Unexpected Compliments

[lgb&dtuba]

Wow. A direct hit.

[joshwirt]

A few weeks ago I subbed with a good regional orchestra nearby. The program was Finlandia and Tchaik 4.

Right when the opening chorale of the Sibelius was starting to really open up, the violin section sat up and looked over....I caught the concertmaster smiling at me once we hit that final chord. I've been around her for years and she's never acknowledged my existence....until then.

It always nice when those of us in the back get recognized for 'just playing the tuba'. Many people forget just how easy it is for us to completely change the sound palette of the entire orchestra.

Hope everyone's holiday season is going well.

-Josh Wirt

[josh_kaprun]

I was practicing in a parking garage across from the music building at my school. In the middle of doing some long tones in the lower register at a rather loud volume, some guy just walked right up to me and asked, "Dude! What is that note?!!!". "It's an F sharp," I replied (to clarify, that was 4th line below the staff F#), to which, he responded, "That sounds WICKED man!!!" Then, he walked off and I never saw him again.

[MartyNeilan]

I was practicing in a parking garage across from the music building at my school. In the middle of doing some long tones in the lower register at a rather loud volume, some guy just walked right up to me and asked, "Dude! What is that note?!!!". "It's an F sharp," I replied (to clarify, that was 4th line below the staff F#), to which, he responded, "That sounds WICKED man!!!" Then, he walked off and I never saw him again.

[keegan watson]

I was practicing a Haydn trio sonata for my sophomore recital and a french horn player can in my practice room and said "wow you sound really pretty...better than any tubas I have heard." I said thanks and kept playing. (they were not trying to hit on me it was a guy)
my $.02
Keegan

[jeopardymaster]

Ah yes, heh. A few random observations.

So seldom do I ever hear a string player compliment anyone but another string player. Strange, that.

So rarely have I ever received a compliment from a string player, though I often dish them out. Just as strange.

I know you weren't fishing for that good word, Robert, and having heard you play I am sure it was deserved. Of course, inasmuch as you got the "Wizard" from me, some small credit is due me.

I do not advocate smoke enemas in general, nor of using flattery to get laid by an attractive fellow musician - unless you happen to be otherwise uninvolved at the time, of course. However, it is always good form to recognize sincerely the fine playing of any of your orchestramates, whatever the instrument. Professional courtesy, musicianship, noblesse oblige - whatever you want to call it, it's a good practice. And your own good work might get noticed more as a result. You may get called for more work. And who knows, you might even get lucky. If, that is, you are otherwise uninvolved at the time.

[pedaljay]

I played a a gig this weekend and here is one I have never heard. A member of the chorus came up to me after our last performance and said I made the ground beneath her shake. Now, I was hoping for a very beautiful 20 something year old woman, but this was a really nice middle aged lady who was being kind. Looks like tuba players can move the Earth if need be. This conductor asked me to play so loud there is no way it could have sounded musical, but I did it anyways with the York. I have been complimented on my playing before, just haven't made the Earth move for people. Thought it was worth sharing.

[windshieldbug]

We once had an English guest conductor that stopped the rehearsal for no other reason and remarked. "Excelent tuba sound, by the way!". Of course I acted all flustered, but considering this person's experience, I was on cloud 9 for quite some time...

[jeopardymaster]

I couldn't agree more, Elephant. Heck of a good story, too.

[Brassworks 4]

So seldom do I ever hear a string player compliment anyone but another string player.

A few years back, a tuba playing friend of mine suggested we do the Bach Double Violin Concerto (on euph and tuba) for a local concert series event. We had the chamber ensemble accompany us - reluctantly, I might add. I recall using the phrase "trust us" a few times.

After the dress rehearsal, a good majority of the string players confessed that it was pretty cool! And that they had no idea that we could play for such long stretches at a time. They admitted that they were impressed. Whatever it takes....

[The Big Ben]

Now, since tbn.al has established I stink and only my fine tubas make me sound good, this compliment is not going to my head!
r

Since Frankie is for sale, maybe I should buy him and get compliments from cute oboe players, too...

Almost as good as the guy who was selling subliminal instruction on the tuba CDs. Put in earplugs, go to sleep and wake up as Arnold Jacobs....

Somehow, buying Frankie and practicing for many hours should have more success....

[pwhitaker]

Back in the 80's I used to play in a pit band for one of the local theatres. We were doing Cabaret and I was using a large Besson BBb on the string bass part. During one of the intermissions a male cast member sauntered up to me and said that he really liked my tuba playing because it sounded just like a big bull fiddle. Since he was wearing rather tight jeans and his shirt was unbuttoned half way down to display a gold necklace nested among his bushy chest hairs I was not entirely convinced that this was a musical compliment.

[NickJones]

If you do it right , the room vibration comments are usual ( I've heard a few in my time) Finlandia is always a winner with Orchestra members who like hearing a bit of low dirty brass noises ( they don't like to admit it tho) , although one conductor did say " WOAH......sorry mr tuba this isn't the Halle Orchestra you can tone it down a bit " so I gave a bit more
also " Your playing a bit strong there , sounds like I've been hit over the head with a metal hammer" - Mahler 5

"Ooooo very cheeky there Mr.." - American in Paris , was unaware at the time the maestro was refering to me!

[windshieldbug]

someone in the crowd yells:
"LOW BRASS!!!"

You never paid me the $10 you promised if I'd that!

[Billy M.]

I remember a few years ago we did a local performance of the play Chicago and it was a real blast. To save funds they went ahead and gave me both the tuba and bass parts and asked me to do some cut and pasting and play all of it on tuba. Coincidentally enough it closed on my birthday and so I invited a very good friend of mine who happens to be a very critical and picky musician.

After the show was over I asked him what he thought, his first response was that he was looking for the bass player in some of the movements only to find out it was me playing the entire time. He said he'd never heard a tuba sound like a string bass and was thoroughly impressed. I felt pretty good about that.

I had so much fun doing that show.

[TonyTuba]

This weekend I played a note so loud a cellist turned around and looked. I took it from the disgusted look on her face that I done good!!!!

That was all the compliment I needed.

[Eric B]

...If you notice someone doing a great job, never assume that they know how wonderful they sound. Tell them. You never know what they are thinking about themselves and you could make a permanent difference in their career and never know it, merely by offering up compliments that are detailed and show that you actually listened and noticed this player and are not just saying a generic "good job" to them.…

That is so true. The summer following my junior year in high school, I attended Phillips University band camp in Enid, Oklahoma. Up to that point, I was very serious about my tuba playing and singing. My goal was to make the Oklahoma All-State Band and the All-State Choir. However, I had no intention of persuing a music career. At that point I was interested in being a pediatrician.

Phillip Farkas and Harvey Phillips were guests at the camp that year. Dr. Phillips gave a masterclass clinic for all of the tubists at the camp (there were probably 20 of us). The tubists were excused from the first hour of our band practice to attend the masterclass. We were seated in a semi circle around the "Paganini of the Tuba". After he gave many pointers on the fundamentals of tuba playing and going through a Q&A session, he heard each of us play an all-state etude selection (a Tyrell study). I was one of the last to play. Everybody before and after me hacked through a few bars before eventually giving up. After each performance, Dr. Phillips would offer some suggestions for improvement. After I played, he asked my age and my intentions for a university major. He said that I should seriously consider a double major because I had a very good opportunity to have a good career in music.

I know what others mean by saying they were "on cloud 9". I was in dream land as we walked outside on the 100 degree day back to our rehearsal. About a half hour later, it was getting very hot in the auditorium. Trevor Ford was our conductor. He exclaimed somthing like, "Who left the back stage door open. It's hot as the dickens in here."

Those words brought me back down to earth when I realized it was I who left it open. I didn't admit guilt in the matter as 80 musicians would have pounded me soon thereafter.

Words from figures such as Harvey Phillips have a tremendous impact upon people. They certainly did on me. I Auditioned at 4 universities, including Indiana University, before I decided to attend the University of Arkansas. I was a band director for 8 years and have been a minister of music for 10. I have no regrets. A few well-chosen words by you can have a similar impact upon those in your ensembles too.

So, I say "AMEN" to what Elephant stated. Don't assume that those making music around you know they are esteemed. I suspect I'm not the only person who is their own worst critic. Musicians are often thought of as egomaniacs and conceited. I think that is unfortunately sometimes true, but it is the exception and not the rule. Most of us are inwardly self critical and mask it with a confident front.

[NDSPTuba]

My Senior year in college, we played the firebird suite and I was playing principle horn, so I had the solo at the beginning of the last movement. My wife told me it was my playing of the solo in the first rehearsal that got her attention, and a nod of approval from Louis Lane who was conducting the orchestra that year. If any of you knew Louis Lane you know, that is high praise. Anyway been married for 15 years with 3 wonderful kids. So i guess I made an impression, lol.

[TubaBobH]

I don’t know if this recollection exactly fits the theme of this thread, but I think it is close enough to go for it.

During the end of my senior year in high school many years ago someone decided that a group of the best senior brass players from the three Alexandria, VA high schools should form a brass ensemble and play for some year-end senior assembly. We had four music educators in the ensemble. Two of the high school band directors were excellent trumpet players and the band director of the third high school was an excellent percussionist. We also had the band director of one of the middle schools, who was a superb French horn player, in the group. The rest of the ensemble was comprised of seven or so seniors, most of us had made All-State that year, and maybe a couple had made it as far as the All Region Band. Probably ten to twelve musicians in total.

I think we played three pieces. The first piece was Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Manâ€

[MaryAnn]

Two, one not mine:

Not mine: When I was in the horn section of a local pretty good community orchestra, Mark Nelson came in and played tuba for a concert. At the reherasal, after the very first section that he played in, the entire viola section turned around, grinned from ear to ear, and said, "TUBA!" Then, of course, he got "the hand" from the conductor.

Mine: same orchestra, working on Brandenberg #1 (the one with the two horn soloists.) A really "superior" type older guy from the violin section made it a point to walk back to the horn section during break, and complimented us on sounding good. It looked like he had to pull out his own teeth to say it, but he did. One of the hardest-earned compliments I ever got.

MA