RE: [Harp-L] Grapes of Wrath

[Noah Hoehn <nhoehn@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I happen to know the original player who played the world premiere with The Minnesota Opera and is on the PS Classics recording.  I happen to know that he worked very hard on his parts because he is... me!  It was a challenge for me to learn the music and it took me a few weeks to hone the parts.  During the first rehearsal Ricky Ian Gordon (for harp-l he's the composer) pulled me aside and was made it clear that he was very happy with my playing and admitted that he was relieved that the harmonica player MNO hired could play the part.  He also asked that I be amplified from that point forward to be heard.

All in all it was a wonderful experience to play with the orchestra.  It was music that stretched me and I worked at it.  By the time rehearsals began I was marking notes in my music about tone, dynamics and phrasing because as you mentioned, most of the parts are doubled.

The reaction from Ricky, Eric (the director) the opera staff and the players around me was all positive and I'm curious to know why you assumed the "original player probably couldn't read"?  I'm a classically trained percussionist, I did read all 58 pages of the music, and I did play mostly chromatic and switched to diatonic where necessary.  I also have listened to and played enough classical music to know that my playing probably is around a C+ at best so I'm not asking the question to be defensive.  I would honestly like to know and I think the list might learn something from your answer.

Thanks!
Noah



> From: bon@xxxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 12:09:31 -0500
> Subject: [Harp-L] Grapes of Wrath
> 
> I will be playing in the pit orchestra Grapes of Wrath at Carnegie  
> Hall at March 22nd at 8:00 PM.  Chromatic, Diatonic and Bass Harmonica  
> - mostly doubled and covered by other winds and brass so not  
> featured.  Whoever was the original player probably couldn't read so  
> they covered all his parts with a double - pity!!  Needs some nice  
> harmonica solos.
> 
> And BTW Danny, I can read bass clef just fine, but I am by no means a  
> real bass harmonica player!!  Like blowing into the Holland Tunnel to  
> play bass.
> 
> Harmonically yours,
> 
> Robert
> http://www.robertbonfiglio.com
> 
> 
> 
 		 	   		  
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