Saturday, July 29, 2006

Don't Forget the Little Guy


I had the opportunity to experience the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as they performed the famous Symphony No. 9 of Beethoven. That particular composition has always been one of my favorites and I was thrilled at the chance to see it being performed live at the Strathmore! Thanks so much to Staci and Charles Schwab for the tickets! It's such a thrill to see a symphony I had heard on CD so many times being performed live.

Seeing a full orchestra and a chorus of approximately 150 people gives new light and revelation to just how complex the performance of a symphony is. You also come to realize just what level of practice and perfection is involved in such a thing. Watching the string section bring out notes of varying volume, the majesty of the woodwinds and brass section giving instrumental voice to the chorus that eventually joined the music. It made me fondly remember the days when I played violin in the school orchestra. I played for a couple of years until finally giving up since I was eventually the only string player for the entire school. There's a difference between being a soloist due to skill versus being a soloist due to lack of other interest!

Still, as I watched the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra draw forth inspiration and play the wonderful number 9, I also realized that there are many other instruments that don't get much prominence yet play an integral role. After the concert I began to wonder how those musicians finally got to play those instruments. I mean some of the more popular instruments like the sax, trumpet or violin are obvious choices. So are the flute and clarinet. But what about the bassoon or even the triangle? How do you get into that!?!

I knew that the triangle has a small role in the final movement of the symphony but I sat in wonder as the triangle player (a trianglist?) sat for over an hour waiting for his cue. He sat and sat and sat. At least the four vocal soloists had time to relax backstage until the third movement began and were sitting face forward for only fifteen minutes before their time to shine. But the triangle player remained on stage throughout. Maybe they didn't want to draw attention to the fact that he was there? I mean here come the soloists and then there's the triangle guy... I guess that would be a bit.... odd.

Still and all, the symphony wouldn't have been complete had he not been there. It may have been for less than thirty seconds, but the great Beethoven added that little bit for the triangle guy. Maybe the immortal beloved he wrote of in his final cryptic letter was not a woman, maybe it was an instrument that he loved yet felt that was underutilized. Maybe the triangle was one of the simplest instruments he first mastered and decided to give it a moment to shine in his greatest work. He often referred to the ninth symphony as his greatest work. It's probably all the more special for the triangle guy since he has a moment of solo glory in the work as well. I guess it's good never to forget the little guy!

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