Posted by Richard on February 15, 2001 at 02:14:58:
In Reply to: An American in Paris--Swing or no swing? posted by Erik on February 14, 2001 at 22:00:54:
American in Paris was composed in the '20s. The way some trumpet players swing those passages is more like '40s band style. I agree with the trumpet player who wants to play it strict, more in rag style. Very strict and NASTY. That's they way I would like to hear it done. I've done it twice with my orchestra under the assistant conductor, who accepted the strict (I wish it had been NASTIER) for the solo in question, followed the rubati in the earlier St. Louis Blues solo (ballad style-shouldn't be a problem) and followed me on the tuba solo. I don't make a huge deal out of it, but I feel that a really generous space of time on that downbeat quarter note rest before the last note can be highly effective. I wish I had a picture of the look in her eyes as she WAITED for me to play that note. But she was cool, she allowed it. She even liked it.
However, back to our trumpet player. . .if he can't convince his conductor through patient and dipomatic discourse to allow him to play it his way, perhaps he should just do what the boss tells him to do.