#ecstatic waters

I look around and everyone seems to have nice clarinets and I have my E11 and its all dirty and a little messed up on the throat tones. I need to ask to borrow a good one..next semester. 

Last night was the last wind ensemble concert of the year, and amazingly what a way to go. It was sweet and short, but jam packed with action. My teacher, Ian Greitzer, stole the show as usual. In the first song, The National Game March by Sousa, Ian dressed up as a Red Sox baseball player and cracked a bat against a piece of wood for a special effect. I didn't play that song- I got to watch from the side lines. Wish I took a picture! But hopefully the memory will stay with me. Then he had that huge solo in Steven Bryant's Ecstatic Waters and it was fantastic. I can proudly say that when it was my turn to do a duet with him during that movement (I was the clarinet solo's echo) I didn't crack any of the notes and I was so happy about that.

Ecstatic Waters was amazing, and so was the Husa Al Fresco, conducted by Steven Bryant's wife, Verena. She is such a beautiful conductor. What I liked about her was how into it she got and how expressive she is with her style. It was very enjoyable playing with her, and Verena was definitely one of the better guest conductors we've had.

The Bryants are both some of the nicest people I've met. I loved talking with them- I even went out with them to Greg's Restaurant afterward just to talk with them more. Verena was happy with my contrabassoon solos and Steven was happy with my little clarinet echo (I was on double duty last night!). They let me take pictures with them- way too many pictures with them. I said I would and I did!

Rob and Shelly Franzblau in the back. Verena and Steven Bryant in the front.

Steven Bryant and me (I'm winking. Ah well!).

Verena Moesenbichler-Bryant and me (I REALLY like this picture!).

For the last concert this year in Wind Ensemble we are playing a piece by Steven Bryant, Ecstatic Waters. We are also playing a piece by, who I imagine is his dear composer friend, Eric Whitacre (October, a gorgeous piece, go listen now seirously). I've been kind of a casual fan of both of them, as I've played other pieces by them and always liked how... modern it sounds. I know that's not the best description, but there's something about the crystalline chords that Bryant uses, the uses of the woodwinds as sparkly decoration, the sweeping and not overbearing melodious lines that just screams twentieth century- it's magic, I love it.

So as this is the last week of preparation for the concert, our band director flew Steven Bryant in to work with us.

...I honestly didn't think he could do things like that!

It was just as entertaining to listen to Bryant talk about his music, let alone play it! He explains that his titles are chosen from quotes he hears in songs or reads in books or other forms of media, takes them and saves them in a word document and uses them later. Many of the titles for Ecstatic Waters have to do with contradictions, like "The Generous Wrath of Simple Men" (in this movement, the soft woodwinds are coupled with electronic tracks) or "The Loving Machinery of Justice" (a very long and beautiful clarinet solo played by my teacher, Ian Greitzer, is amplified and made "bubbly," and is also accompanied by electronic tracks). It's a very interesting and intelligent piece, and I just love playing it.

On top of this, Bryant's wife will be guest conducting another song we'll be playing, Al Fresco by Husa. I play contra-bassoon on that- I feel so awesome and manly when I play it, it's awesome (I am a girl, I assure you).