After 22 years I had a phone call from somebody I knew in the area when I was organist at a particular church. They sing in a Ladies' choir and their pianist has let them down. Was I available on July 8th? Could I come to rehearse on July 4th? 'Yes' to the first 'Difficult' to the second. The phone call ended with me saying they could ring back if no other enquiries were fruitful.
The phone went again 30 minutes later and arrangements were made to bring round some music the next evening; the original pianist had the music in London and would return it - sometime.
As I guessed, the music (some 100 minutes worth) consisted entirely of photocopies in plastic wallets in a ring binder; not very legible photocopies at that. Some had the DO NOT PHOTOCOPY logo on them.
Well it isn't my business but it makes me sick. I appreciate music is expensive but photocopying is one reason why originals are expensive.
I have to work until 7.45pm and then drive 9 miles to their rehearsal on Monday. I will have spent the day at Alton Towers with my choir as their annual treat; I shall be tired. The Ladies' choir usually stops rehearsing at 8.30 but they will stay until 9pm to get about an hour with me. I had asked the conductress (whose phone number I was given, she didn't phone me!) to spend more time with me herself so at least she and I know that I will play the music how she wants. She has not leapt at this suggestion so it seems some items will be put together on the day in the concert as there is no warm-up at the venue.
The musicians amongst you will know all this is bizarre. You will also sympathise when I say there are cuts and repeats in some items which make it seem like playing spaghetti. You will say I am mad. I shall agree. However, it has flexed my musical brain and done me some good. I may let you know how it goes.
3 comments:
Playing spaghetti? Sounds an intriguing experience to say the least... and a test of your skills. I have no doubt you will rise to the challenge.
While I appreciate musical challenges, I do not appreciate the kind of disrespect of time and talents and energy shown by the conductor of this group. As I have grown to become in recent years, had it been me in your shoes, I'd have offered some rather sharp words of rebuke and then offered a lesson in what abuse of time, talent and energy results in: my refusal to be abused so.
But that's just me. I am not in your shoes. YMMV. :-)
As for the photocopying. *sigh* My last gig for a year teaching instrumental music resulted in the burning of EIGHT file cabinet drawers full of photocopies of music that were begging for fines in the many thousands of dollars range. Administration didn't appreciate it, but when I offered to report the existence of the illegal copies and resign rather than have them under my "care" (or ANYWHERE in the district!) admin folded.
I left at year's end anyway, as the rest of the situation was just as toxic. *sigh*
It's even relatively easy to make arrangements to make "emergency" copies with many (OK, perhaps just some :-)) publishers, nowadays--sometimes even simply with a phone call and offer of royalties tendered--so having unlicensed copies is inexcusable. If too few legitimate copies are available and no arrangements can be made, there are other options, among them the obvious: NOT rehearsing or performing the piece(s) in question until enough copies can be legally obtained to do so. (Another reason I'd probably have given the gig a bye.)
Steve: I spent time unwinding the stuff first.
David: I agree with all you say; it wasn't the conductor who contacted me so I didn't feel I was doing her a favour.
Post a Comment