With the return to rehearsals imminent we are looking back on some of the articles written for our newsletter during lockdown. Here, our Conductor, John, reflects on the pandemic and a project the Clarinetists of the five BBC orchestras created.
The arrival of Covid last March was a shock to us all and the subsequent lockdowns have changed our lives comprehensively. For some it has led to difficult or even truly awful experiences. This, we know. Contrary to this, there have been little positives here and there. One comment that I have heard repeatedly is the reduction in air pollution. For us as a family, we have found real pleasure discovering places on our doorstep that hadn’t previously been fully investigated!
The Clarinetists of the five BBC orchestras similarly found themselves in an unusual situation during the first lockdown last year. Not able to perform live, but eager to keep their skills active, they decided to collaborate on a project to involve them all.
With four bass clarinets, six Bb clarinets (the normal size) and one Eb clarinet (the small one used in Till Eulenspiegel by Strauss) they ended up playing an arrangement by Lenny Sayers, in the Klezmer style. Lenny is the bass clarinettist in the National Orchestra of Wales and I got to know about this as I sell Lenny’s arrangements on our music publishing website. Strange to think that this project would not have happened had we not had the Covid pandemic!
So, sit back, pour yourself a drink of ____ (fill in the gap yourself) and click on the image below to hear this beautiful and stunning piece!
John
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