Triangle players need to be secure as well! www.dashlane.com/foshy50 Thank you very much to Southbank Sinfonia for letting me showcase my skills! / southbanksinfonia
My band is playing a piece called Jumpstart that has a bell tree and you literally CANNOT play it quietly, even if you basically hit it as softly as possible it’s absurdly loud
Not to mention back when you were starting out. Ive been playing sax for 13 years, and no matter how large an audience ive played to, the most nerve racking will always be my neighbours below me in the beginning. Knowing that if you make a mistake or sound terrible, loads of people who didnt want to hear you to begin with will notice and that there is no way to play quieter unless you fork out more than for the instrument itself for a mute.
Max's resume is honestly insane. Professional musician, bestselling author, politician, dj, religious leader, international baddie. Truly a jack of all trades
As a percussionist whose played the triangle before, it’s so sharp that it penetrates through the other instruments, so if you play it at the wrong time, everyone hears, and then if you DROP it, Satan himself pays you a visit, and sends his prayers.
That's almost as bad as not checking if the snare's on, starting to play with the snare off then panicking, and then accidentally knocking the ride cymbal off the stand cause the person who set up the drumset doesn't use wingnuts...
Only max fosh could force his way into a prestigious orchestra to let him play the most difficult of instruments with his incredible raw talent. He is truly an inspiration.
As a professional musician, this is much harder than anyone will give max credit for. Finding entries is really hard and does take a lot of confidence and skill, regardless of instrument, especially when out of your comfort zone. Also a little aside, that 'well played' is more recognition than we normally ever get.
Yeah this was fun to watch. For real though, I'm playing in a top level professional orchestra and I'd fail miserably if someone handed a triangle to me. Finding the right timings is ridiculously difficult and I'm very impressed by Max actually, even if this was far from a hard passage for a percussionist I imagine.
@@the_bottomfragger I can't understand how you could be able to play literally any other instrument and not the triangle. Everything else needs accurate timing too.
@@jsalsman The timing for percussion and something like a violin is very different. The "pocket" is narrower and you don't have anyone else to cover for your minor screw ups.
I guess I could play the triangle after a few minutes of practice. I can do timing, but have to get used to the specifics of the instrument, like how hard to hit, the shape of the sound etc
As a Finn, I laughed out loud when I heard what piece you're going to play. This is because there is (albeit not very well known) gag in Finland that "even the triangle player in Finlandia is important", it is actually quite an important moment in that piece. Finlandia has a very special place in Finnish culture, and you are expected not to play anything after it.
I fully expected this to be Max just sitting in the corner, with a triangle, because the piece didn’t actually have a triangle part. But instead, the man had to actually learn a part, and shows us that it was NOT an immediate “yes”, he had to put in effort for it. Which is incredible.
I've been playing professionally with orchestras for over a decade and something as seemingly simple as playing 8 exposed notes can still be incredibly stressful. Well done, Max!
True! Playing an exposed part in general is nerve racking, even if you know the part very well. The fact that he’s never been in that kind of setting before makes it more impressive
I played trombone in high school and i might disagree with you, imo it’s more stressful praying that my lungs dont give out in a whole piece rather then the parts where i’m counting 48 measures to play three notes. Maybe it’s different for different people tho
Yes especially when you are playing a part that nobody else plays, otherwise you can slide "in" when you miss your entry or are slightly out of place, but as a triangle player you just have to be there.
I'm sure that Max specifically chose E# at 7:55 for us music nerds to be like "E# is just F", or for pitch perfect people to be like "Umm actually, he laughed in ___(insert correct note)". And even if he didn't think of that, it works, and I'm sure will bring a lot of engagement to the video. So great job Max!
Can we all take a moment to appreciate that Max didn’t merely get to play the triangle in the orchestra - HE WAS FIRST CHAIR TRIANGLE! Some professional musicians go their whole life without ever becoming First Chair, and Max qualified for the part after just an hour of learning the instrument. The word “prodigy” gets thrown around a lot, but I can’t imagine an instance where it applies more than this! Way to go Max!
Having played violin in a youth orchestra, the mental image of replacing all of them with triangles is so funny, especially because the conductor would be giving the traditional handshake to the First Triangle (concertmaster). I also enjoyed the thought of the orchestra tuning at the beginning - the oboe playing an A, and then two sections of triangles all checking whether their instruments are in tune.
@@gavin2870 Kinda, since normally there isn't a "triangle" seat, but multiple percussionist seats, so First Triangle wouldn't be the case, it would be First Percussionist who happens to be using the snare drum, timpani, bass drum usually, but sometimes might take on other roles like specialized percussion, but rarely the triangle. I used to be the eldest in concert band, and First Trombone of three (for a high school concert band, nothing professional) for 8 years since 5th grade till I graduated my senior year as the last one remaining in concert band for 8 years
I’ve got to give some credit to the conductor too. With someone as renowned and silly as Max, it helps ease the intimidation off of playing an instrument. Mr. Corkhill encouraging Max sent a message to all of us as viewers. Through enough silliness, the hardest things are made the most achievable.
My percussion teacher once told me of the story of a famous journalist (can't remember who it was) who was known for doing tons of crazy stuff, and he convinced Leonard Bernstein, one of the most famous conductors ever, to let him play triangle in the New York Philharmonic, one of the most famous orchestras ever, for a story. He would later go on record saying that experience was one of the most stressful things he ever did. Percussion ain't easy. A lot of people think that it's just hitting stuff with sticks, but it takes years of training to be a good percussionist.
Alan Abel, the noted "best triangle player of all time," was a pretty big deal! He not only invented the Abel triangle (known for its overtones), but also the suspended bass drum stand (it gives the drum a much freer sound). He was even inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame!
Big props to Southbank Sinfonia & David Corkhill for allowing Max to do this, a nice little bit of free promotion that the other orchestras missed out on!
also as a (high school) cellist, I realised maybe being a percussionist is harder than I previously thought lol! They basically are a soloist all the time and have to switch instruments frequently. Just never really thought much of it since our orchestra’s repertoire doesn’t really have many percussion parts. Also how is it being a professional cellist? A lot of canon in D ? 😭
@@crypticshadows Yeah haha. Same with playing brass and woodwind in symphony orchestras. They're extremely exposed. Haha it's tough but enjoyable. I don't mind playing Canon in D as long as I can get enough work lol. Those 8 notes sound a lot sweeter when there's money flowing into your pocket for each one 😂
Max's description keeps getting longer. Comedian, politician, pardoned criminal, former richest man in the world (securities fraud investigation pending), convention pen tester, and now professional musician Truly a life of achievement
As someone studying to become a classical percussionist, I appreciate the fact that you're showing people that it's actually harder than it looks... And sounds
As a professional percussionist… all I can say is bravo. Actually really good technique Max. And triangle actually is a terrifying instrument to play in the orchestra 😂
Can we just take the time to appreciate Finlandia as a piece, though? I played an arrangement of it in youth orchestra last year (violin 1) and it was amazing. I want to play it again so badly. Everyone should listen to it. Sibelius is cool.
the reason I like Max doing these silly things is because he always actually puts everything into it and wants it to go well / be fun for everyone involved - not some sort of 'prank' or 'fail' video
this happened to me!! a few months ago, my music teacher asked me to play triangle in my school's orchestra even though i play guitar! everyone called me 'triangle prodigy' at rehearsal. 10/10 experience
As a past director always said, "If you're nervous, that means you care to do good." Good advice on stage and pretty alright advice in general life. Congrats on playing the instrument that percussionist both don't exactly want to play, but when they have to, get overly excited about it (it's secretly really fun).
As a composer, I really appreciate the commitment, dedication, and professionalism displayed in this video. A composition is like a child, with every note for every instrument on the score placed thoughtfully and deliberately. Now, imagine entrusting a total stranger to administer eye drops to your newborn, perfectly... the first time. THAT, is how impressive Max’s performance was to me.
@@ulture No I'm talking about the composer Jean Sibelius I've never used the software before (If you're doing satire then I'm very sorry about misunderstanding)
Very nice of them to let you in! Be it a publicity stunt or just for the lolz, they played along. It's not like they exactly had nothing to lose, so kudos to that orchestra! And, of course, to our triangle master Max
I never thought I'd watch a video about someone playing a triangle in an orchestra so passionately. In a professional orchestra even more unexpected. I applaud you,Max! Not alot of people would just go out and do that and thats what makes this so much better.
Playing the triangle is no joke. I'm a percussionist myself and when I meet new people they always jokingly say aaah you play the triangle, very stressful yeah. And I always tell them that it's actually not the easiest instrument to play, which obviously they don't believe. But the timing needs to be absolutely perfect and the loudness as well. It really isn't easy. Well done Max!
As a percussionist and (hopefully) future professional musician, i can confirm that even just one note on a percussion Instrument feels like a possible death sentence as soon as you are in a top orchestra. I´ve been there myself very often were just one note or a small and easy passage made my fingers sweat more than ever and shake so that i almost missed them because i couldt hit the instrument properly (even after a lot of experience in orchestras). Btw the scariest of them all is when the conductor stops for you and just the whole orchestra(sometimes up to 70 people) just look at you. Myself ones missed a very loud and important Cymbal part in a very very famous and good orchestra in germany and the conductor(also very famous) stopped and looked at me but didnbt say anything. That killed my confidence so violent that i just gave this part to my lecturer so he would do it.
Did you guys not have a triangle, or did you not have enough players? Because no other percussion is going on there, so I feel like it should have been easy to cover with even a small section.
Finlandia is so important to many of us Finns! You did us proud by your performance, such elegance! Loved the video! Edit: I played in an amateur orchestra for a few years and I also got so so nervous about performing even with my little experience. If one messes up it can ruin the whole performance so the tension is incredibly high!
We came at first for the clickbait We stayed for the hilariously silly accuracy of the titles We return for the comfort of a storyteller who can deliver without ever lying but while still being as interesting as possible Unimportantly, I am very interested in your RU-vid statistics and would like to see a video about them in the future lol
No lie, when he finally played the triangle in Finlandia I made the hugest smile. As a classical composer and musician this just makes me so happy. Congrats!!!
Alrighty Max, this is hands down the best thing you have done yet. I am a recent conservatorium trumpet grad and have played my share of both amateur and professional concerts - you have showcased some of the best and worst feelings in music. That feeling you get when you are asked to change something, followed by the satisfaction and sense of relief from something as simple as a thumbs up from your conductor, the bliss! The frantic locating of something you definitely have (in my case I recall many times being halfway through a piece and asking myself if I had the correct mute), when on stage. Thank you for showing the stress and daunting nature of our profession 😂
I really love how you can make the silliest ideas and be so polite and respectful to the entire process no matter where it takes you. Bravo sir, this was such a joy to watch
I've been there too- "don't miss the entry don't miss the entry don't miss the entry"... I think the worst moment I've had is in rehearsals realizing I've miscounted, looking over at the guy next to me for a "hey where are we?" and him shrugging at me .... oh no
As someone with a lot of triangle experience in a concert band it can be very stressful. One wrong note and everyone can hear it. It is an extremely difficult instrument and requires perfect technique. Beautiful job.
So jealous. I got a degree in music , but in the choral world. The closest I ever got to this was 8th grade band as a percussionist. Finlandia is one of my favorite pieces.
lol I'm not even a musician, only had some music lessons in school.... I'm like "andante" or "da capo al fine" and whatever was like something we learned at the beginning. Part of reading notes.
One of my most painful memories is dropping the triangle dinger on a crash symbol in the middle of Christmas Eve service while I was playing auxiliary percussion. Precisely, in the middle of Silent Night. Brutal.
Love the piece "Finlandia"! As a percussionist myself, congrats for getting those notes down. Even though a triangle is a simple instrument, its difficult to overcome all the nerves when performing and (especially for a nonmusician) to get the timing precise as it needs to be, and it sticks out the whole audience will hear it so if you play it incorrectly, everyone will notice. I noticed you were holding the bass drum mallets in the video at 8:26 . Were you playing that part as well where it rolls? You were holding them correctly so I'm a little shocked that you knew that, unless the dude also trained you how to roll properly on the bass drum that you didn't show or you lied about having experience as a percussionist lol.
edit: i noticed the screen thats in front of you, which isnt common to see at all. Is that there to dampen your sound on the bass drum to blend better with the orchestra since you're inexperienced and dont know how to blend?
@@brennengrimes another professional musician here. screens infront of percussion is somewhat common, especially when it is as tight as it was onstage. doesn't change how it sounds out in the hall (mostly) but saves the hearing of the poor horn player!
Good for David. This world that im not involved in comes off as highly prestigious and even "up-tight" or "strict" in a way. What a good man with a good heart for David to be welcoming to this.
The sheet music isn't in Italian, that's just music speech. I'm a musician and I've said before one of the most valuable things a musician can have is an Italian to English dictionary
There is a reason Triangle wasn't on that list of easiest instruments to learn, percussion is honestly kinda hard. I am primarily a mallet percussionist but occasionally I do regular percussion and with both you have to do a lot of counting, and it can be very stressful trying to find an opening and even if you are a bit too early EVERYONE will know. So triangle, or any of the other hitty bits, can be very difficult at times.
I'm nowhere near professional but i play bassoon and seeing those two ladies made me so happy. I genuinely think I'm the only bassoonist in high school in my county and its so nice to see other people playing it. (also very well played Max, single notes are the hardest ones to play)
A lot of Alan Abel’s success is due to his innovations on the design of triangle(better sounding/ clearer), and his style of triangle is still called the Abel Triangle
Abel got the idea of inventing the suspended bass drum stand when he and a fellow percussionist were playing a bass drum while carrying it through the back of the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. I've actually seen some old rubber bands from Abel's old prototypes in my lesson room!
I used to work in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama's library. I used to issue David Corkhill sheet music... and now I'm watching him observe Max Fosh play the triangle. So surreal! 😄
How amazing and generous of the orchestra to bring in curious young people get in touch with classic music !!! Bravo Max, bravo to the openness of the maestro!
Max could engage his RU-vid followers or for that matter anybody and provide them with a list of 4 things, 1 of which he is going to attempt to do. I guess there are all sorts of interesting formats Max could have fun in engaging a lot of people with his next idea.
