{"id":7073,"date":"2011-11-16T19:35:07","date_gmt":"2011-11-17T03:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/?p=7073"},"modified":"2013-02-07T20:59:15","modified_gmt":"2013-02-08T04:59:15","slug":"rodent-of-unusual-size","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2011\/11\/16\/rodent-of-unusual-size\/","title":{"rendered":"rodent of unusual size"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Remember the classic movie The Princess Bride? There was a much-feared creature that lived in the Fire Swamp – the R.O.U.S (R<\/strong>odent O<\/strong>f U<\/strong>nusual S<\/strong>ize). This week, the Oregon Symphony tackles a composition by another much-feared creature – the R.O.U.S.E (Christopher Rouse) called Phaeton<\/em>. His music is renowned for its difficulty, and he does, in fact, seem to take delight in seeing just how miserable he makes life for the musicians who take on his music. The other aspect of his music, other than its speed, which makes life hard for us is its sheer volume level. This piece is loud. I described the percussion section as sounding like a tornado demolishing a Bed, Bath and Beyond. Principal percussionist Niel DePonte said it was like a typhoon in a car repair shop. Cellist Tim Scott noted that the horns sounded like trumpeting, rampaging escaped elephants from the zoo. Get the picture? After all, the piece is a representation of Phaeton, son of the sun good Helios, and his ill-fated attempt to pilot the sun’s chariot. It’s the oldest story in the parent playbook: child goes on joyride, wrecks family car.<\/p>\n

This weekend’s concerts will be quite the spectacle, between the Rouse, which opens the program, and the incredibly difficult Symphony-Concerto for cello and orchestra by Prokofiev, featuring returning cello fave Alban Gerhardt; and the audience favorite Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” by Antonin Dvorak. Get your tix here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Remember the classic movie The Princess Bride? There was a much-feared creature that lived in the Fire Swamp – the R.O.U.S (Rodent Of Unusual Size). This week, the Oregon Symphony tackles a composition by another much-feared creature – the R.O.U.S.E (Christopher Rouse) called Phaeton. His music is renowned for its difficulty, and he does, in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":303,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[2862,2643,2863,2864,2860,2810,2861],"class_list":["post-7073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-orchestra-world","tag-alban-gerhardt","tag-christopher-rouse","tag-dvorak","tag-new-world-symphony","tag-phaeton","tag-prokofiev","tag-symphony-concerto"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8kC-1Q5","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7076,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2011\/11\/20\/myths-monsters-and-the-new-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":7073,"position":0},"title":"myths, monsters, and the new world","author":"Charles Noble","date":"November 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Last night the Oregon Symphony played a concert that is, in many ways, emblematic of the tenure of our current music director Carlos Kalmar. On display were canny programming, a stellar soloist, and a well-known chestnut with an interpretive twist. The work that has most occupied the members of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "cello"","block_context":{"text":"cello","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/instruments\/cello\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/AlbanGerhardt_1_orig-e1321818574312.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14890,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2018\/08\/21\/oregon-symphony-musician-wins-la-phil-position\/","url_meta":{"origin":7073,"position":1},"title":"oregon symphony musician wins LA Phil position","author":"Charles Noble","date":"August 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Evan Kuhlmann, OSO Assistant principal bassoonist\/contrabassoonist has won a highly coveted position with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which I was able to confirm with him today. No word on when Evan will begin work in LA. Most position start dates are set at the mutual availability and convenience of both\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "auditions"","block_context":{"text":"auditions","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/auditions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/54P-20180039-copy-300x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7065,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2011\/11\/12\/classical-beaver-moon\/","url_meta":{"origin":7073,"position":2},"title":"classical beaver moon?","author":"Charles Noble","date":"November 12, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Discovered via the Farmers' Almanac that the November full moon is often referred to as the Beaver Moon. I mention this in honor of my blogger brother the Classical Beaver (Brian Horay), and thank the beloved rodent for all of his fervent dam-building love of the Oregon Symphony.","rel":"","context":"In "the orchestra world"","block_context":{"text":"the orchestra world","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/the-orchestra-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/full-beaver-moon-blue-moon-november-21-2010.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13712,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2015\/05\/08\/2014-2105-a-retrospective-part-two\/","url_meta":{"origin":7073,"position":3},"title":"2014-2105: a retrospective, part two","author":"Charles Noble","date":"May 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"And now, for the big list - the stuff I played with the Oregon Symphony this past season*. Lots of variety, and some holes in repertoire that I really couldn't believe when I looked at the list - only one work by Brahms, for example? Hm... Barber - Adagio for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "the orchestra world"","block_context":{"text":"the orchestra world","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/the-orchestra-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/noble-oso-pic-e1408736178252.jpg?fit=451%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6154,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2011\/04\/14\/calder-quartet-premieres-rouse-quartet\/","url_meta":{"origin":7073,"position":4},"title":"calder quartet premieres rouse quartet","author":"Charles Noble","date":"April 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Christopher Rouse's String Quartet No. 3 will be premiered by the Calder Quartet at Carnegie Hall Friday evening, April 15th. Here's a video that Carnegie Hall has posted: http:\/\/youtu.be\/G708FM2LO5g","rel":"","context":"In "chamber music"","block_context":{"text":"chamber music","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/chamber-music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/CasSeated-400x265.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5828,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2011\/02\/20\/thoughts-on-the-upcoming-season\/","url_meta":{"origin":7073,"position":5},"title":"thoughts on the upcoming season","author":"Charles Noble","date":"February 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"As promised (or threatened), here are my thoughts on the upcoming 2011-2012 season which was just announced today (or yesterday, if you are an Oregonian reader). To keep it simple, I'll divide the comments into two sections - artists, and repertoire. Artists The new season continues with the same level\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "programming"","block_context":{"text":"programming","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/programming-music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/RF7_CREDIT_DECCA_ANDREWECCLES-300x400.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/303"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7073\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}