Bassoonist88

I just had a crazy dream that involved my family moving to Maine to be with my sick grandmother. In my dream, no one lived in Maine, so it was kind of annoying that we wouldn't have anything to do up there. And I would have to leave my friends and all that. It was sad, in a way...

I'm not sure that I agree with the majority of you about Call of the Champions. Despite the weak chior and slight lack of that WOW factor Willaims scores usually carry, CotC was not a dissapointing piece unto itself. When you think about it, it's mostly meant to be heard as background for news stuff on NBC... I think Williams did well with it, even if it wasn't up to his usual par.

Nightscape, in the great chance I am wrong please understand I'm none too bright. However, I do remember that in my early days of band that Mozart Melody was Twinkle Twinkle. In fact, I just checked to make sure and it is in fact twinkle twinkle. Sorry though I don't mean to be ignorant...

Thank you, I will have to look into that. I must say, I'm a large fan of double reeds in general, call me crazy for saying it but when I hear a beginning oboist, eng. hornist (the first time an oboist doubles is not very pretty...) and bassoonist (...ouch...) play or preform, it just makes me want to jump for joy. This isn't because they sound good now (because they DO NOT, no offense to all you guys out there, I was there too once), but I know if they keep up with their studies they will achieve some of the most beautiful and cultured, as well as distinct, tones tht the musical word can offer an individual. I'm also a huge fan of saxophone, be it classical or jazz. Alto sax is my instrument of origen and I still march with sax and play in my school jazz band. I wish that orchestras were more supportive of the instrument, classical sax is a beautiful thing when played PROPERLY (sadly there are not many prefessional legit players and so this aspect of the instrument is often overlooked).

Williams has in my oppinion, mastered to ability to use the eng. horn to the best of its abilities. I agree with veggiemusician in the above post, I've played oboe to some extent myself (when you play one double reed it's inevitable you play them all eventually) and my band director is an oboist, whom graduated top of his class. When he plays, his tone reminds me more of, if anything, the mourning call of a lune or in happier themes, of the embodiment of giddyness and glee. A duck just doesn't fit into that description. But anyway, to the horn. I'm not a large fan of usage of the eng. horn when the entire orchestra or concert band/wind ensam. is playing, you just cannot project the instrument out enough in such loud environments that you effect the tone of the song. In this case I would have the eng. hornist play oboe (or bassoon, I've seen quite a few bassoonists double on eng. horn, to my surprise). However I am also an advocate of using the english horn in ALL instances in which the higher double reed voice is placed in a solo environment (and by higher I mean exceeding bassoon range, in the middle voice the director is free to choose bassoon or eng. horn to play the passage) that the eng. horn be doubled upon by it's designated player. If you need a brighter tone, reeds can be shaved and various bocals can be used to get a very oboe-like effect without sacrificing the, for lack of better words, almost lilting and floating feeling you can achieve with the eng. horn. I praise Williams for, while using the oboe in some instances, always referring to his eng. horn player to provide the truly moving double reed solos.

While Mozart was a true innovator, and there are several of his peices that will forever lay within our hearts (may I please say, Twinkle Twinkle? I thought so...), Willaims has my vote because he has taken the wheel and steered music in a whole new direction. As well as a form of expression, Williams uses music as a tool in film. He captures emotions on the screen and conveys thm in such a way even the blind are impressed by one of the movies he worked on, just because of his magnificant works.

I'm going to have to say my favorite theme is The Olympic Spirit, just because that one seems to move so much for at heart just being a huge fanfare. I love that song... Then again, I love all of the olympic themes.

I just popped in Ocean's Eleven, transferring from the Final Crusade closing theme... How is it the Indy themes can be so simple (in comparison) and yet they are in the same group as the great film scores of all times? It's a good thing...

At the moment I am listening to the Mission Theme. Shortly therebefore I was digging into The various olympic works by Williams. Those are by far my favorites, I love them. If any of you know which orchestra he recorded the majority of those themes with, I would be much oblidged if you would tell me. Those trumpets are amazing, as well as the brass in general, I love that huge brassy sound!

I use Finale Allegro ($200) Version 2005. It has everything Finale has except it lacks the teaching elements that Finale provides (synthasizing warm-ups and that sort of thing). With this program you can save your music as an audio file, which you may subsequently burn to a CD or load to your iPod. It's a great program and it's very easy to use, and also carries great midi voices. The only instruments I find annoying are the english horn and the bari sax because they tend to override the rest of the instruments even if you set them at a lower volume level. Anyway, for a good quality music program, this one is top notch for a low price and it will cease your search to find a program that saves AUD. files.

Well, actually no, I've not been able to find a recording. If you know somewhere I could get one, that would be awesome. I believe it's called Five Sacred Trees or something of the sort, correct?

Bassoon, bassoon bassoon bassoon! Bassoon I say! You won't admit it, but it's your favorite too. The bassoon can cry out, it can whisper, laugh (You doubt me? you've never heard me make a bassoon laugh!), roar, moan (that would be a beginning student or a player using a dying reed but nonetheless the instrument makes that sound). It is perhaps only underrated for its lack of solo works and not so often public attention. However, the instrument will always have a place in my heart, and ithas become a part of my life.