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

[Alan McCoy]

Exactly the situation last December for the Messiah here. The organ and
harpsichord were about 20c apart and the cellists were between the two
trying to decide, as they played, whether to tune up to the organ or down to
the harpsichord. I went up at intermission to talk to the harpsichordist who
jokingly said, the harpsichord is fine, but could you please do something
about that organ!? I left the harpsichord as is. I tried to block out the
organ while listening to the concert. It drove all the musicians and me a
little nutty.

Alan


-- Alan McCoy, RPT
Eastern Washington University
amccoy at mail.ewu.edu
509-359-4627


> From: Fred Sturm <fssturm at unm.edu>
> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 17:02:10 -0600
> To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Touch ups.. (and I ain't talking about makeup)
> 
> 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
>>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>