pulling one’s own weight

I’ve been thinking about the elaborate process of playing in an orchestral section, and thought that hearing about that process might be enlightening for both casual and avid observers of orchestras.

Particularly in the string sections, it’s a constant balancing act – literally.  Keeping one’s sound both within the sound of the section and giving enough volume to help support those around you.  Keeping centered in the rhythm, while being attentive to the rhythm of the section and the orchestra as a whole.  Executing tempo changes attentively, but not jumping ahead or in back of the musical flow of your section mates.  There’s a lot of dual responsibilities involved, and that’s where it gets rather tricky.

You see, even though we’re faced with a lot of musically objective factors (lengths of notes, articulation markings, the conductor’s beat, etc), there are also a range subjective factors both within and without out control to consider.  Did we have too much or too little coffee today?  Did we fight with our partner right before the concert?  Do we hate our stand partners?  Do we hate the conductor?  Are we losing our hearing?  Have we lost much of our former technical facility?  Can we hear others in our section or in the rest of the orchestra where we are sitting?  So, even if you know your part and are able to play it, you still might have some work to do.

A common situation is the “to thine own self be true” phenomenon.  This is the player who knows that they are correct and will make that point by playing their part as loudly and inconsiderately as possible (and did I mention rhythmic rigidity?) hoping that the rest of the people in the section (who are “wrong”) will come around to their own point of view.  This sort of player is the most obviously damaging type of musician to have in a section.

There’s also the “do no harm” player, who doesn’t want to stick their neck out on the chopping block, so they endeavor to bring no attention to themselves and ride on the backs of everyone else in the section.  Aggravating, to be sure, but less damaging in an overt way.  The problem is, if you have a couple of players who are true to themselves, and a larger number of no harm players, then you have a section rife for disharmony (not to mention discord and rhythmic mayhem).

Ideally, you have a principal who is a great player and who meshes well with the other principals and the conductor.  The principal plays confident chamber music with them, while a section of confident but flexible and deferential players give full support from the second stand on back.

Nothing makes a string principal feel more confident when they know that the section literally has their back with strong, attentive playing.  And nothing can make a principal feel more paranoid in a tricky entrance or passage than not knowing if the section will even come in or play with assurance.

Sometimes the old Star Trek axiom “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few” really does come into play, and a good principal will feel the inertia of a strong and confident section and shape their own leadership accordingly.

So, that’s my ramble on the subject of playing in a string section (and a tiny bit about leading one) – so next time you’re at an OSO concert (or at your local orchestra’s concert) pick out a string section to watch and see how well these inter-personal dynamics play out on stage.