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Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:52 am
by Wyvern
I have just been asked to step in to play in a concert on Saturday featuring Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony.

I believe there is quite a good tuba part (with solo?). Does anyone have a copy they could send me to have a look?

Thanks.

Sea Symphony pitfalls

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:13 pm
by jeopardymaster
Terrific part in a terrific work, but I needn't tell an Englishperson that. Lots of fine exposed and fun licks in Mvt 3. Opening to Mvt 4 is deceptive, you'd better count like crazy prior to this very exposed, very soloistic, section. Gorgeous characteristic VW part writing that must be dead-on rhythm and intonation wise.

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:15 pm
by Wyvern
Yes, I have just been looking at the part - terrific it certainly is, but also rather frightening to play in concert with just one rehearsal!

Mind you, I am always up for a challenge :wink:

Jonathan "who does enjoy playing Vaughan Williams"

Sea Symphony

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:44 am
by jeopardymaster
Away, O Soul!

Re: Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:28 pm
by Rick Denney
Neptune wrote:I have just been asked to step in to play in a concert on Saturday featuring Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony.
Lucky you. I get to hear Vaughan Williams's work all too rarely, let alone play it.

Rick "who would love to play the 2nd symphony, but who would run screaming from the 4th" Denney

Re: Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:43 pm
by Mark
Rick Denney wrote:Lucky you. I get to hear Vaughan Williams's work all too rarely, let alone play it.

Rick "who would love to play the 2nd symphony, but who would run screaming from the 4th" Denney
Rick,

I know you are a Vaughan Williams fan and a photographer. I recently pitched this idea to our Music Director: we play the Antarctica Symphony while Elliot Porter's photographs of Antarctica are projected onto a large screen. What do you think?

Re: Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:22 pm
by Rick Denney
Mark wrote:Rick,

I know you are a Vaughan Williams fan and a photographer. I recently pitched this idea to our Music Director: we play the Antarctica Symphony while Elliot Porter's photographs of Antarctica are projected onto a large screen. What do you think?
What's not to like about that? The 7th is highly emotive and would serve a visual display admirably, I think.

But now I have to go find a book that has Porter's Antarctica photographs. I have a first edition of one of his collections that was made with hand-varnished color gravure, and I've seen some of high dye-transfer prints (he worked in color before Cibachrome made color from transparencies easy). I'm fascinated by his work, and it's consistent with RVW--passionate without being melodramatic, as so many modern photographs are (including some of my own).

Rick "thinking the multimedia aspects might attract two small audiences instead of just one" Denney

Re: Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony

Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:19 pm
by Mark
Rick Denney wrote:But now I have to go find a book that has Porter's Antarctica photographs. I have a first edition of one of his collections that was made with hand-varnished color gravure, and I've seen some of high dye-transfer prints (he worked in color before Cibachrome made color from transparencies easy). I'm fascinated by his work, and it's consistent with RVW--passionate without being melodramatic, as so many modern photographs are (including some of my own).

Rick "thinking the multimedia aspects might attract two small audiences instead of just one" Denney
Look here: http://www.cartermuseum.org/collections ... =3&scat=21 for some of the prints.

And here for the book I own: http://www.amazon.com/Eliot-Porters-Ant ... 0517665719.

BTW, I paid a lot more fore that book when I bought it new soon after it was released.

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:19 am
by Wyvern
Well at the rehearsal the conductor said this is sometimes called the "All at Sea" symphony as it is so easy to mess up. Speeds are not always what they appear from the orchestral parts, such as one 2/2 section conducted in four.

However, I thought the orchestra played pretty good. I personally, only missed one entry, but that was in a big tutti section and I don't think anyone noticed!

Some nice solo bits for the tuba. Incidentally, as it includes so much moving around in the low register, I decided to play on my new PT-20 4/4 CC, rather than on the Eb and it worked great with the CC.

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:38 am
by tbn.al
We did it last season and it has not only a wonderful tuba part but a corresponding interesting bass trombone part. The tuba player and I had a blast, literally, with the depth charges. It is not only a fun piece to play, it is absolutely spellbinding music.

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:09 am
by Wyvern
tbn.al wrote:It is not only a fun piece to play, it is absolutely spellbinding music.
I completely agree :)

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:24 pm
by Wyvern
Bob1062 wrote:A new tuba eh!
Actually two new tubas, :D but I might start another post to tell you more once I have taken some photos