BBC Blog Network

User Profile

Allisoncello

Listed below are comments made by Allisoncello between Wednesday, 17th September 2008 and Friday, 14th November 2008.

«Newer
Older»

Are we all happy, now? 11:47am on 14 Nov 2008 Of course they're genuine! Can we have Mr. October back?

Allison
Reply to your replies 9:20pm on 13 Oct 2008 Hallo Anthony,
Do you feel your regular Thursday night audiences are reticent or inhibited, especially in their appreciation? I mean, more so than, for instance, the Saturday night modern music event? I admit I wasn't there-sorry-I was at Mahler 5 in the Concert Hall. Which, by the way, was fine-it was a thoroughly enjoyable concert, and earned five stars in the Herald review. But which, to my mind anyway, was nothing like as exciting and electrifying as your Mahler 5 last season, which seemed to grab the audience, give it a really good shaking, and turned it out, exhausted, happy and exhilarated. And only got three stars. Perhaps I am missing something. Anyway, I come to nearly all your concerts, and think you are a great band, and I don't usually detect inhibition or restraint in the audience's response. Your audiences seem to really love you. The City Halls is a fabulous venue-I was talking on Saturday night to someone else who had also been to both Mahler 5s, and we wondered if part of the incredible atmosphere was in the venue-the concert hall is a bit of a barn, isn't it, but your hall is amazing, with a great acoustic. By the way, your Sheherazade was terrific, the cellos sounded fantastic, and you made a great job of the Noon Day Witch!
on the bill with Beethoven 9 11:10pm on 26 Sep 2008 I was at both Proms in the Park and the Beethoven 9 concert last night and they were both thoroughly enjoyable. Anthony's comments re the Proms in the Park suggest to me that he doesn't enjoy playing at the event (although I may have picked you up wrongly, Anthony, and I apologise if I have). We have been so lucky with the weather the past two years anyway; both nights have been fine, mild, and, crucially, dry. A huge percentage of the people coming along are almost certainly never through the doors of a traditional classical concert, but that's because the Proms in the Park isn't a traditional classical concert. I think it's great that lots of the audience are getting at least something of a taster of how great orchestra music is, even if it isn't 'high-falutin' stuff!! Additionally, it's free. The atmosphere in Glasgow Green is wonderful, and whichever element of the concert you're there for, you just accept the rest-it's just part of the night. Nobody minds if you chat with your friend, everybody's got a picnic and a bottle, and everyone is in a good mood. I suspect it is not so much fun for the band. Like Lesley and Karen, I was there mainly for the orchestral music, but the whole night is a package, always enjoyable. I wouldn't want to go to the Albert Hall last night, even though their audience is made up of regular concert-goers-you have to book tickets for a number of other Proms concerts before they will even put you in the ballot for the Last Night tickets.

And I have to agree completely with what has already been said re last night's opening concert-it was tremendous, and hope Aberdeen enjoys it as much tonight. We are really lucky in Glasgow to be served by so many top-class orchestras.

Allison
Scary Mary 11:39am on 22 Sep 2008 The SSO players who come and play with us get a bit of an education in inventive intonation, a bit of a headache if they sit too close to the brass and a drink bought for them if they come to the pub afterwards. You can't ask for more really. I don't think there can be a friendlier, less intimidating or more encouraging orchestra in the land.

I would never, ever suggest that our brass section plays too loudly. On the contrary, they are the salt of the earth, and piano is their middle name. I think they are just great and the cello section can hear them just fine. You're doing a grand job up the back there! Please don't blow any harder!

I was wondering what we are going to get to play next session. Louise's choice of music so far has been great. Do you think she would take requests? What would you all like to play? On second thoughts, I am not sure about the wisdom of taking the orchestra's opinion into account-Louise having admitted once she is scared of the brass section, we might end up doing nothing but trumpet concertos!

See you Tues.

Allison
Clarinet on the Town.... 11:33am on 17 Sep 2008 Well, we have been told to blog. So I’m blogging! Week 4 of 7 already and the music is beginning to blossom-well, a bit. Last week we were a bit thin on the ground-there seemed to be a few people away or off sick, including the first violin and our principal cello. This has fairly major issues for us in the cello section, because there are sections of our music that only Pamela can play. When we get to runs of fast hemi semi quavers, brutal arpeggios or just plain undoable shifts, the rest of us just pretend like fury and Pamela just has to play for all six of us. She does so well that the section collapses when she isn’t there. Well, last Tuesday she wasn’t there, and neither were two of the others, so we were reduced to three. And in comes Jeremy Bushell, the SSO player who has been railroaded into soloing with us in our concert when we play some of Strauss’ horn concerto. Now some of this involves horn and cello. Just horn and cello. In the absence of Pamela, that means…just horn, really. Oh dear. Jeremy played gamely through the movement, and we all played happily along beside him, and we did finish together-ish, but I suspect he is bitterly regretting agreeing to get involved with us. He popped in last night for a word with Louise, probably to tell her that his professional reputation would be forever wrecked if he was associated with us, especially since the cello section seemed a bit unprepared! Happily Louise seemed to be having none of it, so he is stuck with us. I suspect we will have improved a bit come December.

Last night, things were much better. Lots of players, including the full cello complement (which had actually fallen to five since the week before). Just as we were due to start, in came Ilan Volkov. Louise explained to us that Ilan wanted to hear us play, and we all started to laugh, partly in panic. Louise was completely unfazed by the appearance of the SSO’s chief conductor; she was already performing under the watchful eye of her mum, who was sitting in the corner supervising. I think the orchestra was a bit thrown though. Ilan is conducting our concert in December, so presumably he wanted to hear just what it was he was going to have to deal with. Well, we crashed our way through Finlandia for Ilan’s benefit. Some of us have only played that once ever in our lives. The brass had a great time. They hang about up the back, make as much noise as they can, and can’t even spell piano. Ilan looked a bit shellshocked. I suppose when you’re used to working with the SSO, our enthusiastic anarchy must come as a bit of a jolt. Or maybe he was just really impressed-we can play all sorts of notes that he’s never heard in his life from the SSO! After all, the Sunday Times reviewed us as being 'simply wonderful'.
It is amazing how much our orchestra improves over time, given the mix of abilities that makes it up. But most of all, it never ceases to amaze me how much fun it is.

Allison from cellos

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

Allisoncello