Rehearsals---or Concerts?

[scottw]

I had a conversation with another player the other day where he said he really doesn't enjoy concerts as much as he does rehearsals. This got me thinking---I feel the same way! Rehearsals seem to be a lot more intense as far as working on the problem spots until we solve them, whereas with concerts what you see is what you get: either it's right or wrong, there's no changing it. How does everyone feel? I wanted to set it up as one of those stupid polls, but I can't figure out how to do it!

[Steve Marcus]

As an audience member, I find observing a rehearsal much more enjoyable than the final public performance. It is interesting to hear the comments that the musicians make among themselves about the music and/or directions from the conductor.

As a performer, the final performance has that extra "edge of your seat" aura. It calls for playing at a "notch higher level" than the dress rehearsal because you have the responsibility and excitement of projecting to an audience rather than just playing for yourself.

[Tubaryan12]

I agree .... I also like the practice more than the performance... there's no pressure at practice. The performance is like going to work.

[Dylan King]

I enjoy skipping straight to the performance, with little or no rehearsal. Unless of course I'm conducting.

One time I played a club here in LA with members of the band Weapon of Choice and a few of Ben Harper's sidemen. There was no rehearsal at all, and it is one of my favorite and most memorable performances. I was front and center on the tuba and did some vocalizations as well. We brought down the house.

I also did a gig with the hip-hop orchestra Dakah without rehearsal. The parts were seriously tough reading, so I played it mostly by ear. I did flub it up in a few spots because I got confused with repeats. Quite a few licks passed me by too, but I don't think anyone noticed it behind the eleven rappers and singers, three DJs, full big band with strings, and full jazz/rock combo with ethnic instruments and two organs. Man, that band was FAR OUT!

[Highams]

Whilst rehearsals are fun and a learning curve, I think the goal always has to be the concert performance. We often get to a stage in the rehearsals (low brass quartet) when the piece needs to be played in public, straight through, non stop.
We are happy that most of the performances we give come off as rehearsed and the standard of each concert is better than the last.

www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk

[Stefan]

I like rehearsals better than concerts. Then again, with the level of groups I get to play with, there are much more rehearsals than concerts anyway. I have quit groups because of not liking the way the conductor rehearses (or lack of) a group.

Stefan

[scottw]

This is turning out to be an interesting topic--thanks for the input!
I think what the gut-choice I had rises from is the pure musical work involved in a good, well-run rehearsal; we actually go over difficult passages until we get them right. In other words, the process is a lot of fun along with the work. To me, a concert is fun, don't get me wrong, but is often anti-climactical, almost just another run-through after we have polished it up to the point we don't have to bite our collective nails about whether it will fly or not!
Some interestig views--keep 'em coming!

[Chuck(G)]

Like someone said, apples and oranges.

Both are fun, but for different reasons. Rehearsals are like getting together with a bunch of friends to build something. Rehearsals can be miserable if there isn't that sense of camaraderie.

The performance is akin to holding an open house in what you've finished building. A bit of group pride showing off to the public. A different feeling alltogether.

Then there is the impromptu "let's get together and read something down just for the hell of it" session. To me, these are the most fun, particularly where you've got an odd assortment of instruments and you're doing your best to play cello parts on your tuba, while someone on flute is reading second violin parts and someone else on mandolin is reading the viola part. Kind of like a bridge party. Music for the sheer joy of it.

[MartyNeilan]

Rehearsals - one has greater freedom with interpretation and can "cut loose" - both dynamically and stylistically - more often. It is then up to the conductor / director or lead player in your group to reign in as he deems necessary. In the performance, you have much less freedom to do either unless it is A) a solo or B) you just want to annoy the conductor and don't care about getting rehired.

[LOTP]

I play in a band which plays great concerts only if the dress rehearsal has gone poorly. Maybe its a self-fulfilling prophecy but we actually worry if the rehearsal sounds really good. We probably just pay closer attention to the man with the stick at the concert if we know that we really dont have it under control. Anyone else have similar experience? Lew?

Paul

[MaryAnn]

I only play concerts because I have to in order to play in the groups. What I really, really like to do is rehearse something to the point where it is ready to perform, and then record it.
MA, who tends to run the quintet rehearsals but who is happy to let the conductor do it in the bigger groups

[Leland]

Hmm... where do I start...

It's been a general rule in the well-rehearsed groups I've been in that the best-executed performance always happens in rehersal. Partly, we say that to reduce the pressure of putting out a 100% perfect performance.

But most of the time, it really works out that way. Performers react differently to performance situations, and those differences become manifest in the tiny details of execution. Some players might get hyped, some might get scared, and others won't perform any differently than they did in rehearsal.

To be able to count on a well-executed performance, the rehearsals must be thorough enough that top-flight playing becomes the norm, and it turns out that those few moments of total perfection almost always happen only in rehearsals.

But, for me, all the best rehearsals in the world don't mean a darned thing if it's not going to be performed for others. It simply has to be heard by other people.

I've also taken part in performances where I haven't been in any of the rehersals, and it's quite a kick to sightread under public pressure. It's fun, but I also know that the execution isn't going to be perfect in the rest of the ensemble anyway.

The best performances I've been a part of are ones where everything happened exactly as prescribed in all the rehearsals -- PLUS an extremely strong ensemble-to-audience connection. This doesn't happen very often at all; I can only name two or three in my short 20-odd years of playing. When it does happen, it's like an out-of-body experience. During one such performance, my mind started taking a break about 3/4 of the way through, and I was thinking, "Holy $#!&, this is going absolutely perfectly, and there's nothing I can do about it to make it worse..." You just go along for the ride, and everything happens on cue, perfectly executed, and the audience goes right along, too.

That kind of performance doesn't happen without great rehearsals, but great rehearsals aren't a guarantee of an otherworldly performance, either. Because they're so rare, not many people actually get to experience it. They're also virtually impossible to describe. But, when it happens, you KNOW it, and suddenly you want to try to make it happen again. It's like an addiction.

So, to answer the question... I can't give a preference. Rehearsals and performances need each other.

[FarahShazam]

I enjoy myself AFTER concerts the most. But I'd have to say I enjoy concerts.

Rehearsals are more difficult for me because there are so many distractions and stopping/starting. Also, it is hard to be "on" during rehearsals because our current rehearsal space is "to be desired".