...Izee's Thread

[RAGNAR]

Balance sis... balance.

[Izee]

...My outburst to the cello section was inspired by the Conductor of the semi-professional orchestra I played in.     He was "Old School"...he was the dictator, and we did as he ordered.     During a rehearsal of this work...we strings did the dramatic opening...and then the French Horns just limped in...   The Conductor stopped us, and TOTALLY chewed the Horns out!!!      He said pretty much the same thing..."THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS WORKS FOR HORNS, AND MOST FAMOUS PASSAGE IN HISTORY!!!  PLAY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  When we started again...they BLASTED THE STAGE...and he smiled and nodded, and we kept playing.

...https://youtu.be/vHqtJH2f1Yk

[Izee]

...I just need to tell this tale...of the "good Izee'  Typist 

...One of my careers was as the CFO of a vertically integrated road construction company.     We owned several Corporations, that were Construction related, and we also owned rock quarries and asphaltic concrete plants.     If we had owned oil wells and a refinery, we wouldn't have needed to buy anything from anyone!!!  I just sat on my butt in the M.O., and did the numbers every day.  But, every few months, I would travel to all of the Subsidiaries, and look at their books, and walk around the facility.  I did my best to be pleasant, but once I overheard a Foreman saying..."Shit, there is that brown Bitch!"  I just smiled, and walked by.

...I always wanted to learn more about the business...I could keep the books better.  Once, I told the Owner that I wanted to see how the Rock Quarry worked, and he smiled, and nodded.  I got a call from the Manager, and drove out to the Quarry.  The Manager greeted me, and gave me a helmet!!!  It was BRAND NEW...WHITE...WITH THE INSIGNIA OF THE COMPANY ON IT...AND I REALLY LIKED IT!  (After all, I was just a 'beancounter'...worst thing that could happen to me was to get a paper cut when I was sitting at my desk)  He drove me to the quarry, and I followed him as he showed me the Men drilling deep holes into the side of the granite cliff.  I was actually handed one of the explosive charges, and held it, and really wondered how such a small thing could bring down a wall of solid rock.  We then got a safe distance away, and he handed me a set of earmuffs, and said..."This is very loud".  Well...IT WAS!!!  I swear that I felt my brain shaking inside of my skull!     He took me back to the quarry, and we walked around for a few minutes, and then he said, "The 980's are coming in."  I grabbed a piece of rock, and thanked him, and drove back to the M.O.  I kept the rock on my desk...it reminded me of what we did.   

[Izee]

...Being me...I just didn't feel right sitting in an office and writing numbers down on paper...especially with such an interesting company.  The Owner bought me a Company Car...it was a MERCEDES!!!!  He had one, too...and was a 760...mine was a diesel 240D...   In a cold morning, I would crank on the starter, and then just sit back and get the glowtube going...and try again.  It would take a while.     But, I learned a lot about road construction.  Once, a crew was in the area where I lived...and I came home and saw that my driveway had been repaved...I had not ordered it.      I told the crew to just relax, and drove away, and returned with a lot of BBQ ribs, and a case of beer.  We all sat on my patio, and ate and drank, and they told me stories.   

[Izee]

...We had a rock quarry outside of Reno, Nevada...and it was losing money.  I sat in my office, and pored over the numbers...and they just didn't make sense!!!  I told the Owner, "I need to go see what is going on."  He nodded, and I drove to Reno.  I checked into a nice Hotel...lost $50 at baccarat...and soaked in the hot tub, and went to bed.  I drove to the quarry, and greeted the Manager, and walked out into the quarry.   

...I saw the problem, immediately...they were overstating their inventory!!!  Now, think of HUGE piles of gravel and sand...in various sizes...tall as a building!!!  Thing is, I had AUDITED piles of gravel...I had watched as surveyors measured them, and told me how many tons of gravel was in them.  I walked around these, and then called the Owner, and said that I was going to measure them.  He gave me the authority, and I hired a surveyor, and helped.  I climbed up the sides of gravel, and held a staff, and then walked to where he directed me, next. It was well over 100 degrees...and I was happy to get back to the hotel.  I soaked in the jacuzzi for a while, and had room service bring me a grilled sole.

...The next day...

[Izee]

...I sat with the Manager, and his clerk, and said..."Your inventory is overstated...I am writing it down to about 1/8th of what you have been reporting...that is going to cause a HUGE loss for your company,"  The Manager just nodded, and left.  I sat with the clerk, and got a bit angry.  "How the HELL did you keep reporting that your inventory was increasing?"  He just said, "Hey, the managers tell me that the plant creates ...tons of gravel an hour...I just add that to the inventory...and subtract what is hauled out."  I got frustrated, and said..."You do have records, each day, from the Foremans' reports of what is actually processed, don't you?"  He just said, "I never look at those."  ((I spent two days there, and got him to use the Foremans' reports to accurately record what was being processed.)) 

...During that time, I visited the Manager at his home, I asked him how he was doing.  I was worried about him...he had been a good manager.  He looked very tired, he was in his 60's, and he said that he was just having health problems.  I looked him over, and explained the Company Health and Pension Plan...I was a Trustee of both.  He took a health leave...and then a disability retirement...he had a medical condition that affected his ability to walk...and to focus his mind.  I wrote a check each month to him...and the others on the plan. 

...Years later, I was in the town on other business...I had changed jobs, and spotted him at the restaurant.  I walked over, and greeted him...he wasn't very clear.  I left, and ate a burger from McD at my motel...

[Izee]

...Izee' finds the Manager of the Stable at the Point...and speaks to him about repairing her wagon...

...https://youtu.be/1j-76eLz1hc

[Izee]

...Izee' is called to assist an Ambassador from the Turians...she does...

...https://youtu.be/s9UJOgC0Qjk

[Izee]

...I just LOVE this work.  I know that I have posted parts of it before, but this is what I think, in the past few years, when I listen to it.     Music is alive to me...when I have left the stage after a performance...I was full of energy.     But, I often didn't walk onto the stage feeling well.  Once, during a very heavy windstorm at the Conservatory...I walked, in my heels, carrying my cello...my hair and makeup being TOTALLY destroyed...and walked slowly through a bunch of trees...thinking that it would be nice if a branch fell on me...and I could limp in and just say that I couldn't play the opening to the 'William Tell Overature!     It is a real BITCH KITTY to play!!!!...and it is just you at the start!!!!      Anyway, my wish was not fulfilled...and I played the damn thing...and was asked to stand three times at the end of the concert for aupplause directed at me!!!  I was covered in sweat...and was actually using my cello as kind of a cane...so I guess that it went well.   

...Here is the magnificent work...

...https://youtu.be/sUgoBb8m1eE


...My analysis...below...

[Izee]

...The opening is very sad, Tuchuk had been ambushed by Turians...and the Tuchuk are collecting their dead.  The Warriors gather at 1:30, and get ready at 2:00.  They bid their farewells at 2:30, and at 3:00 they ride out to confront the Turians.  At 3:45, a Warrior thinks of His woman.  He returns at 4:20, and she is happy...they set out to ride.  At 5:25. they come across the battlefield, and she cries, seeing the Tuchuk on the ground. 6:50 comes, and the Ubar orders ALL of the Warriors to ready...and they ride.  The women are cleaning the Camp at 9:00, and at 11:00 they respectfully dispose of the dead, and comfort the children.

…(Finish later)

[Izee]

...I screwed up...here is the Overature...

...https://youtu.be/DVudBHoysXI

[Izee]

...But, here is a wonderful performance of Finlandia.  One of the most dramatic works...IMHO.  Do notice how each type of instrument brings out a certain emotion.  The Brass, at the start, are HEROIC!!!  as only Brass can be!      The woodwinds are more introspective, and thoughtful, and the strings just tear at your heart.  Then, the human voices let you imagine that you can do the same.  When they ALL come together...Well...

...https://youtu.be/fE0RbPsC9uE

[Izee]

...Here is Holst..."The Planets"     I was in the Community Orchestra, 1st chair, when we played this.  I had played it before, sitting in the section, at the Conservatory...and I just LOVED the work.  I worked on my solos, and did well.     This video is very nice, it focusses on the young performers, and you can see that they are captivated by the music.  At that age, someone interested in playing an instrument , actually 'feels' the music, and can, by their face, express what they are playing.  My Father, (Bless His Memory), wasn't into classical music.  Once, as He drove me back home after I did a recital, asked..."Why did you make all of those funny faces?"  I just said, "I was feeling the music."  and didn't say anything more.

...When we performed this, I practiced where the cellos had the melody, and tried different ways to play it.     I mean, look at a cello...you have this blank piece of lumber, and you can put your fingers all over it...but the NOTE is in only a few places.     You can place your 1st finger on the A string to play a B natural...or you can slide up the D string to 5th position, and drop your 3rd finger down to hit the same note.     I tried one passage, and decided that it sounded more dramatic if I slid up the D string to hit an F natural, and marked my part.  The conductor stopped us, during a rehearsal, and said...(He was a cellist)… "Just cross to the A string to hit the F,  it is cleaner."  I nodded...The rest of the rehearsals, I played it, and my section followed, as he suggested.   

..And then came THE PERFORMANCE!!!!   

...I looked over my shoulder as we approached the melody...and the other cellists grinned at me...AND WE PLAYED IT AS I HAD FINGERED IT...SLIDING UP THE D STRING!!!!       The Conductor looked at me...and I just gave him my best..."I am the Leader of the Cellos" look...and we played it the same way when the repeat came up.  He did have words for me, later...and I just dropped out of the Orchestra.      I wanted to have fun, and figured that I should have the authority to suggest fingerings, although I always watched the Concert Mistress, and would adjust my bowings so that we cellos blended with her  violins.   

…The Conductor did call me the next year, and said..."Hey, I really need you, kids are dropping out, they say that it is no fun playing in the section."  I nodded, I always tried to encourage the kids to attend and study...I would bring candy and such, to rehearsals...and actually rehearsed when to eat!     Once, when we had a 60 measure rest, the conductor looked at the cellos, as the rest of the Orchestra was playing...and we were ALL chewing on chocolate bars!!!      He continued, but said..."You do that at a Concert, and I will bust you to LIBRARIAN!!!  You will just hand out the music...sit in the Wings...and pick it up,,,after the concert!!!"   

...I did return...and He was a bit more light.  I would follow His instructions on bowings...the note shaping is so different, depending on how you bow...but he let me suggest fingerings to the rest of the section.   

…This is such a POWERFULL WORK!!!!!   

...https://youtu.be/be7uEyyNIT4

[RAGNAR]

My conductors never liked my fingerings. Being a percussionist, when I threw the conductor a finger, it really was ONE finger and there was no mistaking my meaning.

[Izee]

...Funny story about the Subsidiary Rock Quarry in Reno, Nevada.     I was there for a couple days, auditing their books and helping out.  It got to lunchtime, and I invited the Office Manager to join me...it was a very friendly invitation...he was a good Manager, and I wasn't finding anything improper.  I asked him where a good restaurant was, and he grinned and pointed over his shoulder, and said, "We can go there, they have a kitchen."  My eyes got a bit wide...there was a very notorious Brothel just across the road... ...I asked..."Do they serve women?"

...He laughed, and said, "Yes, they serve food, too."   

...I got into my Company car and drove into Reno, and ate lunch...alone.  But, I was laughing at times...and later...regretted my decision...

...I mean...How else can a respected, professional woman...see the inside of a whorehouse??