[CAUT] Touch ups.. (and I ain't talking about makeup)

[Fred Sturm]

Hi Michelle,
	Yes, the intermission harpsichord touchup is a real challenge. Talk  
about getting your ear right inside to try to hear something over the  
din! (playing each note about three times a second helps a bit).  And  
if the stage lights have actually done a big number on pitch - well,  
I confess I just leave it wherever it is, pull in the brass bass  
strings that have gone the farthest and hit the worst of the unisons.  
Worst case scenario is where the instrument got moved to the hall  
just prior to the concert, and is doing its best to adjust to new  
ambient conditions. And they want it to be in tune with the portative  
organ that has gone in the opposite direction.
	You do your best, grin, and call it good enough. (I do try to make  
sure whenever possible that the instrument acclimates at least 24  
hours in the hall before concert. But that can't always happen).
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu



On May 8, 2006, at 2:29 PM, Michelle Stranges wrote:

> Hey Alan and everyone else who chimed in..
>
> Thanx very much for all of your posts.
> I think this is very interesting reading and intermission touch-ups  
> aren't something I see much of anymore.
> (And I think I used to????)
>
> The college I work at rarely has an occasion where I'd need to go  
> up during an intermission- but I'll be honest here...
>
> The reason I sorta posted this subject was because of my recent  
> experience touching up a harpsichord during an all- baroque recital  
> in our concert series.
>
> Thank heavens I had tuned the harpsichord PLENTY up to and right  
> before the concert so that the tuning was quite solid and held well  
> throught the concert..
>
> But CLEARLY, when it was touch-up time at intermission it was  
> almost comical how more time was spent showing the art chairperson  
> what was going on, what the instrument was, and how I *would* try  
> to cook asparagus like she had explained to me earlier that day at  
> lunch.
> (And they set up for the cantata then too...)
>
>  and yeah...
>
> when I was done, three goons I knew in the audience gave me a darn  
> good standing ovation.
>
> Heck yeah I bowed.
>
> :B
> her
>
>
>
> On May 8, 2006, at 3:59 PM, Alan McCoy wrote:
>
>> Hi Michelle,
>>
>> Ditto lots of these comments. Earplugs do help you focus on the  
>> task at hand
>> as well as protect your ears. I use Westone plugs with 9 dB filters.
>>
>> But it is an impossible situation. It is definitely possible to  
>> make an
>> improvement, but it is equally possible to make things a bit worse  
>> than they
>> were before you walked on the stage (to steal the spotlight, geez  
>> Dennis,
>> you must be kidding!!).
>>
>> I only go out if the artist's contract requires it or if I am  
>> otherwise
>> asked to. Our orchestra usually schedules the concerto in one half  
>> or the
>> other, but not both. I go to lots of performances, by choice, and  
>> I have
>> adopted the "what will be, will be" approach. These days I'm less  
>> concerned
>> with unisons going out, than the voice. I have the luxury of  
>> tuning and
>> voicing these instruments (at school and for the orchestra) often  
>> so unisons
>> are normally very solid but the voice does change amazingly fast.  
>> Also
>> listen for zings to attend to next time.
>>
>> Alan
>>
>>
>> -- Alan McCoy, RPT
>> Eastern Washington University
>> amccoy at mail.ewu.edu
>> 509-359-4627
>>
>>
>>> From: Michelle Stranges <stranges at oswego.edu>
>>> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>"  
>>> <caut at ptg.org>
>>> Date: Thu, 04 May 2006 14:24:59 -0400
>>> To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>"  
>>> <caut at ptg.org>
>>> Subject: [CAUT] Touch ups.. (and I ain't talking about makeup)
>>>
>>> I would like to read some chit-chat on how everyone handles
>>> intermission tuning touchups if you have such an occasion to do so.
>>> How many of you do them?
>>> Only at solo piano recitals?
>>> (Does the stage manager bring a curtain across for privacy/quiet.)
>>>
>>>
>>> Welp?
>>>
>>> :B
>>> A concerned citizen
>>>
>>
>