Jac van Steen and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra play Wagner and Rachmaninov

[Hornspieler]

Originally Posted by Hornspieler
I didn't hear the first part of the concerto because of a very important telephone call ...

HS

Originally Posted by johncorrigan
Barack Obama phoned me tonight and said, 'John my government isn't working'... so I told him to shut it down and switch it back on again.

Sorry, couldn't resist

Message #14.

You should think before rushing into print, Martin. That telephone call contained some very grave news.

HS

[Zucchini]

1)...the BSO will be performing in Portsmouth. Are they worth a two hour drive each way in the dark or a train journey to hear them? Be honest please.

If you can get to to London in the same time at the same cost, no. But if you were to go make sure Kirill Karabits is in charge - he's a very fine conductor.

[amateur51]

Message #14.

You should think before rushing into print, Martin. That telephone call contained some very grave news.

HS

I'm sorry to hear that Don.

[Alain Maréchal]

If you can get to to London in the same time at the same cost, no. But if you were to go make sure Kirill Karabits is in charge - he's very fine conductor.

Thank you Zucchini, I can get to London easily by train, also two of the London orchestras appear in Sussex from time to time (plus there's the Brighton Orchestra recently mentioned elsewhere), but I have never heard the BSO and was curious. I know of their great past thanks to recordings.

[Hornspieler]

Portsmouth Guildhall.

I have an old photograph of Gina Bachauer rehearsing with Silvestri and the Bournemouth orchestra on that very stage in 1965.

Silvestri is behind the piano. In the top right corner of the picture, you can see Silvestri's famous quartet of woodwind:

Laurence Beers (flute) Roger Winfield (oboe)
and behind them:
Raymond Carpenter (clarinet) and Eric Butt (bassoon)

I was behind the camera (safest place to be) but my instrument is sitting on one of the chairs.

HS

[pastoralguy]

When the concert hall was first built, our General Manager, Kenneth Matchett, was invited to take a look at the new venuel.
"Very nice," he commented "but how are you going to get that lovely new Steinway, sitting there backstage, on and off the platform?"

There were double doors at either side of the stage, but neither were wide enough to wheel a concert grand piano through. The builders had to return post haste!

HS

As a teenager, I used to wonder how the piano got on and off the stage in the Usher Hall since the stage doors on both sides led to stairs. It wasn't until my fiddle teacher, who was in the SNO, told me that there was a lift in the middle of the stage to facilitate its arrival and departure. Which then raised ( or lowered) the question, why wasn't the piano removed via the lift after the first half to give he players (especially the first fiddles) more room?

I believe that it used to be done until a viola player (!) fell down the hole during the interval of a concert. After that, the hall management said no more!

[edashtav]

Portsmouth Guildhall.



Silvestri is behind the piano. In the top right corner of the picture, you can see Silvestri's famous quartet of woodwind:

Laurence Beers (flute) Roger Winfield (oboe)
and behind them:
Raymond Carpenter (clarinet) and Eric Butt (bassoon)

I was behind the camera (safest place to be) but my instrument is sitting on one of the chairs.

HS

I can add two names, I think. To "young" Ray Carpenter's right Patrick Dingle (2nd Clarinet) and on the front desk of the 2nd Violims, the young chap with the shock of dark hair is long-time BSO servant: Harrington Kidd.
I can remember several visits to Bournemouth by Gina Bachauer:, she was fond of the Grieg and one of the Rach. concerti ( no 3, I feel)

[Hornspieler]

I can add two names, I think. To "young" Ray Carpenter's right Patrick Dingle (2nd Clarinet) and on the front desk of the 2nd Violims, the young chap with the shock of dark hair is long-time BSO servant: Harrington Kidd.
I can remember several visits to Bournemouth by Gina Bachauer:, she was fond of the Grieg and one of the Rach. concerti ( no 3, I feel)

Only half right, Ed.

Pat Dingle (son in law of Hiram Lear, the former principal clarinet of the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra), is still alive and must by now be in his early nineties.

But George Harrington Kidd (and his foul smelling tobacco pipe) is not there. That is Bob Colman, the former Principal second violin and the other player is Bob Growcott, who replaced Bob Colman as Principal.

HS

Check my message #20. I have reinstated the picture of Gina Bachauer and the BSO in Portsmouth

[edashtav]

My eyes are dim I cannot see.
I have not got my specs with me.
I have GEORGE! Not BOB! got my specs with me.

Oh Dear... you're right! So... join the BSO clarinet section and enjoy a long, happy retirement - I seem to remember that Hiram Lear was messing around with local amateur orchestras long after leaving the then) BMO.

How many are in the BSO "Over 90" Club, I wonder, hs?