1-2, 1-2-3, 1-2,1-2,1-2-3, 1-2-3-4

I had another Rite of Spring rehearsal last night. I think it's starting to click a bit.  One of the more experienced players was claiming it was easy, "you just need to count."  Just?  Well maybe.  I can nearly manage the counting as long as I don't have to play any notes at the same time.

 It did make me realise that most of the time I don't count - I rely on feeling the pulse and the rhythm often just slots in quite easily. I rarely have to think about it very consciously except when counting rest bars and even then I find I a physical action such as putting fingers on my instrument more reliable than counting in my head.  Unfortunately that isn't good enough for this.  I need to actually count. In my head. All the time. And play at the same time.  It was beginning to get there at the end, it felt less like guesswork and following the person next to me and more knowing when I should play.  It's getting there.

Mahler Symphony No 3 Part 2

Evening rehearsal tonight.  Very tiring, but I feel more confident about tomorrow now.  I am especially pleased that most of the time I knew where we are and when I had to come in.  Considering that at times I have over 100 bars rest - with time signatures of 3/4, 2/2, 4/4, 6/8 so bars maybe beaten in either 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or even 8, not to mention pauses, rits and accels.. It's fair to say my head was spinning a bit by the end of it.  But still, I managed to come in most of the time, which I definitely wouldn't have been able to do 2 years ago. It's good to  see that improvement.

We went through the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 2nd movements tonight.  Too tired to write much about it but I am looking forward to tomorrow, I think it will sound very good indeed.