Saturday, February 17, 2007

Out of Tune Good-byes?

We're performing Mahler 1 this weekend. For some reason I've not been very comfortable this set. Our conductor gave me the 'finger' during our rehearsal Monday night. You know... the 'intonation finger'? When he calls out your instrument or stares you down and makes little up or down pointing gestures with his index finger. It's usually seen in conjunction with raised or lowered eye brows and/or a cocked head. The tonic M3rds at the beginning and ending of the duets in the first movement introduction were too wide and, as second horn, it is my job to make the necessary adjustment. I'm not used to "flattening the third" by raising the tonic.

But, like I said, it's my job. I've practiced that duet a hundred times in the past week playing against a recording of myself on first; navigating the major and minor 3rds and 6ths, as well as the tendencies of the harmonics (and myself!). But once you get another living, adjusting body on the other part all bets can be off. Not to mention where everyone else in the orchestra takes the pitch in the opening measures.

I've also been breaking my own golden rule way too often. And it has served me so well lo these many years: Don't play too goddamn soft! The "choreography" in the last movement is also still a mess. You'd think getting eight horns to raise their bells and stand in sync wouldn't need a Martha Graham master class but sometimes you'd be wrong. We've got one more rehearsal tonight to get it sharp so our "aufstehen" doesn't turn into an "oof-da shten!" Any time you get a conductor comment like we got Wednesday night ("Horns, it looks like your doing the stadium wave! Stand up together please!") you know it's sloppy.

First date with Raleigh went great. She's beautiful, funny, interesting, really smart and I wasn't a total dolt. Only problem was the handshake good-bye. What was I thinking? Handshake?!

See here's the problem: There are only a few options for the daytime-post-first-date-in-car goodbye. You could just say goodbye (too pedestrian). You could shake hands (too utilitarian). Or kiss, which, on a first date after coffee in the middle of the day when you've never touched this other person flesh-to-flesh, seems a little forward. And that first kiss should be at least somewhat romantic; not just a convenient gesture of affection.

A hug would be perfect, but in a car it's totally out of the question. The belt has to come off, and then you've gotta rotate your pelvis and sit on your side, and there's no room for the right hand (if your the driver) to go around because the seats are in the way... It would end up being a whole Cirque du Soleil production.

Don't get me wrong. The car make-out is great! But you're both in a very inventive, uninhibited mental zone by the time that's going down. Suddenly problems of ergonomics become opportunities for gaining purchase. But back to the question at hand: the daytime-post-first-date-in-car goodbye. Any ideas? A shoulder squeeze? A playful fist nudge to the cheek? Declaring a thumb war?

2 comments:

C de C said...

here's the answer: get out of the car!! turn off the car, even run around and open the door for her if you can manage, give her a hug and look her in the eyes, and there you go! but hey, i'm so happy for you that you had a great date!

Kamp said...

Thanks for the advice! I was actually in the process of doing all that but she was too quick! We've since mastered the in-the-car-hug...