Do major orchestras normally have salaried piano-players on on hand?
Usually (when a piano concerto is scheduled) the pianist is a featured (star) performer.
But I suppose there are several orchestral works in the standard repertoire that include a piano…particularly 20th century pieces. So for these, does the conductor buzz the Green Room and have them send up the staff ivory-tinkler, or does he phone the talent agency?
Yep - most symphony orchestras have a number of artists who can and do play instruments which are not part of the standard orchestral literature. Some of these folks, because their services are only required occasionally, have to augment their income by playing with several ensembles, and other jobbing. They don’t buzz the green room, of course, because to be part of an orchestra is to rehearse with them. Since performance schedules are set sometimes years in advance, the arrangements can be planned quite a bit ahead of time. There are several players who only play in one, or a few, performances per year. Think about it - instruments you seldom see include the harp, the celeste, the organ, many percussion instruments, various horns, and all the extra strings that are called for in large orchestral works - Wagner, Strauss, Bruckner, and, as you suggested, many 20th century works. Maybe even a ukelele! Yep, the personnel guy in an orchestra has his hands full.
Well, you may argue whether the Toledo Symphony Orchestra is a major one, but they do not seem to have a staff pianist.
http://www.toledosymphony.com/meet/index.html
Oh, yeah? Then how do you explain that Valrie Kantorski tootsie? Trying to hide her from the Cost Accounting Department, are ya?
And TWO full-time tuba players? God help me, UncleBeer, I’ll never tease Toledo again!
Huh. I guess Nancy Reagan was right; I really can’t read. Color me stupid.
…and you have a full-time ELECTRIC BASSIST?
Bless me, Toledo is a veritable New Jerusalem of the Arts! I’ll bet even the goddamn Boston Symphony makes one of their stand-up bassists double on electric…
Note that Mr. Alleshouse does, in fact, also play the double bass.
One of my favorite symphony sights was seeing a guy in a tux playing the banjo for Rhapsody in Blue.
So this Alleshouse gazooney draws a double salary, does he?
Damn, the more I delve into this whole Toledo Symphony business, the more of a festering stench I uncover. Layer upon layer of intrigue and corruption.
Yeah, you oughta see what happens down at our art museum, too. Which, by the way, is the place the Toledo Symphony calls home.