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Bram Heemskerk

Das Brucknerorchestra von 27-12-06 till 4-1-2007 spielt 8e symf. Bruckner

January 5, 2007 at 4:30 PM

This year I had a wonderfull orchestra holiday. After Christmas till 4-1-07 I played with an German orchestra “Brucknerorchester” www.bruckner-orchester.de the monumental 8th symfony with 4 Wagnertuba’s with about 90 people. For most amateurs there is not a big chance in their lives to play such rare pieces with so many people and instruments, because most amateurorchestra’s only play in smaller chamberorchestra and could not play such technical difficult music. From a German friend in a Dutch orchestra I heard about this orchestra, which had its rehearsals in Hammelburg, near Würzburg. The concert was in Würzburg in a church on 3-1-2007. Here some (perhaps too much foto’s), but is was fun with chambermusic in the evening and a lot of activities, like gymnastics at 14.00 and eating cake at 14.30 every day. We have now a midday-break on our work, but it is still hard to concentrate on my work after this expierence. I had problems with the language, specially with conversations during the meals and after the rehearsals in the Felsenkeller (Felsen cellar) in the night, but nevertheless I soon feel at home in this orchestra.

rehearsal


Silvesterevening in Felsenkeller with Raclette (melt chees with potatoes)



Entertainment in Felsenkeller


Aachener Salon Orchestra http://www.achso.fermate.info/index.php with walse dancing people


A walse fan


Concert of 8th Bruckner in Würzburg. The conductor told a story during the rehearsals that during the end of the 3th part of Bruckner 8th someone had written that the music was so heavenly that you could look in the eyes of God himself, which he could do during the concert by looking to the crucifix above the orchestra.


10 people who had played all 5 editions of the Brucknerorchestra got a black cap


We played tablesoccer and tabletennis in the Felsenkeller (Felsen cellar)


One evening was with a pianoplaying and singing duo, who song all evening popular songs of Georg Kreisler


The last evening after the concert every group of players had to think out and do something original. The cello’s for example played with 2 people on one instrument


All 2th violins with their T-shirts


My text + some notes on my t-shirt was the beginning 3th part Adagio of the 8th Bruckner “feierlich langsam, but nicht schleppend” (stately slowly, but not dragging)

It is a great orchestra and I am very happy that I could ever play the 8th Bruckner with the big contrasts between loud and and subtle soft parts (Bruckner was an organ-player who also suddenly pull in or out all or some stops) and beautiful melodies, which gave such emotions during rehearsals that tears welled up, time after time, in my eyes.
I have learned some new words, like Pult=desk, Takt=bar, Bowen=bow, Saite=page, Seite=string, Tiefer=lower in intonation, Falsch=false, nett=gentle.
Now I only and still have 2 wines from the region from the Bayern Musikacademy Hammelburg, where we had our rehearsals. When I will drink it I will think back to this wonderfull week.

From Sydney M.
Posted on January 6, 2007 at 4:05 AM
Looks like fun!
From Richard Hellinger
Posted on January 6, 2007 at 8:15 PM
That 2 people on one instrument (the cello) looks like fun. Though I doubt it would be as fun and def would be a lot harder on a violin.
From Bram Heemskerk
Posted on January 7, 2007 at 12:09 AM
I just rembered a video that a violinfriend sent to me of the French violinist Gilles Apap. On that video (I just looked it back) Gilles Apap plays the beginning of the (too much played in his opinion) violinconcerto of Mendelssohn on the e-string, while at the other side with the curl on his shoulder someone else plays the 1th or 2th violinpart on the g-string. So it is also possible to play with 2 persons on 1 violin. Thanks for your reaction, because now I already knows a stunt for the 2th violinists for next year with this orchestra on the last evening after the concert.

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