchestra, so that uniformity of sound is ensured. Some orchestras have sets of piston and of rotary trumpets, that are to be used according the wishes of the conductors. Here the default trumpet is the piston one, but the rotary variety often is used in romantic German and Czech repertory.

One orchestra for much, if not most, of its repertory uses Thein instruments for the trombonists and for the tubist (with my Conn 26K being lent for a special solo occasion).

My conclusion would be that specific equipment is perceived as important, but not necessarily in the audition situation.

Klaus


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