R.A.S.

If you get the broadcasts of the Minnesota Orchestra on your local NPR radio station, don't miss Mahler's Fifth - tonight at 8:00 Central Time.
Manny has a way of overwhelming you each and every time!

Eclipsehornplayer

Wish I could hear it.....

I'll have to watch for the posts.

Alex Yates

Thank goodness for the time difference. I have a rehearsal tonight and will be finished just in time for the Mahler. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Play purdy as always Manny.

John, you can stream it on your computer. Mahler will start around 10 PM EST.

Jimi Michiel

I went yesterday morning and should add that it would be worth everyone's time to catch Dawn Upshaw on the first half of the concert. She is amazing. Looking forward to tonight....

-Jimi

Clarino

I believe MPR has a listen again feature. It should be possible for you (and me) to listen to this performance soon.

matthoffner

I went to the concert tonight and it was great! Bravo to Manny on a very inspiring performance.

Manny Laureano

Thanks, guys, it was a fun week but not without its challenges. Osmo's interpretation was rather singular, to put it mildly. many parts of it were slower than we're all used to and so we had to adjust to a very different flow. You know, places where you're not used to hesitating suddenly you're puting on the brakes... places where you're used to going a certain direction with dynamics you go a whole 'nother way... so, you grow and show some flexibility.

Something very cute happened after last night's show I wanted to share:

So, we finished the performance and everybody was hooting and hollering when our second 'bone player, Kari Sundstrom, started laughing and pointing to the third tier, "Check it out!". We looked up and there was a HUGE banner that said "We love (heart) BRASS"! Apparently, some students from St. Olaf had gotten tickets for the front row of the third tier and had this planned for a while. It was very sweet and we got a kick out of it. Thanks, you Olies!

Back to the larger point, though... it's really important for all of you that are considering an orchestral career how flexibility must be a part of your musical makeup. without that you will be a very unhappy player because your hands will all feel tied. Ask Wilmer and he'll tell you the same. He has produced a long and beautiful career using that characteristic. It's about attitude, really. You have to have a good attitude about change. You can always find some common ground if you really try without giving up your musical personality.

ML

Rimshot

Heard over internet, it was definitely a "different", and flexible interpretation, aided by wonderful execution. I guess those who liked it probably having a leaning toward rhapsodic, spontaneous Mahler; those who maybe didn't, might have found the abrupt shifts rather arbitrary or jolting.

Nonetheless, different strokes...

I do have two questions:

1) What horn were you playing? Sounded very assertive (over the internet feed, such as that is), and very "present", indeed.

2) Who dictated the style for the triplets in the first movement? Honestly, I think I counted at least 3, maybe four different speeds and articulations from the various sections--guess I'm used to consistency with those grouped-up little buggers.

Manny Laureano

Rimshot,

I was playing Dave's XLT Prana C trumpet. It's a horn I've been playing for about a month at Osmo's request. He contends that my sound continues to expand without showing any breaking point, so, it feels unnatural to him. Now, I've never had a conductor say that to me but he's the boss and if the boss ain't happy, don't nobody be happy. It's got fewer lows than I'm accustomed to but it still retains all the other good qualities of Dave's horns.

As to the triplets...well, let's be delicate about this. We're playing Mahler with a very good conductor who's not known for conducting Mahler. We have to get used to what he does and depending on where you sit in the orchestra you'll have a little different perspective on how to play those triplets. If you play them by yourself or if you play them with other people you adjust slightly. It's a heck of a lot easier to maintain a consistency when the tempo is faster but clearly his tempi are slower for the bulk of the first movement. Now, throw in the idea of a triplet that is somewhat subject to interpretation and you have one hundred plus people all trying to find their way. Also, remember: you were listening to a live, unedited performance with all of the ingredients mentioned above. You get one shot and if it doesn't happen on one night, well, you try and get the ensemble to do what you want the next show. It's a process of absorbing an interpretation and getting it under your belt so it sounds natural eventually. That's our job; to act as advocates for the conductor du jour. His job is to act as advocate for the composer.

Thanks for listening!

ML[/b]

micahwilkinson

Hey Manny,
Great job again on Thursday and Friday - unfortunately I couldn't make it Saturday. It was time to practice. It sure was funny seeing my friends plan the post concert celebration sign, etc. It's nice to have fun, and I'm glad it was received well by the orchestra members.
See you soon, I'm sure!
Micah