Day 04. A song that makes you sad

[mlr]

Stravinsky - Symphonies Of Wind Instruments

This piece was written in memory of Claude Debussy. In the last decade of his life the older composer warmly and graciously befriended the young Stravinsky.     The last part of the piece could be called mournful (or sad). There definitely is an elegiac character to the piece. With Stravinsky an elegy would never be weepy or sentimental, but rather ceremonial and solemn.     This video has beautiful and sensitive camera work. I think it would be very useful with children. It shows the embouchures, the breath control, and the spirit of playing each of the different instruments. Stravinsky's writing for wind instruments was distinctive during the entire course of his career - in fact it's hard to think of another composer who wrote so remarkably for winds.

Comments

[dewittar.livejournal.com]

That piece has great memories for me and was a definitive moment for me in terms of my musical development.

When I was in 5th grade the high school symphonic band was brought to our school (there was only one school for each in town). The entire 5th grade class (about 200 kids) was brought into the auditorium to sit in a large circle. The band members were sitting with us in their sections. It was as if each instrument had its own cheering section. The band director explained each instrument and a brief demonstration was given by the first chair of each instrument. Then they played this piece.

That was the day I knew I wanted to play French horn and double reeds. My mouth lines were perfect for the embouchures. Because I could already read music quite well by this time the band director believed I would be able to develop the fine tuning my ear would require to play those instruments well. He was correct. To this day I can still detect semitones below 1/8. What I loved was having a mentor (that band director) who taught me that perfect tuning was never desired, it was knowing how and when to use the slight dissonance to great effect.

Of course, on that day they also said that the French horn and English horn were the most difficult instruments to play well. That feed my already developing ego need to better everyone, and so the deal was sealed.

[mlr.livejournal.com]

A double reed and the French horn - that is impressive! I played the bassoon.

Do you still get out your horns from time to time?

[dewittar.livejournal.com]

Alas, no. My French horn was destroyed (flattened when it was dropped and the drop-er fell on top of it). I never owned the English horn nor the oboe. Those were provided by the school because we were shouldering the expense of the F horn. Interesting that I don't miss the reeds so much but I deeply miss the horn and from time to time look around on ebay to see what's for sale.