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I saw our resident Russian violist, Leonid Gotman, in the musician's
lounge in a break between Kalinnikov and Prokofiev. He told me how
honored he was that David Robertson would dedicate a whole season of
music to him.
"There was some talk of calling it the Leonid Festival," I said.
"That's all right," Leonid assured me. "I already have the meteor shower."
*******
Before David Robertson gave the downbeat for Lt. Kije, Tom Drake was setting up his music stand backstage, where he is playing the off-stage trumpet part.
"It looks like you really don't play well with others," I said.
"It's amazing to me that after all these years they've finally figured that out," Tom said.
*******
Joshua
Bell graciously agreed to a brief interview with Christian Cudnik of
St. Louis Public Radio immediately after the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
rehearsal. The folks from the station had been spending much of the
afternoon setting up for the first live broadcast Saturday night on
90.7FM KWMU (click here to listen over the internet).
The last time I saw Bell perform live was a knockout show at the Sheldon with Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush and Mike Marshall on the Short Trip Home tour. But this was my first time seeing him up close.
I
thought of how the first critics of Tchaikovsky's concerto complained
of its unlovliness, that it was a work written to make the violin black
and blue. Bell's Stradivarius is in fine shape, but Bell not only
exhibited the violin hickey, but a long bruise near his collarbone. This
is no business for the delicate.
*******
Trumpet player Mike
Walk and I were waiting outside the Hall for our respective spouses
after a long day. He was on his way to the Padres-Cardinals game. I
asked if he'd played with Bell before.
Yes, when Mike was with the Arizona Symphony. He also noted how hard Bell worked. "He worked up a sweat in minutes."
While
we were waiting one of the Henchmen went by, and Mike thanked him for
helping to build a small support behind Mike's chair.
"I like
distance between me and my stand," Mike explained. "I need to feel space
around me to play." He held an imaginary trumpet and stood with his
arms scrunched in close to his sides. "I'm not comfortable playing like
that."
Mike had been scooting his chair farther back, which meant
the orchestra was in danger of losing one of its trumpeters off the
high riser. So the Henchmen built a small guard to keep Mike from going
over the edge.
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