Longest rehearsal of a piece?

Mike Saville

Mike Saville

Member
Having spent an hour and twenty minutes rehearsing 1 piece last night (Barbarian Hordes :cry: ) I was wondering what the longest time anyone has spent rehearsing a single piece either a: in 1 rehearsal or b: over a number of weeks.

For me a: was last night and b: was last summer/autumn when practising Leonardo for Torquay - 13 weeks in total.
 
neiltwist

neiltwist

Active Member
a full two hour rehearsal, and if you include an hour long sectional before hand, that's painful. Rehearsed passacaglia for about 10 weeks.
 
davidsait

davidsait

Member
Yeah, the longest I've ever spent rehearsing a piece was also Leonardo for Torquay. 3 months, 2 hour rehearsals, twice a week.

But hey - I enjoyed it - it was my first real rehearsal with a higher section band (it's now Championship).
 
PeterBale

PeterBale

Moderator
Staff member
Just after it was published, we started looking at Kevin Norbury's Variations on Maccabeus, spending probably 30 - 45 minutes each practice on it. Although it was beginning to come into shape, despite still having some problems with the waltz section, it seemed that the band as a whole did not have enough stamina - we were running out of steam before we got to the end. As a result, after looking at it for several months, we never did play it out, although I'm sure the practice we did on it wouldn't have done us any harm.
 
K

Kari Anson

Member
After hearing these horror stories, thank you Roger for keeping variety to each rehearsal.

BTW - Rog tends to look at a piece and work on it a little bit each week. That way we do improve (hopefully) but we don't get bored, so therefore keep the enthusiasm.
 
Cantonian

Cantonian

Active Member
Not the longest but it felt like.

When I was 17, we at the Salvation Army Welsh school of music were privileged (???) to have the staff bandmaster at that time Bernard Adams to rehearse the A band.

He decided that Ray Steadman-Allen's Festival March High Council would be starter.

We knew that he was a bit of a perfectionist but we were of age range 12-18 so expected some allowances.

We spent 45 minutes on the introduction and letter A, about 30 bars in total after which he talked for 10 minutes and then left.

It could have been worse, the practice was scheduled for two hours!
 
J

jinx

Member
Does it count that I had my first rehearsal of Devil and the Deep Blue sea when I was sixteen, and have recently rehearsed it again 11 years later? :lol:
 
B

bladder

Member
Mike Saville said:
Having spent an hour and twenty minutes rehearsing 1 piece last night (Barbarian Hordes :cry: )
Click to expand...

It wasn't that bad...I mean no thinking required, no fiddly stuff, no fannying around, just honking!! No brains or finesse needed. Marvellous!!
 
blondie

blondie

Member
Having said that Kari, yes Roger does keep the rehearsal lively and the pressure really goes on the night before a concert because we have as you say improved pieces slowly. But we did spend (I've no idea really how long) months on Cambrian Suite for Torquay, but i am not complaining because i enjoy playing and it was worth it (for me anyway) as it was the first time Wem and myself have ever been to the nationals.
Also you have to look at what the next engagement is, because you can then look through the pad and say right I know whats going to be pulled to pieces and then you prepare for it and hopefully save time, at rehearsals and still manage to keep them lively.
 
K

Kari Anson

Member
blondie said:
Having said that Kari, yes Roger does keep the rehearsal lively and the pressure really goes on the night before a concert because we have as you say improved pieces slowly. But we did spend (I've no idea really how long) months on Cambrian Suite for Torquay, but i am not complaining because i enjoy playing and it was worth it (for me anyway) as it was the first time Wem and myself have ever been to the nationals.
Also you have to look at what the next engagement is, because you can then look through the pad and say right I know whats going to be pulled to pieces and then you prepare for it and hopefully save time, at rehearsals and still manage to keep them lively.
Click to expand...

Oh, I see is that what you're supposed to do??????
 
J

jonford

Member
Once nearlly all summer playing just Scena Sinfonica and The Land of the mountain and the flood!! Not my favourite summer! :?
 
A

aimee_euph

Member
jonford said:
Once nearlly all summer playing just Scena Sinfonica and The Land of the mountain and the flood!! Not my favourite summer! :?
Click to expand...

oooh, the memories :cry:

my youth band usually run weekend courses just before the yotuh nationals, so it would be 2full days rehearsing 2pieces...
 
F

floral_dance

Member
about 10 weeks on Celestial Prospect before last area contest. But usually have one peice a rehearsal which we spend more time on than the others.
 
S

sparkling_quavers

Active Member
not a complete piece of music but I do recall spending about an hour practicing 2 bars on a test piece which I just couldn't play. I only shut up when my neighbour banged on the wall :shock:
 
Cornishwomble

Cornishwomble

Active Member
Must say I'm glad I was away for that practice!
The MD did say that the band had sussed it out and now I know why!
Thought there were a few nervous twitches when he said "Get Barbarian Hordes out"!
 
Mike Saville

Mike Saville

Member
Hey Roy,

I'll try not too make my hatred of that piece too obvious next time we play it. It'll be tough though .. . ..

Good to have you with the band!

Apologies to John our MD if you're reading this :oops:
 
B

bladder

Member
Roy Taylor said:
Would it help if we got into character and dressed up in barbarian gear.
After all being Cornish I might feel at home
Click to expand...

All you need to do is play in a brutal and savage fashion, as if you life (front row position) depended on it!! :wink:

And blad it's no good grovelling to the MD, you're a marked man!
 
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