Playing the saxophone The Cafe Trio grown to Octet down to Sextet

[nickh]

Title changed to Octet as we have now found another sop player to join us 🙂

We had a good session yesterday though were missing @chadders and @nickh hopefully we will all make it in March. I need to play longer at home as my embouchure was very tired towards the end yesterday.


Jx

I marvel at your efficiency!
See you all at the next session

 

[MandyH]

Are any of you attending the ensembles Playday at Aintree in 2 weeks?

 

[trimmy]

Are any of you attending the ensembles Playday at Aintree in 2 weeks?

I can’t as it’s swmbo birthday weekend

 

[Tenor Viol]

Are any of you attending the ensembles Playday at Aintree in 2 weeks?

Possibly - I mentioned it to the guys yesterday, will send them the info

 

[Tenor Viol]

I have acquired a reputation for providing music with 'interesting' time signatures such as 4/2 and 3/2. Nothing like being asked to count in minims instead of crotchets (half notes instead of quarter notes).

In orchestra last night, we sight read the Brahms Serenade #1 in D, first movement. The challenge here is it's in 2/2 but in one section the cellos are playing triplet minims on beat 3 tied to beat 1 of next bar then a triplet minim rest...

 

[Jeanette]

Had a great playing session today, @Tenor Viol worked us hard playing a variety of pieces.

I have a new even deeper respect for conductors after today. My embouchure gave up so I conducted our last tune!!!

Might stick to cream teas which went down very well 🙂

Jx

 

[trimmy]

Might stick to cream teas which went down very well 🙂

Yep, those scons n clotted cream were delish 🙂

 

[Tenor Viol]

I got stuck in traffic on the way... I didn't get one...

 

[Jeanette]

I got stuck in traffic on the way... I didn't get one...

There were some left at 2nd break, you have to be quick with this lot!

Jx

 

[trimmy]

you have to be quick with this lot!

You mean @nickh why do you think he was sitting by the table 😛

 

[Jeanette]

You mean @nickh why do you think he was sitting by the table 😛

Not daft our Nick, I noticed @Royston on seconds!!

Snooze you lose 🙂

Jx

 

[Royston]

Not daft our Nick, I noticed @Royston on seconds!!

Snooze you lose 🙂

Jx

Didn’t get a chance for this though

 

[Royston]

Didn’t get a chance for this though

Should have read “thirds”

 

[Tenor Viol]

Yeah, by the time I’d sorted the music at the end of the first session.... the tin was empty...

 

[nickh]

Not daft our Nick, I noticed @Royston on seconds!!

Snooze you lose 🙂

Jx

I have got something of a reputation where food is concerned. particularly fresh cream!

 

[Jeanette]

There were only 4 of us for our monthly meet today but we had SATB and played some old stuff pretty well and tried some not so well known tunes.

So different to playing with 7 or 8 and a real opportunity to hear what everyone else is playing.

Really enjoyed it, thanks guys 🙂

Jx

 

[Vetinari]

But we are louder and prouder when we are together.
Just need more tea and cake.

 

[Tenor Viol]

I dished out a lot of sight reading yesterday, much of it in 4/2... We looked at one of @nigeld arrangements - the Parsons' Ave Maria and the madrigal 'April is in my mistress' face'.

You may ask why I get people to play some renaissance polyphony in a sax group? Well, apart from liking some of the music... there are some good pedagogic reasons. Unlike 'modern' music which is mostly a tune with accompaniment, polyphony means that each line is independent and 'vertical' harmonic alignments are infrequent and less obvious: in other words counting to get accurate rhythm, and listening to what's going on around you, are very important!
We do 'normal' stuff as well...

The guys did very well.

The challenge I find is finding music for SATB that's accessible.

 

[trimmy]

You may ask why I get people to play some renaissance polyphony in a sax group?

Because you enjoy punishing us 😛

 

[Vetinari]

The challenge for @Tenor Viol is getting me to play the correct tune 😱 in fact it's even harder getting me to play from the correct page