Music, Pirates, and User Icons

[alanajoli]

I went to my very first Gilbert and Sullivan performance tonight. I'd sung parts of The Pirates of Penzance before. Heck, I've been to Penzance, England. But I'd never seen the show. The awesome Junius (who may or may not have an lj identity--I haven't internet-stalked him *g*) invited us to go, and so we went. The orchestra was awesome, the performers were quite excellent, and I learned something I'd long suspected. Gilbert and Sullivan are right up my alley as far as humor goes. The whole show is very, very silly--and that's what's excellent about it.

Now, I really want start singing again. I don't think that I really should ever have sung Mabel (I trained as a soprano in college, despite being rather more an alto naturally speaking, though my range was good enough to sing Handel arias and such). My voice remembers quite a bit more of the "O Wandering One" than I would have suspected, though, and it felt good to sing just a little bit when we got home. One of these days, I'll have to get myself back into good training. I fear that my instrumental training may be too far gone at this point to recover, but the singing, I should be able to get back.

(We discussed at one point this evening how stereotypes are associated with different instruments to those who have been instrumentalists, and I always wonder what people suspect I've played. Most people probably wouldn't peg me, I suspect--but I'd be entirely amused if they knew right off!)

On a completely different note, I just discovered that Lindsay Archer has a whole bunch of LJ icons available on her website, so you'll be seeing several new pieces of art by Lindsay in this blog. (I've also added a number of icons from Cowboys and Aliens and Steampunk Musha recently just to spice things up a bit.)

Comments

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

My first guess would be the oboe.

[smerwin29.livejournal.com]

I picture you playing the washboard. Or maybe the spoons. Or beatboxing. :-D

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

Not a bad guess, but not me. My sister, however, is a proud member of the Double Reed Society. ;)

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

You're actually much closer than you might suspect. I think I actually *did* play the washboard (or something like it) in a concert one time. I never did manage to master the spoons, though, and beatboxing is just beyond me! ;)

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

Trombone or piccolo?

[smerwin29.livejournal.com]

Lead electric triangle? Cowbell? Empty human skulls?

[(Anonymous)]

Triangle! Or maybe the cow bell? Or maybe the xylophone? Hmmmm....

Glad to hear you had a good night of it, I enjoy myself some theatre when I can get it.

-Albone

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

If I had a prize, you'd win it (although perhaps with partial credit to Shawn, since I suspect he influenced your answer)! I have, in fact, played all three of the instruments you suggested.

The most fun part about watching the play was watching the percussionist--a single person responsible for: snare drum, bass drum, crash cymbals (represented by a suspended cymbal, as one cannot play the crash cymbals and the bass drum at the same time--which is what was required by the score), triangle, timpani, and more! This makes me giggle, as there was at least one year when I managed the entire percussion section of the community band by myself for a couple of concerts. I convinced my father, who has no percussion training, to play the crash cymbals after a quick lesson. He couldn't read the music, so I nodded every time he was supposed to crash.

Good times!

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

I actually prefer stormtrooper hemlets... ;)

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

Funnily enough, the aformentioned sister plays both of those as well... (though the trombone not as well as my female cousin trombonist, who apparently won competitions this year). ;)

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

Your sister is pretty awesome. What's your problem? ;)

(And having read a couple other replies, you seem like a xylophonist.)

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

My sister is incredibly awesome. She's also a massage therapist, and even my friends who *haven't* met her say they like her better... ;) It's a good thing I'm the older sister or I'd *never* have crawled out from under her shadow!

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

Is she single? :D

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

:) Nope, very devoted to her guy. He's one lucky fellow (and quite awesome himself).

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

That's all right. Neither am I. :)

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

I thought I recalled that. ;) But since I suspect that she or her boyfriend may read these comments (they do pop by every so often), it's best to be clear!

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

He's lucky that she hasn't met me though. She'd be all like, "I never had such doubts before. Am I making the right choice? What do I do? Waa waa waaa." It's kind of embarrassing really. ;)

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

It must be hard to be so popular... ;)

[the-outlaw.livejournal.com]

No kidding!