[DRUMMING]
MARKUS RHOTEN: Hi.
I'm Marcus Rhoten.
And I'm the Principal Timpanist of the New York Philharmonic.
[CLASSICAL MUSIC]
Everything fell into place.
There was never a thought in my mind
that I wanted to play a different instrument
in the orchestra.
At one point-- I think I was 13--
my father, who was a trumpet player,
was asked to sub with the Opera House in Hanover, Germany,
where I was born and raised.
And he thought, if you like percussion,
you're going to like this piece.
And this piece was the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky.
And so he sat me in, and he took--
he asked for permission first, of course--
put me in a suit and a great tie,
and he placed me in the pit of the orchestra,
right in between the two timpanists.
And that was the moment that I'll never forget.
Half an hour, that seemed like three months, just
incredible sounds and rhythms.
And I was just blown away.
Principal timpanist typically is referred
to as the second conductor, because the timing of what
I do, the placement of what I play
is very crucial in the ensemble.
And that's why, typically, the timpani will be
sit in the back in the center.
Bruckner 8 is one of those pieces that's always
fun to play and to listen to, which is not necessarily always
the same thing.
But just-- it has to do with how my instrument was
tied into the work in itself.
The last movement in itself is, for me, that's the symphony.
I play very loudly.
No, but it starts with these grace notes,
da dum da dum da dum da dum da dum,
and then the brass sets in.
And then I get my solo moment, which is gratifying.
It's fun.
[LIGHTNING STRIKING]
I definitely love dogs.
Definitely West Side.
The white wine.
If I had to choose, I would say Stravinsky.
Berlin.
Close to 100 pair, and I have another two bags.
I love diving, which is one of my biggest hobbies.
I read in the National Geographic
that there was an underwater water hole.
Through the difference in acidity,
there's a hydrogen sulfide layer at around 60, 70 feet
depth, which is where the rainwater meets the saltwater.
And so you can actually see, and a little bit even
smell, because it goes through your pores, the sulfate.
And after that, you go down to 120 feet,
and you dive into the cave until the very end of the cave,
at which you then turn around.
60 feet away, you see this distant faint light
that comes through that water hole, which is 150 feet.
So it's a very, very faint light.
And you drove slowly towards it.
And it just got brighter and brighter and brighter.
It was just a spiritual moment.
It was really unbelievable.
[CLASSICAL MUSIC]