Fieldwork Notes 2

10/8 Rehearsal, 4:00 pm in T.F. Green.

Because the blog doesn’t have the same organizational capabilities that the program that I take notes in does, observations will be in normal type (like this), and my thoughts will be in italics (like this), with my *questions preceded and followed by asterisks.*
I brought my alto because Mike told me the day before that he might not make it because he's sick, but it turns out he was there. I didn't point out that I had it, but it's obvious that I have the ability, at least, to play today.
Sarah is "learning" how to play soprano. She says she likes Tenor as well though, and apparently last Friday was really good on it. It's the Wind Symphony/Jazz Bands.

Marc is late again, but no one is commenting on it

They're standing in a close arc, Tenor, Bari, Soprano, Alto, with Mike facing Marc. *Is this the "standard" standing arrangement for a sax quartet?*

They're talking about different brands of saxophones. Apparently the old Selmer Mark VI's were made from unused ammunition shells.

I chat with Sarah about the project--she took Ethno last year and did her fieldwork on a church choir that she now sings in. She asks me if I feel "creepy." I say no because I know half the members (Mike and Sarah) really well.

New Music: Deer Head Sketches (Phil Woods)
They look over the music, Micah notes that he has a segue to movement 3 but also plays on beat 1 of that movement. Sarah notes that she has an improv. section, and apparently she "can't" do it because Micah tells her that she has to learn, but then says that they can rearrange the parts if need be. He's singing his song on "doo ba doo" syllables.

They wanted to do something before the Wind Symphony concert, but they don't have enough time to get anything to "sound good." They're discussing bringing something back, but don't want to. Mike says to wait…Brian compliments Sarah on her soprano playing, but she deflects the criticism, saying that she just started.

Elixir of Love is being performed by the Opera in the spring. Brian has transcribed the trio (?) for a saxophone ensemble. They're talking about being an on-stage band in the opera (the band is on stage in the opera?), or at least wearing the costumes too?

Brian wants them to warm up into the Phil Woods piece. Mike has a question about a note. Brian: "That's a great question." but decides that it has to be a G natural. Micah looks at it too. Brian looks at the score; says the soprano part is the same way. They conclude that it has to be a G natural. They're talking about the chord structure, how it could be a chord or a cluster. They're going through it part by part, note by note, but decide that it's a G#. But now they're putting it into context by playing the entire measure slowly and decide it's a G natural. Brian comments that it's interesting (the sound/chord).

They're going to sight read it slowly. Someone suggests that they can do it in 4, but Micah says that they should still think about it in 2, but Brian's conducting in 4. Brian occasionally sings along to the harder passages. When the music is "easy" he conducts dynamics, which the band members do, but it's not clear that they do it because they see him or if it's written in their parts. Mike comments that the music is really high. Brian occasionally shouts out measure numbers and dynamics--when sight reading, they're going for more than just the notes. Brian asks if it sounds like "the kitchen" (that’s the movement name) when they finish, but Mike and Marc say things like "not mine."

Sarah has a big solo break, but she says she can't solo and apologizes. Micah is really getting into it while giving Sarah directions: “You can play C over C# minor,” etc. He's saying all the chord names for Sarah, which isn't really helpful, in my opinion. Brian says that Sarah can play the bari part and Micah can solo…is he joking? Most of them have a long solo at some point. Marc offers to take Sarah's solo at 50 (they can just read each other's parts). Micah and Marc decide to have Marc do all the solos today and figure out the rest later. They switch places so that the arrangement is now Sarah, Marc, Micah, Mike--Brian says it sounds weird because they switched places. Marc solos on a blues scale. He seems confident about his playing, gets complimented by Brian. "I didn't know you could do that sort of thing." Marc says, "It was mas or menos." Marc suggests that he and Sarah trade fours to get back into the "correct" parts.

Mike's solo doesn't have as much of a line as Marc's did. I know Micah plays 1st alto in the Brown Jazz Band, so I guess Sarah's the only non-jazz musician here. Sarah doesn't even try to solo…she is the youngest and newest member, and the only girl. *Does that have anything to do with it?* Marc spells out a chord for her, then they try again and Sarah gets a "good job" from Brian. Brian talks about a "feminine ending" when the 3rd is doubled at the end. Brian asks them if that sounded like "The Bandstand," which was the name of the movement. They're now wondering if the next movement will sound like a "Front Porch." Micah says it's a bar (being described room by room in the Suite), but then decides it's a country club or hunting club. They decide they don't really like this piece. Marc says that he thinks it's not really supposed to be melodic, just some sound effect: "It doesn’t grab me." Micah doesn't like the ending. Brian says he wanted to try it at least as a contrast to the other group (I think he means the larger ensemble).

Apparently "edgy" is the word for "atonal." It’s used a lot during the preceding piece, and also the previous rehearsal that I attended.

Mike and Sarah aren't as good sight readers as the others. I think they may be out of tune with each other, but they don't tune or make adjustments…yet.

Dynamic is really casual. Most of Brian's requests (such as, "play out") are accompanied by compliments (like "you sound really good").

Brian stands in front of the arc but is close (and not on a podium). The piano is gone today.

I wonder if it's bad for me to play because I'll mess up the "quartet" thing. Also I didn't audition...

Brian is conducting, but I'm not sure if anyone is watching him while they're playing. When resting, Marc looks up every once in a while, but as they play they focus on their music--may change when they learn it. *Does Brian conduct their performances?*

Marc asks for something tonal and picks up the music he brought. Brian asks for something out of the "Brian Teal book." Sarah needs an alto now (2 alto parts instead of one alto and one soprano), but they decide to do something else in the interest of time: Six Bagatelles by Dexter Morrill. Brian realizes he has a "C score." The movements have names like "riffs" and "scales," but also "Blues Interlude." It's not really tonal either. "It's still not quite tonal, but it's a lot closer" (Marc), and Micah definitely agrees. Mvmt. 4, Mediterranean, is compared to Greek music by Brian. It's in complex meter: 7/8 4/4? Some multiple of the 4/4. Micah says that you "kind of have to not think about it much," referring to the meter. Micah tells Marc to exaggerate the 7ths, but to air on the side of short so it doesn't just turn into 4/4. Micah's tapping his foot on this, which amuses me because for the "3" he slows his foot down, so he’s effectively tapping quarter notes with a dotted quarter mixed in.

They're talking about Palin and the debate (started when Sarah winked at Micah and said something like, "oops, I swore that off when Palin did it 3 times in the debate"). They're talking about bad dreams related to politics--Marc dreamed that Palin became president, Micah forgot to vote, etc. They talk about the SNL skits with Tina Fey. I fight the urge to join in their conversation, reminding myself to observe and not interfere with anything.

Of the members, Micah seems to be "in charge." At the very least, he's the most vocal.

They confer about continuing rehearsal, and no one minds because they all have Wind Symphony at 6 (me included).

It seems like the members don't really notice me. At least they don't actively acknowledge me, though they may be subconsciously.

They continue with "Scales." Brian asks them what scale it was, Marc and Micah say C, but it's C pentatonic. Brian says they still get an A though. Brian sometimes sings along on "ba's and da's." Marc says he isn't following the part somewhere. Micah says it's because he's not really following the himeola. They're working on Marc's rhythm, and Micah and Brian come up with different ways to think about it. Ultimately, Marc just wants to try it again. They do, Micah critiques him and suggests subdividing, which Marc says works, and Brian says, "The light is on!" But they stop again because it still sounds wrong. Micah says "Do it again and I'll watch." The rest of the group plays, Micah follows along on Marc’s part. Brian tells Micah to play Marc's part with him even if it's off a fourth. Brian compliments Mike on his playing, even if Marc's getting all the attention right now for his rhythm. Sarah decides/is suggested to play along with Marc because it sounds cool when there's the parallel fourths and the octave. They're sight reading below tempo so that they can include dynamics. Brian: "It's not just classical and not just jazz, kind of a cross-over." Micah's not a huge fan of the lack (relatively) of melody/lines. He compares it to New York Suite (They played it last year), which had similarly tough rhythms but also really good melodic lines. Sarah says that she likes Mike's giggle. Mike says, "ignore me."

Brian does not see Micah's suggestions and such as interference or a “challenge” to his authority of any sort.

Brian had the library (Orwig, probably) order a bunch of music.

On Friday, they have rehearsal in Fulton. They're "caught up" now, and want to switch rehearsal to Sundays at noon (without Brian?).

They're wrapping out rehearsal at 5:27, talking about awkward schedules. Micah invites everyone to the Funk jam session at the Underground. Not sure what his affiliation with it is.

Brian asks them if they like the pieces they did today, and the members answer. After a short discussion, Micah says something to the effect of, "We have at least one to keep." It seems like they sight read a variety of music and pick the ones they like to keep playing. *I’ll investigate this further, perhaps in an interview?*