Baseball in concert

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 10, 2010 8:21 AM PST

In case you forgot, I play bassoon in the San Jose State symphonic band. We got our new concert set this week, and it's all baseball music!

We are doing Casey at the Bat with a narrator. I thought it was the old old old vaudeville version--I have a recording of Jackie Gleason doing the narration. The music is actually pretty contemporary, just written recently.

We also have the Sousa march The National Game on the slate. Sousa wrote it for Kenesaw Mountain Landis and MLB's 50th anniversary.

Jack Stamp's Pastime, another contemporary piece, is a really cool one. He came up with the idea while attending a Giants game in 1998 and has all kinds of musical cues and tributes to Giants legends like Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, and Marichal. All those subtle tributes come at the measure numbers 24, 44, 30, 27, etc. There is one very dissonant chord in measure 25 that symbolizes Stamp's feelings about Bonds leaving Pittsburgh; turns out Stamp was a Pirates fan. It goes from a beautiful E-flat major chord signifying the greatness of Mays to a cacophonous, icky noise. He also throws in tributes to Don Larsen, and McGuire and Sosa.

We close the program with a wind band standard arrangement of America the Beautiful.

I'm really excited about the program. The concert is May 13. If you would like to attend I will post another reminder closer to the date of the concert.

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Good stuff, Ms. Baron!

Interesting background to the music. I am going to have to find these pieces when I get home now.

WHY IS BENGIE?!
Dearest, Susan - The Patron Saint of Patience

by Lars The Wanderer on Mar 10, 2010 9:18 AM PST reply actions

I can provide you with a recording of the concert if you cannot attend.

Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 10, 2010 1:27 PM PST up reply actions

Does this go for anyone, or just Lars? I'd be interested in hearing it.

Noonan. Nooooonan!

by Giant Fan in Singapore on Mar 10, 2010 3:07 PM PST up reply actions

well Lars is special

But I can share with you too.

Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 10, 2010 4:57 PM PST up reply actions

McGuire?

Is that Big Mac, or someone else? Spelling threw me.

"The BB's are out. The BB's are being arseholes to me." - Brian Wilson.

by hairball on Mar 10, 2010 10:01 AM PST reply actions

McGwire

Brain no work.

Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 10, 2010 1:26 PM PST up reply actions

Sounds really awesome

Wish I could make it but sadly I have other engagements. Good luck though!

Rafael Rodriguez: #8 on our list, tearing up Scottsdale, and has been alive long enough to see the Warriors make the playoffs once.

by BrianBokake on Mar 10, 2010 3:41 PM PST reply actions

Outstanding! I wish I could be there, but you know. There’s that whole being-on-the-other-side-of-the-country thing. But I’d love to hear a recording of that performance, if you can arrange it.

The pieces sound like a great program setup, and a clever idea to boot. I’m in a community wind ensemble, and our themes are often tied (extremely) loosely to holidays. The oddest, perhaps, was a Columbus Day concert which featured no pieces related to Columbus. I think they just needed some good clip art for the program handouts, and voila, instant Columbus Day concert.

So from a bass clarinetist 1,600 miles away — rock that double reed and best of luck!

by TheLetter2 on Mar 10, 2010 6:12 PM PST reply actions

Thanks!

Boyfriend von CurrentEvents plays bass clarinet in one ensemble here at school and will be doing the Eric Dolphy version of God Bless the Child for his recital this spring.

Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 10, 2010 6:19 PM PST up reply actions

Holy crap. That is awesome. I’ve heard Dolphy’s version, and if your boyfriend has those chops, I bow to his superiority.

And also to yours: How I come I never meet technically proficient bass clarinetists? It’s always Baron, Baron, Baron! /stalks off in a huff

by TheLetter2 on Mar 10, 2010 6:39 PM PST up reply actions

Technically, I’m [censored] a technically proficient bass clarinetist, so maybe that’s what it takes. Are you above offering certain…services?

I heard him practice part of it and it sounds incredible. He’s about jazz like I am about baseball and we strive to educate the other about our religions. I have a compulsory knowledge of jazz music—at least I knew who Coltrane was and why he is so important. Coltrane is the boyfriend’s Jesus, as Mays is my Jesus.

He plays sax as well, and is putting on a concert with his jazz combo where he’s playing an arrangement of Coltrane’s Naima for me. /swoon

Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 10, 2010 6:43 PM PST up reply actions

Haha! Nope, no services. Rather, I’m in awe of the opportunity you have; sharing with someone else something that touches you so deeply, and to receive in kind. For me, that exchange of ideas is unparalleled. You are a lucky [censored].

Unfortunately, my last boyfriend was a total idiot, so I didn’t really get that whole reciprocation thing.

Anyways. I’m just pointing out in a lighthearted manner that I think it’s wonderful you have someone in your life that brings that intellectual and artistic balance to the table. It’s a real asset in my book. Keep on keepin’ on, my friend.

by TheLetter2 on Mar 10, 2010 6:59 PM PST up reply actions

BVCE, I think I hear you saying if I hope to enjoy and understand the piece, I have to count measures and think about player numbers.
Congrats on the BFVCE, I hope you make beautiful music together. I am old enough that I used to hear Coltrane in jazz bars when I was an undergrad in NYC. It was exciting.

cheering for Adam Witter, who will hit bigleague dingers some day.
Still yelling "Go, Antoan"

by foothillsfan on Mar 13, 2010 2:49 PM PST reply actions

Nah, I don’t expect the average listener to pick up on the subtle cues like those. Well, maybe you’ll catch the fanfare for McGwire; it lasts for about seven measures and it sounds pretty epic.

And BFVCE is eternally jealous of you listening to Coltrane.

Supporting San Francisco Dugout since 2005 and Manny Burriss since 2006. Bringing you all your California League and New York-Penn League needs since 2009.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Mar 13, 2010 10:24 PM PST up reply actions