2017-05-16

【Aiden in English】

        The eighth-grade concert band is probably the most challenging one I’ve been in so far. Well, most of those in more advanced groups, such as the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble, understand how easy the grade bands are. However, this year was the beginning of my bari-sax career.

        The bari-sax, which stands for baritone saxophone, is an extremely low version of the saxophone. It’s double the length of an alto saxophone, what I started out with. The neck twists around, lengthening the total distance of the air to travel. The more distance, the lower the note. It also means the air required nearly doubles that of an alto. Lower notes, more air.

        The technique of the saxophone is all the same. I do not need to relearn any fingerings, positions, or posture. Instead, I must reshape my muscles completely. As an alto, the instinct to pinch and squeeze your embouchure is very tempting. However, a bari-sax requires the player to throw out all those years of experience. I still clearly remember my first note, a middle G, to pop, then squeak, then falter out to nothing. Albeit embarrassing, this taught me how much there was still to learn in a band. I must say, the school deserves a lot of credit to my instrument; I use a public saxophone, just with a personal mouthpiece. So it essentially was a free opportunity to seize.

        This concert was, considering other areas, an easy bari-sax part. I feel slightly grateful to my teacher for this matter. I struggle with the low A, the single part which costs over a thousand dollars and takes many unnecessary breaths. Both these attributes will come with time, however discouraging.

        Moving on from the bad side of my abilities, I wish to flip the coin and view the band’s accomplishments of the night. The greatest feat of this season of the band was “To Challenge the Sky and Heavens-Above” by Robert Smith. Not only did it sound like actual band music, but it exposed many sections of the band.

        That can be taken two ways. First of all, it gives the sections solos and many main parts at times. For example, I was quite passive in this tune except when it came to a specific section, where it pretty much was just the bari-sax grinding a 5/4 beat. I say “pretty much” because the tuba is always slow, so I carry most of the noise. Needless to say, that part’s groove is amazing, similar to the Mission Impossible beat.

        The other way to interpret the exposure is how the sections play separate parts often, “exposing” inadequate levels. I think it is a good thing for everyone to understand where they are at the moment, even if it means playing alone.

        The pressure increased relatively with the separation, but it’s really something the band will learn to appreciate. Independent thinking runs the world; people don’t stick to crowds. They wish to stand out.

【紅霞譯文】

        初中三年級表演樂隊大概是我迄今所參加的樂隊中最具挑戰性的，多數成員還參加更高水準的音樂團體，譬如管樂隊、爵士樂隊，因此年級組織的樂隊對這些人來說純屬小打小鬧，然而，今年我開始吹奏上低音薩克斯管。

        上低音薩克斯管是薩克斯管中非常少見的一種類型，比我初學上手的中音薩克斯管長兩倍，脖管迴轉，結果增長了空氣流動距離，殊不知距離越長音調越低。言外之意，上低音薩克斯管要比中音薩克斯管的共鳴腔要大兩倍，音低氣流更沖。

        吹奏薩克斯管技巧都是一樣的，我無需再學任何指法、按鍵或姿勢，相反只要協調肌肉張弛就成。作為中音薩克斯手，拿捏唇型的模樣非常誘人，不過吹奏上低音薩克斯管時演員要把多年來積累的經驗全都拋到九霄雲外。我還清楚地記得當年學吹第一個音符中央G時的場景，不是吐音時冷不丁冒出一聲尖叫，就是吱吱嘎嘎胡亂作響，再不然乾脆斷了氣。尷尬歸尷尬，但樂隊活動教我懂得要學的東西很多，值得稱道的是學校為我提供樂器，我使用公家上低音薩克斯管，只需換上私人專用吹嘴即可，等於撈到一次免費學習機會。

        從其它方面來看，音樂會中上低音薩克斯管的戲份平平，我對老師體諒之情不免心存感激，畢竟低音A很難吹，要知道附設這麼一個部件耗資上千美元，我只能瞎使勁。但願好事多磨，時間久了期待水平能有提高，只是當下尚無起色。

        撇開我個人軟肋不談，我想把話題轉到今晚樂隊演出上來。本季音樂會樂隊最拿手的作品就是羅伯特·史密斯《挑戰蒼穹》，這首曲子好像專門為樂隊譜寫的，樂隊很多組成部分得以趁機大顯身手。

        應從兩方面來看待這個問題。首先，每組樂器輪番獨奏，分別表現華彩樂段。舉例來說，演奏這首樂曲時我相當空閒，直到進入特定樂章，上低音薩克斯管才好不容易折騰出來5/4拍子，之所以說“好不容易”是因為大號手總掉鏈子，我難以擺脫雜音紛擾，那段合奏甭提有多來勁，其節奏配得上電影《碟中諜》。

        其次，每組樂器常常各自為政，聲部參差不齊，我覺得讓樂隊每位成員了解自己所在位置是件好事，即使獨奏表演也應如此。

        壓力因各干各的而明顯增大，但這正是樂隊應該尊重的東西，況且這年頭流行標新立異；人們不願隨大流，都想與眾不同。

Crosslinks(相關博文):

2017 Pennbrook MS Spring Concert(2017年賓溪初中春季音樂會)

2016 Seventh-Grade Spring Concert(2016年初二春季音樂會)

2015 Mont Band Spring Concert(2015年蒙小管樂隊春季音樂會)

2015 Sixth-Grade Spring Concert(2015年初一春季音樂會)

2014 Fifth-Grade Spring Concert(2014年五年級春季音樂會)