Last weekend I played the timpani part in Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. I'm guessing that was my fourth time playing the piece, and third playing the timpani part; it's a fun piece, and is arguably one of the best uses of percussion in the orchestra literature. The parts are rental and I don't ever recall seeing a part where every single note played by the timpanist was circled by a previous performer. I'm not kidding. Here's some samples...
Somewhere in the Mambo section, circling the octave "E's" for clarity?
Near the start of the Rumble. Missing this is like missing a train wreck at 110mph.
Beginning of the Mambo at mm. 404. The markings really "wake up" the player!
Now I completely understand the need to mark parts, especially when the parts are written in score form and difficult to read (as the Berstein is in some cases). But seriously, think about the performer that has to come along and read the personalized slop that you put on parts....please?
One other bit of advice (thanks to Todd Sheehan of the Evansville Symphony Orchestra): I highly recommend using the MaracaStix by John Tafoya of Indiana University. The sticks sound great, look great, and give you piece of mind that you won't accidentally break a real maraca during performance...you know...by accidentally hitting a lug. Not that I've ever had that happen...
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