|
i) Orchestrated Jellybeans
The Jellybean Community Story 9
Orchestrated Jellybeans
Featuring the Jellybean Symphony Orchestra
by Flora Smith
 The
Jellybean Symphony Orchestra (JSO) was ready for rehearsal, under the
licorice-style baton of the principal conductor, the Packet-Renowned
von White.
Every Bean knew the cardinal rule was for each player to
steadfastly keep his or her eyes on von White, watching his stick
continuously. The Teenage Twins and their generation loved all the
percussion instruments. Many were adept at the necessary wrist work.
A Teenage Timpanist spent almost as much time tuning as he did
playing, and would bore any Bean senseless with explanations of the
differences between the two methods of tuning. "I use these
T-handles around the rim sometimes, and sometimes I use this foot
pedal."
The Bass Drum had its share of fans who liked to tell
everyone, "We use this bigger drum for here, but you should see
our outfit for the pop group. It's skinsproffic!"
A clash of Cymbals could be heard for kilometres, as it
was cheekily answered by the Castanets and Triangles. A glowering glance
from von White silenced this outlandish outburst.
A Japanese Gentleman was busily plucking the strings on
the creation that was recognised as the Leader of the JSO and the
String Quartet. He told an Orange Oboist that his Violin was made
from about 85 separate pieces of different kinds of wood, like maple,
ebony, pine and sycamore and glued together, then varnished. The
Oboist just whistled in admiration.
The Gentleman's Ladybean played the viola while some of
his countrymen's children showed cheeky countenances as they grinned
from their places behind their over-sized cellos. Older Ones being in
more serious moods as they looked down at their Double Basses.
The Harpist for the JSO was the Disabled One who
sometimes played solo and sometimes with others as a member of the
Chamber. Her Glissandros gave every Bean a thrill down their spines
when they heard those wondrous sounds from her hands as they swept
lovingly across the strings.
The Guitarists, consisting of mixed arrays of Colours,
were always referred to irreverently as "The Gutsies,"
their owners seeming capable of producing wide ranges of melodies
from their chosen woods and strings.
Bishop Purple's pliant fingers were completely at rest
on the Grand Organ. He once joked, "It is the only set of pipes
for which I have any time at all!"
A close relative, Novice Purple, was equally at home
whether seated at the cabinet of the harpsichord or the piano. He
opined the fact that there was not much call for his piano work,
except when it is the part written in a score between percussion and
the strings.
All Oranges adored the Oboe. In fact, anything that
could have air expelled into it was their forte. Other Jellybeans
called the Oboists "Lollypoppists" because they appeared to
suck at their reeds, when in fact, they were merely moistening them
to retain their flexibility.
The Flutes, with their three sections fitting snugly
together gave their owners many happy memories as Flautists found
when practising their T's sounds!
But the Cor Anglais, which Beans fingered the same as their Oboes,
was not a regular part of the JSO, while the Clarinet, a comparative
late-comer to any Symphony Orchestra, was as popular with the Oranges
as it was with the best of past composers. The Greenies fell in love
with the Recorder's sweet, marshmellow sounds. Although not called on
in the present rehearsals, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, they
all knew, would have been nothing without their musical tones.
The Saxophone and the Bassoons came into their own when
put to Jellybean lips belonging to the Big Black Ones. The
Saxophonist exalting himself whenever Debussy's Rhapsody was called
for, while the Bassoonist had the sweetest time of his life when he
had to provide effects denoting clowns.
Composer Grieg gave the Bassoon the theme in the "Morning"
section of his Peer Gynt Suite, for which Bassoonists were ever
grateful.
And, what did Constable Mauve and the Jellybean Police
Force select as their instrument? Only the Brass would suffice, they
all agreed. The Trumpet. Trombone. Tuba. To a man, they adored the
look and feel of their pieces. Constable Mauve's workmate had a
penchant for the oiled tubing whose tones Handel had included in his
Water Music - the Tuba. Tchaikovsky, too, made melodic use of this
horn, Constable Mauve's attractive female offsider is always quick to
point out, in the slow movement of his Fifth symphony. No-one ever
disputed her.
Finally, the pride of the JSO. The one sound no
instrument, however finely honed, could emulate the colour, credence
and timbre. The Voice.
Dame la ron Pinke supplied this important ingredient at
the current rehearsals. Her coloratura cadenzas brought gasps of
wonder from the other Beans and an appreciative Tap... Tap... Tapping
of the baton from von White. La Pinke could imitate any instrument
and, when she teamed up with the Red Royale in Rossini's duet,
"The Two Cats," the result was always a stupendous success.
Not to be outdone, the male Reds were acknowledged as
the best in any bag. The Tenors, Baritones and Bass could hold their
own in any packet in the country - and that included those
Toffee-Nosed Ones! All agreed.
At von White's gentle admonition that the word
"symphony" meant a "harmony of sound", all the
Jellybeans settled down and the rehearsal was in musical motion. They
would play thus, it was decided, until some human hand determined
their exit.
FINALE.
POSTCRUMB: Not all the Instruments have been called in
to play. It is for the Jellybean Reader to select One and compose a
piece to suit.
This is but one of the many "Jellybean
Community" stories which were read by Flora Smith on her radio
programme "Flora On Friday". Always they began with a
foreword:
"Imagine that you are living in a bag full of
Jellybeans. That you are a part of the colourful Jellybean Community.
Your relatives, neighbours and friends are real.
There is, for instance, the very wise and gentle Bishop
Purple, and to represent the Law of the Packet, there is the vital,
friendly Constable Mauve.
Then meet the White Family along with the Greenies who
are very aware of the nature of things.
The Oranges also play a tasty part in their fruity
roles, and we must not forget the Teenage Twins, joined, but with
very separate ideas about what Life is all about in their packet.
The Disabled One also exists in each bag and because he
or she is a little different, this Sweet Bean has a place in all our
hearts.
And then there are also the Japanese Gentleman and the
Big Black Ones endeared by many.
There are also those called The Pinkies who at times are
most delicious in their opinions.
So, with today's cast assembled and ready to entertain
us, we hope you will enjoy another in the Series called "The
Jellybean Community" and can we add the sweet reminder that these
stories and in some, their messages, are NOT just for the young, but
for ALL of us who enjoy the taste of Life and savour the Living.
'The Jellybean Community' has been written and read by
Flora Smith."
|
