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Here's a topic for everyone...

What is the one piece of music that you've performed in concert/recital that just didn't quite come together the way you wanted for whatever reason that you'd like another shot at?

We all have at least one, why not share what it is, just for fun? It's not a contest to see how can come up with the easiest/hardest/longest/lowest/highest etc., etc. piece. I'm just curious if you had to pick one piece for a do-over, what would it be and why.

I'll go ahead and kick if off with my own:
Walton: Crown Imperial (wind band). Try as I might, I was just never happy with my performance of this. I just never quite got the British E-flat sound and the "bouncy" style of a brass band tuba to my own satisfaction. I wasn't playing it on an E-flat, but no matter. There was nothing "wrong" with performance I was a part of, but I've always wanted to be able to do it again. I have played this piece exactly once. Funny...it's never shown up in a folder since! :shock:

There are other pieces I'd be happy to play again, but that's the one for me. Crown Imperial.

Back when I was in college (trombone major), I practiced the snot out of the Ewazen Sonata for months. Really had it worked up nice. At my recital, I wanted to make sure I was using GOOD AIR. Totally overblew during the entire first movement...I was totally embarrassed that those notes came out of my horn. My professor just came up to me after the recital and said, "sorry, man!" :lol: His response was just what I needed - it was in that moment that I learned that one bad performance doesn't end your life. Gotta brush it off and keep on practicing!

Cosma Concerto. No question. I can hear it in my head exactly how the ideal performance of that piece should sound, but I was never able to attain it.

Not that I ever practiced enough to be really good, but now with a full time job and more and more adult life it's unlikely I'll ever quite get it like I can imagine.

Im really, I mean really gonna regret posting this. And I have better than this. But I'll post it anyway. nah Im not gonna

I've got two from college:

1. Hindemith Sonata from my junior recital. I played three different horns during that recital (PT10, Rudy 5/4, and 184). It wasn't a great idea, and going from the PT10 immediately to the 184 on stage was a mistake. Never settled in on it, despite having been playing the horn for 8 months prior to the recital and getting pretty comfortable on it.

2. Bella siccome un angelo during a scholarship competition. I could never convince my accompanist to slow it down. So I spent the entire performance pulling her back, rather than focusing on the music. It was one of those performances that I don't actually remember because I wasn't really mentally present for it. Not a disaster, per se, but it wasn't representative of my playing, and if I had been older/more mature, I would have handled it differently.

Discounting beer tent gigs (which people enjoyed, I got paid, so I wasn't to concerned about a missed note or two), I'd like to have back the Hartley Unaccompanied, although I redeemed myself on it. I was approaching my bar (had to pass it to qualify for Music Performance). For some reason, I was afraid to play some of the alternate fingerings on my Rudy 3/4 CC, even though I played them all the time in ensembles. In preparation for the bar, I decided to play a recital to get a high pressure performance under my belt prior to the bar (reduce stress a little), analyze the recordings, and adjust accordingly. I was more nervous at the recital than I expected I had been performing and gigging since I was 14). The Hartley was first, and it started alright. But intonation was off, and I knew it, and that made me more nervous. I survived the recital. I analyzed the tape, made the necessary adjustments, worked hard, and nailed it at the bar. I also played the Lebedev Concerto in One Movement. Passed with flying colors. Occasionally, I'll listen to that old recording. It's no longer embarrassing, but it serves as a reminder that intonation is paramount. And not to be so stupid. LOL

Last year I went back to my alma mater (VCU) to perform a recital, something I hadn't done in 27 years. I have performed in major arenas, concert halls, and school gyms (ha!) as part of groups in front of thousands of people, but this was very different. I had practiced all my solo rep for weeks and was ready for anything, or so I thought. All my rehearsals in the recital hall had gone well and again, I thought I was ready. The evening of the recital arrived and I was introduced. I took the stage and readied myself to play the Lebedev Concerto and the stage lights go to full and the house lights go out...completely out. I hadn't planned on that part. I was totally off my game as the piano started and I couldn't concentrate at all. The little voices in my head were screaming at full volume and I could hardly tell where my entrance was supposed to be. Thankfully, a moment of clarity and I hit my entrance. The rest of the piece was one of the worst performances of my life but I had to gather myself and try to end it well. I made it through but it is the one I really want a do-over on.

It did serve as a teaching moment for the next day's classes as how to persevere and deal with failure and try to salvage something.

Eric Whitacre's "October" at the very first Maryland All-State Community Band, in 2013. I had just returned to playing the year before.

As far as I know, this was a pioneering effort- someone at the Columbia Concert Band got the idea to update the All-State concept most of us remember from high school. They got Dr. Harlan Parker from Peabody to conduct, and selected roughly 55 musicians from the audition process. I was originally one of three tubas, then one guy had a family situation come up and had to pull out. No problem- we'll just play a bit louder.

When I got to rehearsal I found the other guy had pulled out the night before. Oh great, now I'm it :shock: . So I drove the Sonora for all it was worth all weekend- never below mezzo-forte (didn't get the Alex until the following year). There was one entrance in "October" that I kept hitting too early, so I wrote a reminder on the music to count this in 4 even though it felt like 2.

Unfortunately, during the performance I must have blanked out- came in too early again. At the break, Dr. Parker came up to me, and I said "sorry- I had it written in and all but I must have blanked out". He replied that the most important thing was that I knew I'd blown it. He didn't think the audience would have known though. On the recording you can tell if you know what you're listening for. I was exhausted when we finished.

But we proved the concept that year, and I've made it into each year's band since. This year we tried something new- a virtual band where everyone recorded their part on video and the results were aggregated. I've also played "October" a few times since then, and haven't blown that entrance again.

Doc wrote: ↑Fri Aug 14, 2020 2:51 pm Discounting beer tent gigs (which people enjoyed, I got paid, so I wasn't to concerned about a missed note or two)

I would certainly like to go back and do ALL of my beer tent gigs again. Especially the ones where the band drank free.

tubanh84 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:19 am I would certainly like to go back and do ALL of my beer tent gigs again. Especially the ones where the band drank free.

Best idea I've heard all week!

tubanh84 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:19 am I would certainly like to go back and do ALL of my beer tent gigs again. Especially the ones where the band drank free.

You have certainly declared where your priorities are. Can't argue with that.