Music Terminology 101

Eclipsehornplayer · 05-11-2006, 09:21 AM

Hey all:

I'm a comebacker as I've indicated in many posts. I thought I'd post this weblink I found when searching for the term Tacet.

I did not have the benefit of continuing education so I never played my Trumpet past high school. I had no recollection of ever encountering this term prior to last Monday night.

We were playing John Phillip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever March preparing for an upcoming concert and the Conductor told all us Trumpets to mark a section of the music Tacet. Well we did...

Next thing I know were reading through the piece and we get to that section. I come out guns a blazing as the music is marked and the conductor stops and asks me what I'm doing.

Needless to say I was a bit embarrased having played an unauthorized section solo in a spot we just agreed to not play; Of course I was not aware that this is what I agreed to and no one in my section bothered to point that out to me.

I think it was have a little fun with the "Yankee" day or something I'm not sure.

Anyway great musical term reference site:

http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/

Enjoy, those of us who need it anyway!

Manny Laureano · 05-11-2006, 09:34 AM

Obviously, you confused tacet with "Take it!"

Here's a little story that'll make you feel better:

I used to conduct a community band here in town many years ago. We were playing a transcription (yes, I played A LOT of transcriptions with them) of the overture to Candide and we got to the Grand Pause which is marked "G.P.". Somebody came in wrong and I explained that it means no one plays in that measure.

The tuba player raised his hand and told a story about a timpanist in band he once played in who was not up on his musicological terms, even the more obvious ones. The timpanist asked the tubist what GP meant in the particular piece they were playing. "Oh, that means 'Grand Pound'. It's a special mark for timpani. When we get to that measure, pick a drum and hit it for all you're worth. It's a tradition."

Well, it was a grand pound, all right. The word is the conductor still hasn't recovered from the shock.

ML

Eclipsehornplayer · 05-11-2006, 09:46 AM

That is beyond funny Manny.... Thanks for the laugh!

tpter1 · 05-11-2006, 10:28 AM

I had to laugh at that one, Manny. That is really funny.

We were doing the Polka from Schwanda the Bagpiper in our past concert with winds, and I was on flugel. It was our first rehearsal on the piece. Never having played the piece before, I was unaware of the G.P. at the end before the fermata. It was not indicated in my part, either. So we get to the end, I was not watching (yeah, I know, my own fault then), and I layed out the biggest, fattest clam on a 2nd line G you ever heard. You could sell that thing on the Long Island shore for chowder. Right in the dead silence. I think it's still reverberating over there.

Alex Yates · 05-11-2006, 01:12 PM

All of you....thanks for the gut-busting chuckles!

John, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in your rehearsal. I can just imagine you proudly playing away........

Derek Reaban · 05-11-2006, 01:31 PM

John,

I was playing on a Pops concert and our Principal player was not able to play the show. The guy that played second in the orchestra was an amazing all around player (studied with Allan Dean at Yale) and was a fantastic jazz soloist. We were sharing the concert with a Jazz choir and they were doing a Duke Ellington Medley with us.

During the first rehearsal we got to a section that was “tacet” for the trumpets and he leaned over to me and said, “What’s that say? Take It?” He started playing over the changes and shocked the conductor. She realized how great he sounded and said, “Leave that IN”. I’ll never forget that show!

Eclipsehornplayer · 05-11-2006, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trompetvrouw

All of you....thanks for the gut-busting chuckles!

John, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in your rehearsal. I can just imagine you proudly playing away........

Let's just say I wasn't holding anything back the section was marked fff with the "houses" over each note..

I pulled out the air hammer and went to it!

I'm sure what you pictured was accurate.

Solar Bell · 05-11-2006, 02:02 PM

ML wrote:

Quote:

I used to conduct a community band here in town many years ago.
and
The word is the conductor still hasn't recovered from the shock.

I take it YOU are the still shocked conductor?

-cw-

Eclipsehornplayer · 05-11-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Reaban

John,

I was playing on a Pops concert and our Principal player was not able to play the show. The guy that played second in the orchestra was an amazing all around player (studied with Allan Dean at Yale) and was a fantastic jazz soloist. We were sharing the concert with a Jazz choir and they were doing a Duke Ellington Medley with us.

During the first rehearsal we got to a section that was “tacet” for the trumpets and he leaned over to me and said, “What’s that say? Take It?” He started playing over the changes and shocked the conductor. She realized how great he sounded and said, “Leave that IN”. I’ll never forget that show!

Derek,

This is just too funny! The fact that it worked out better then expected is even more priceless!

Thanks for sharing.. I feel better knowing that more accomplished players have been stung by this stupid thing.

Why can't they just simply say "Don't play"

Yikes....

Tootsall · 05-11-2006, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kinghornplayer

Why can't they just simply say "Don't play"

Yikes....

Now what's the fun in that!?

The phrase I see the greatest number of misses on is "con sordino". We're so used to seeing "straight mute", or "muted" that it's virtually guaranteed to bring a miss from someone in the section on the first read-through.

(Then there was the day that the conductor stopped the band, looked at percussion, and said "I'm conducting this in three".... to which percussion replied "well I'm playing it in two"!.....one of those 6/8 things where different sections are playing contrasting patterns.... it got quite a laugh)

05-11-2006, 09:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
Eclipsehornplayer Forte User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Flat Rock, Michigan Posts: 2,395	Music Terminology 101 Hey all: I'm a comebacker as I've indicated in many posts. I thought I'd post this weblink I found when searching for the term Tacet. I did not have the benefit of continuing education so I never played my Trumpet past high school. I had no recollection of ever encountering this term prior to last Monday night. We were playing John Phillip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever March preparing for an upcoming concert and the Conductor told all us Trumpets to mark a section of the music Tacet. Well we did... Next thing I know were reading through the piece and we get to that section. I come out guns a blazing as the music is marked and the conductor stops and asks me what I'm doing. Needless to say I was a bit embarrased having played an unauthorized section solo in a spot we just agreed to not play; Of course I was not aware that this is what I agreed to and no one in my section bothered to point that out to me. I think it was have a little fun with the "Yankee" day or something I'm not sure. Anyway great musical term reference site: http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/ Enjoy, those of us who need it anyway! __________________ Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes Bach 229 25A C Trumpet Getzen Capri Bb Cornet GR & Monette mouthpieces

05-11-2006, 09:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
Eclipsehornplayer Forte User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Flat Rock, Michigan Posts: 2,395	That is beyond funny Manny.... Thanks for the laugh! __________________ Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes Bach 229 25A C Trumpet Getzen Capri Bb Cornet GR & Monette mouthpieces

05-11-2006, 10:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
tpter1 Forte User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern New York Posts: 2,309	I had to laugh at that one, Manny. That is really funny. We were doing the Polka from Schwanda the Bagpiper in our past concert with winds, and I was on flugel. It was our first rehearsal on the piece. Never having played the piece before, I was unaware of the G.P. at the end before the fermata. It was not indicated in my part, either. So we get to the end, I was not watching (yeah, I know, my own fault then), and I layed out the biggest, fattest clam on a 2nd line G you ever heard. You could sell that thing on the Long Island shore for chowder. Right in the dead silence. I think it's still reverberating over there. __________________ -Glenn "Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting

05-11-2006, 01:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
Derek Reaban Mezzo Piano User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tempe, Arizona Posts: 616	John, I was playing on a Pops concert and our Principal player was not able to play the show. The guy that played second in the orchestra was an amazing all around player (studied with Allan Dean at Yale) and was a fantastic jazz soloist. We were sharing the concert with a Jazz choir and they were doing a Duke Ellington Medley with us. During the first rehearsal we got to a section that was “tacet” for the trumpets and he leaned over to me and said, “What’s that say? Take It?” He started playing over the changes and shocked the conductor. She realized how great he sounded and said, “Leave that IN”. I’ll never forget that show! __________________ Derek Reaban Tempe, Arizona

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05-11-2006, 09:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
Manny Laureano Utimate User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: USA Posts: 5,989	Obviously, you confused tacet with "Take it!" Here's a little story that'll make you feel better: I used to conduct a community band here in town many years ago. We were playing a transcription (yes, I played A LOT of transcriptions with them) of the overture to Candide and we got to the Grand Pause which is marked "G.P.". Somebody came in wrong and I explained that it means no one plays in that measure. The tuba player raised his hand and told a story about a timpanist in band he once played in who was not up on his musicological terms, even the more obvious ones. The timpanist asked the tubist what GP meant in the particular piece they were playing. "Oh, that means 'Grand Pound'. It's a special mark for timpani. When we get to that measure, pick a drum and hit it for all you're worth. It's a tradition." Well, it was a grand pound, all right. The word is the conductor still hasn't recovered from the shock. ML

05-11-2006, 01:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
Alex Yates Forte User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 2,405	All of you....thanks for the gut-busting chuckles! John, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in your rehearsal. I can just imagine you proudly playing away........

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