...I will NEVER EVER PLAY THE 1812 OVERTURE OUTDOORS AGAIN!
...This piece is very hard to play, although we cellos JUST LOVE THE OPENING! If done right, just four cellos start, it is a four part Hymn. Usually, though, the Conductor will divide the entire section...one Conductor would ADD THE VIOLAS!!!!!
One Orchestra I played in had a 'Pops Concert' in a large park as the first concert, and it was fun. Everyone, musicians and the audience, would arrive a few hours early, and picnic or BBQ food, and share and sit and relax. A few merchants would sell food, most of it grilled at the site.
Once, I was there by myself, and I pigged out on what was being sold.
The 1812 Overture was written by Tchaicovsky (sp) to celebrate the victory of the Russians over Napoleons Army. In the last part, He uses tymphony to suggest cannon blasts as the Russians fire them off in triumph. That isn't bad on the stage, but...a conductor had a BRILLIANT IDEA! Since it was an outdoor concert, he arranged for LARGE CARBIDE CANNONS TO DO THE PART! The cannons were setup right beside the raised stage where the cellos were. We had rehearsed there the day before, but the cannons weren't fired. We had a great concert, the 1812 was the last piece. The music was fun, we had a number of singers, and we were all tired and relaxed as we got to the 1812. We had performed popular songs, patriotic music, and easy, inspiring music.
It went fine in the 1st part...the Conductor went by the score...and I was happy...I played the 2nd cello part. We were 'miked' and none of us four flubbed a note. We got through the very difficult middle part, it portrays the actual battle...you can just imagine Men fighting...and dying.
We then moved into the 'Celebration' finish...and those GD CANNONS JOINED THE CONCERT!!!!!!!!!!!! The violist sitting next to me would SCREAM as each one went off. I will swear, to this day, that Pavane...my cello...would completely JUMP APART at each blast! He would get back together very quickly. Well...maybe I exaggerate that part...but a string instrument is very delicate and a big hunk of lumber like a cello picks up any sound very well. Always, while I was resting...I could feel him vibrating as other instruments played.
But, when those damn cannon went off, he was jumping between my legs!
We got through the concert, the audience loved the piece...we musicians were a bit shaken as we stood...I kept stroking Pavanes' shoulder and whispering..."It is over...it is over...it is over!"
It was quite a concert.
