Posted by Chuck Jackson on February 12, 2003 at 18:01:30:
In Reply to: Be careful what you ask for! posted by Mark F. on February 11, 2003 at 20:36:09:
"Babar" is a little harder than it looks, especially on the 2nd page. You have to come in on a Bb on top of the staff. The trombone has a solo before you. The Bb is the 7th of the chord and there is no way to get the pitch in your head as the prevailing harmony of the trombone solo, I think, is in D or E. I touched the note real soft right before it. The following sextuplets are not as fast as you want to play them, they are quite drawn out. Watch the intervals after the run and prepare for the next one, more of the same. This solo is VERY exposed, but should be played out. I think there is one instance in the rest of the piece of having to pick off a high E and one of picking off a pedal E. The orchestration is small. I hope you are doing it with narration, it is quite charming. I enjoyed the piece, but it is a little nerve wracking. I, IMHO, would prefer to play the piece now on F as I did it on an Alex CC when I last performed it and really had to hold back. Good Luck, you will really like the piece. The Berlioz is the Berlioz, lengths of boredom followed by moments of sheer terror. Peace.