Scrapheap Orchestra

Subject: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: morning wood
Date: 10 Dec 11 - 10:18 AM

Might be entertaining...

BBC4 11/12/11 at 21:30

Scrapheap Orchestra

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: giles earle
Date: 14 Dec 11 - 02:07 PM

Just watched the documentary on iPlayer. What a lot of Charles Hazlewood featured, and what a lot of irrelevant sound-clips. (In particular, why so much of the violinist playing a Strad? Stupendous instrument, but hardly to the point.)

I thought it would have made a good short series - say 4 x 45 min rather than one 90 min slog - as it needed far, far more focus on the technical details and problems of making and playing each of the different instruments. Why did we see so little of the makers who produced a playable instrument on schedule, for example the chap who made that charming oboe?

Verdict: enjoyed it overall, but with reservations about the overall approach.

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: chordstrangler
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 10:46 AM

Saw it and loved it...M

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: fat B****rd
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 03:15 PM

Likewise. There avent arf bin some clever bastards.

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: My guru always said
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 06:10 PM

Thoroughly enjoyed it and have kept it to show to friends!

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: foggers
Date: 15 Dec 11 - 06:22 PM

We liked it a lot; especially the sewage pipe violins turned out of the luthier workshop in Newark! There was a certain kind of scrapheap artistry to the trombones too.

My partner is a veteran tinkerer and recent amateur luthier. I confidently predict that the programme will have inspired him anew and the (unfinished) house will reverberate to the sound of new fangled improvised instruments wrought from the plumbing that is intended for me new bathroom!

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 07:14 AM

I thought it was a brilliant piece of television. Charles Hazlewood has been involved in some great telly lately (I hugely enjoyed the bell ringing programme too).

My only reservation was that it was a bit disingenuous about all the instruments "being made entirely from scrap materials" when in fact there was a bit of cheating: reeds were used in some of the wind instruments for instance. It seemed like some of the makers were more purist than others about what they would include. However that is just a tiny quibble that should not destract from the makers' ingenuity. The achievement and the programme were both to be applauded.

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: Trevor Thomas
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 09:25 AM

Well in fairness a 'reed' is just a bit of cane - it's pretty 'low tech' already.

There was one feller who made reeds out of lolly ice sticks - I can't imagine these were much use though.

I thought the plumbing pipe trombones were fantastic, and the Big Horn (Tuba?) was also very impressive.

And hats off to the band for working so hard to bring it all together. Excellent programme, I thought.

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: r.padgett
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 10:26 AM

Well I for one would have expected a rougher sound than the near perfection demanded and got by the snobby professionals!
(ok not all of 'em just how I felt)

the instrument makers were the real heroes and one who was badly upset probably needs some counselling sessions now (he was well taken out of his comfort zone) the violin maker, he learned most if he can live with it!

The players made excellent use of these newly devised and created instruments, using scrap materials by and large

I think it was the flautist lady that was particularly good

Loved the ingenuity and shapes

Bottom line, much prefer the folk instruments and the artistic freedom of folk song (in particular) and the folky instruments. I don't go for perfection and like the raw edges. I can sleep to anything~ lol

Ray

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 12:28 PM

I would have like to have seen more of what happened (and what the makers did) between 1st rehearsal (when the stuff was all pretty rough) and the dress rehearsal (when it passed that dreadful impresario bloke).

Was interesting - the brass and woodwind were fairly easy to replicate as they're plumbing anyway (there are makers who still use cutlery for keys / springs), and the designs are C19 in the first place. Yes, the reeds could (should?) have been made of something else. Thin sheet plastic or card might have worked.

The violin maker had such trouble because, as was pointed out - the design is C17 or earlier, and its been all downhill from there. And he is obviously a perfectionist type. Not surprising he wasn't getting enough volume,that's how old violins were.

1812 was asking an awful lot, the late C19 music demanded about the most volume an orchestra ever has.

A fair bit must have been down to the skill of the players - they knew how to get the best out of an instrument. With barely competent players the sound would have been much, much worse. No let's rephrase that - the programme only worked at all because top class players agreed to be involved.

Paws

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: r.padgett
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 04:42 PM

Given the snobby criteria agreed!

Ray

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: GUEST,thelonearranger
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 01:15 PM

Almost invisible from the final cut of the programme was a strand about how the 1812 was reinvented for these instruments and for these players. A lot of microsurgery was needed . . .

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: GUEST,Richard Moakes
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 06:32 PM

I produced the principal cello, however, I didn't receive any accreditation for the work!

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: Tootler
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 07:26 PM

What a fascinating programme.

Yes the BBC producer was a bit po-faced but I suppose he had to be satisfied the project would work and not make the Proms a laughing stock, but his manner wasn't exactly endearing.

I was impressed the way both the instrument makers and the musicians entered into the spirit of the whole exercise and were prepared to give it a go.

Whoever made the oboe was a star, it was a beauty, even through my headphones (so as not to disturb swmbo). I noticed the cellos were miked up, so presumably they never really overcame the volume issue.

Thoroughly enjoyable and well done for Charles Hazlewood for his project.

Subject: RE: Scrapheap Orchestra
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 07:56 PM

For those who cannot watch the broadcast: here is the 1812 ouverture, here a clip from the TV coverage. Not really lo-tech (given the hi-tech tools of the makers), but a clever way to prepare severe cuts in the government's culture budget.