The Rudest Service I’ve Ever Had…

Monday April 21 2008

—was definitely from Frederich Weiner.

I ordered 1 pound of Glotin oboe cane for $200/lb. It was shipped and I received it.

First I weighed it to make sure it was 1 pound, which it was.

Then I cut open the Fedex envelope that it came in and inspected the tubes. Unfortunately, they had worm track marks, which you could actually see from the outside. So I called them—

They said they came prepackaged, and they don’t get shoved into a FedEx envelope, so they didn’t want to accept the return. I insisted that this was they way it came, so after about 15 minutes of discussing it, and checking with the manager, they agreed to accept it back—

So I shipped it back—

And two weeks later my credit card wasn’t refunded—

So I wrote them to ask if they had received it—

And they said they had, but it hadn’t been “opened yet”.

And two days later they send me an email saying:

We came across 14 pieces that have inside the cane a white fuzzy thing. When the cane comes to us the cane is in a big box in some sort of packing. It is possible the packing gets caught in the tubes ad just stays there. We will give you a refund.

So I called them to speak with the manager and explain to her the problem with the cane and why she shouldn’t send it out to anyone else.

And the manager (named Sharon) said she didn’t see what I was talking about. I explained the worm track marks which were in over 50% of the tubes. She ARGUED… with me, and was insistent that “We don’t see what you see.” which was ridiculous because she obviously doesn’t know oboe cane or doesn’t work with it if she couldn’t spot it. Finally she said they would refund my money, and HUNG… UP ON ME. This is the CUSTOMER… SERVICE… MANAGER… who is hanging up on the customers.

So unfortunately from the whole experience, I am out $20 for shipping, and a bunch of shipping time. I ended up just ordering Grimaud from Mr. Weber.

I will NEVER… order again from Frederich Weiner again. And oddly enough, they are no longer selling the cane. Hm— I wonder why. Could it be because— IT’S INFESTED…!?!?!?!?

Rude rude rude.

My recital is set

Saturday April 19 2008

Cooper’s Oboe Recital (Non Degree)

When: Tuesday, May 20th, 7pm

Where: Central Presbyterian Church, Main Sanctuary, 15th and Patterson.

What:

• Tomasi×Evocations
• Telemann×d minor Tafelmusik Quartet
• Saint Saens×Sonata for Oboe
• Hanson×Pastorale
• Hindemith×Sonata for Oboe

The purpose of this recital, as my professor explained, is to get some “oboe standards” recorded “in concert” and to push my comfort level out the window. I personally think the Tomasi single-handedly does that, but what’s one or five solo pieces now and then?

C Series hypothesis

Saturday April 19 2008

So I’ve been playing this C series oboe that is being lent to me by Peter while my oboe is in the shop with Mr. Weber. A few posts back I mentioned that it felt slightly blown out in the left-hand notes, but I thought it was a good instrument.

Well, since that post, I would say that I have really been going through a gigantic revolution (and revelation) in my playing with this C series oboe. Yes, it doesn’t like to be “blown at”, particularly in the high notes as a modern instrument likes, but it does like to be “breathed into”.

I’m not sure how I can explain this, but the oboe is clearly a gem in my eyes, and has taught me a lot about overblowing and efficiently blowing, how I think about making reeds, and how to change colors and textures.

Another idea that could get me into trouble, but just in my conversations with a few select experts, they seem to imply I’m on the right track:

I hypothesize that back in the E series and before, people didn’t use the air as we do today. One exercise I once heard Tabuteau assign his students was to sit at a dinner table and place a candle 5 feet away and blow on it and bend it but not blow it out. This assignment was to do two things: force a student to focus his/her air so that it could carry 5 feet, and second to force a student to be able to balance his/her airstream in a “hovering” state. Blowing out the candle simply showed that the student could blow loudly, but not necessarily control his or her air.

As the demand for “darker”, “heavier”, and “thicker” oboe sounds evolved, the oboes became thicker in bore, and Loree began to develop their AKs and eventually the Royal. Meanwhile, there became less demand for ultra flexible air and tone, and more demand for the round, dark thick sound that we often associate with Mack’s sound. Tone got darker, but flexibility in the wind and playing was decreased because players demanded more resistance built into the instrument instead of building it into their own reeds (which basically requires more Loree players to be really good at making reeds). With the added resistance and thicker bores, oboists began to classify more of the older instruments as “blown out” since they didn’t have the same amount as the new instruments, when in reality their modern instruments had evolved instead of the older instruments devolve.

(The technical idea of an oboe blowing out is if the bore shape has drastically warped or changed. Shrinking causes toneholes to become out of place or to take the air differently, thus changing the instrument from its original factory state.)

In the past week, I’ve learned how to NOT… overblow the instrument, but rather to resonate with it and to breath into it. I’ve made several reeds for my friend’s AK and the C series and the latter clearly requires reeds which have slightly more resistance and refinement in them. This obviously is not as handy as making reeds for a modern instrument (which don’t need quite as perfect tips, integration lines, etc) but once I do get a reed just right for the C series, there’s been no better feeling. I’ve gotten more compliments on the C series oboe these past two weeks than I have gotten in the past 6 months combined.

I couldn’t figure out why this was, since the instrument feels “lighter” and “brighter”, so I stuck my H2 handheld recorder out into the audience of our performance hall during our last orchestra rehearsal to hear what the audience heard. The result was a more fuller, resonant, filled in sound. Amazing; more overtones were traveling outward resulting in a thicker and more complex tone.

One final note: I put my Weber bell on it and it worked MUCH… better than the original bell. I’ve been trying my Weber bell on some other instruments such as an AK and a DM, and it doesn’t work better. I called Mr. Weber to discuss this and he explained that yes, the Bore adjustment was designed for the C series, so one would expect to gain the most from the reaming if they indeed had a C series oboe to ream. After I get my instrument back, Peter wants me to send this C series oboe right down to Mr. Weber where his instructions are, “Make this oboe like your oboe!” I’m sure Mr. Weber is going to have lots of fun reaming it out and perfectly fixing all of the little things that are slightly off on this oboe.

It really makes me think what I’m doing on my modern oboe, and if I should get off it and start playing on a C series!

Leon Goosens and the Gordon Jacobs Concerto #1

Tuesday April 15 2008

Gordon Jacob also wrote several pieces for Léon Goossens. His Concerto No. I for Oboe and Strings was originally commissioned by and dedicated to Evelyn Rothwell. Jacob has stated that when Goossens found out about the dedication he was outraged and complained, “Here am I, the leading oboist in the world, and you are going to write for one of my pupils!” Apparently Goossens convinced Jacob to dedicate the work to him, and then stole the first performance from Rothwell. She performed the concerto at the Ballet Club Theater of Notting Hill, February 26, 1934, but the first major performance was given by Goossens. On March 1, 1935 he played the piece with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting at Queen’s Hall, and received excellent reviews.

Wow, sounds similar to when Strauss offered de Lancie to premiere the Strauss Concerto and Tabuteau threw a fit. In any case, it certainly must have been a different time and different politics.

Taken from here.

Very annoyed.

Sunday April 13 2008

In college, scheduling rehearsals is very difficult.

Very, very difficult.

Things come up. Like other rehearsals, or assignments, or announced mandatory recitals or tests or whatever.

And for the 2nd time in a week, I’ve had a situation like this.

Person trying to schedule a rehearsal: “Okay, so what’s all your schedules like during the week of BLAH… BLAH…?”

My response: “I’m free during then.”

Three days later, sometimes as much as a month

Person trying to schedule a rehearsal writes back. “Okay, so we’re on for a rehearsal on BLAH… BLAH….”

Me: “Um, I’ve already scheduled other things during the time it’s taken you to get back.”

And me being the wuss that I am, end up changing my original plans. Why can’t people either promptly respond, or bounce another email back asking about specific dates?