[Dixielandjazz] Inauguration Piece debuts live in Pittsburgh

[Stephen G Barbone]

This article should clarify who played what at the Inauguration. EG,  
piano action rendered inoperable so no sound, soap on the violin and  
cello bows so that the strings barely made any noise, etc.
I would imagine that in addition to not using their Strads, neither  
Perlman nor Ma used their expensive bows. <grin>
Cheers,
Steve Barbone

NY TIMES - January 24, 2009 - by Daniel Walkin
Actually Live Debut Set for Inaugural Composition

The John Williams piece composed for President Obama’s inauguration  
this week finally was to receive its world premiere on Friday. In  
Pittsburgh.

The cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the violinist Itzhak Perlman, the clarinetist  
Anthony McGill and the pianist Gabriela Montero took the stage during  
Tuesday’s inauguration and appeared to play the work, “Airs and Simple  
Gifts.”

Their playing was heard, but it had been recorded by the quartet on  
Sunday and was broadcast at the ceremony. The effect of the extreme  
cold on their instruments made a decent rendition impossible, so, the  
musicians said, they played along with the recording.

On Friday it emerged that a bit less of a performance was actually  
happening on the stage. Mr. Ma, in an interview with National Public  
Radio, said he and Mr. Perlman put soap on their bows, reducing  
friction and making the notes barely audible. The piano’s action was  
altered so it remained silent, he said.

In a separate interview, he said Mr. McGill’s clarinet could be heard,  
while he fingered, bowed and vibrated as normal. “If we had played on  
the instruments that we had we would have had a really terrible  
performance,” Mr. Ma said. The other musicians did not return  
telephone messages.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra said it would present the work  
during Friday night’s regular program, which was to include Gershwin’s  
“Rhapsody in Blue,” with Ms. Montero as soloist. She was to be joined  
in the Williams piece by members of the orchestra.

David Sogg, a principal bassoonist of the orchestra, joked that the  
players should announce from the stage that no recording was involved.

“The largest audience in the world heard this piece,” he said, “and  
now we’re doing it live.”