Recently I have been reminiscing ninth grade band. I know it isn't the most inspiring moment of my life, but, hey, it was some good times! In ninth grade, I sat by two of my best friends (Adelaide and Kristen!), and we were crazy! For example, one of the songs we played was called "Scottish Ballade." We didn't think it sounded too Scottish. We heard portions of Snow White's funeral song, an English countryside, a hymn, and Pocahontas's leaf song! Therefore, we felt the need to rename the song "Snow White and Pocahontas's Death March of Repentance through the English Countryside." We even wrote all over our music when each new theme was represented.
In band this semester, a similar problem has presented itself. We are playing a song by Wagner called "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral." However, upon hearing this song, it didn't sound too happy. I told Ginny my new partner in crime my thoughts, and she agreed. I told her I was sad that Elsa had died (this was clearly a funeral procession). Jon the third member of our Euphonium section who is older and wiser than us, informed us that this was, in fact, a wedding procession. Ginny and I were quite distraught that Elsa's wedding day was not a happy one. But, it started happy and got happy at the end... "What happened to make it a happy day after all?" we wondered. So, I relayed the above story to Ginny, and she agreed this song needed a storyboard as well.
As we practiced the song with the band, we would ponder what each section could represent. Then when Dr. Stickney would stop us to work on a part, Ginny and I would discuss what we felt each section could be. Don't worry - he was working with other sections, not ours!
We had the whole story worked out! The song started with the sun breaking over the mountains. The beams of sunshine were shining through Elsa's curtain and, eventually, across her face. She wakes, excited to marry her lover (we are still working on a name for him - Andrew, Daniel, Fritz etc. have been suggested, but we haven't finalized anything yet). She rises from her bed, pours water into the bowl and washes her face. She then reaches for a letter from her lover and begins to read. A messenger knocks on her door and delivers a letter. It is from her lover! (or is it?) He tells her how much he loves her, but tells her he can't go through with the wedding. A tear appears on her cheek. Not a second later, a stuffy old man (again, no name has been concocted. We are feeling Archibald, though) comes into her room. He announces that if she doesn't marry him today, her parents will go to the poor house. Not wanting to wrongfully punish her parents for her lover's cold feet, she agrees. She then makes the long trip to the church. She walks up the steps, through the doors, and up the aisle. Just as the preacher says, "Speak now, or forever hold your peace," her lover runs through the doors! The stuffy old man had kidnapped him, but he escaped! Elsa turns around, and they run towards each other. They embrace, gaze longingly into each other's eyes, and kiss. Then the "The End" gets written in cursive across their faces.
You have no idea the excitement that comes over the euphonium section when Dr. Stickney announces that we are to rehearse "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral." Thank heavens I have such a creative friend sitting right next to me again who understands the importance of storyboards!
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