I did a concert this evening for the St.Bartholomew's Chamber Orchestra in Norbury.
They roped me in about a month ago, but since then, they have had another bassoonist join them, but they still wanted me to turn up because they were short of a double bass player and a bass trombone player.
I went to the 6:15pm rehearsal, so I at least knew how each piece started and ended and this is what I ended up playing:
Sibelius - Finlandia - 1st bassoon - the first bassoonist was worried that her lip wouldn't last, so I played first bassoon in the Sibelius while she was a "double bass".
Faure - Elegy for 'Cello - "double bass" - the final note in the piece is a double bass solo, so it was important that the part got played, and I got my "moment of glory":-)
Elgar - Three Bavarian Dances - "double bass"
Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite - "bass trombone" - the double bass doubles the cellos in this. If I'd had a contrabassoon, it could have been worth playing as it would have been down the octave where the double bass would play it, but on the bassoon, I wouldn't have been adding anything. However, there was a distinct bass trombone part, so I was able to add that line to the performance.
The concert was raising money for "Crisis", who are a charity who work with the homeless. It was reasonably well attended, so I expect they raised several hundred pounds.
Helen
Last Revised: 15th July, 2001.