Klarinet Archive - Posting 000428.txt from 1994/05

From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Clarinet/Viola/Piano Trio Literature
Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 02:01:44 -0400

David Ressler,

I knew that if I waited a short while, you would have a complete
assortment of authoritative and informative replies from others. Now that
you've received those replies, I'd like to add some reinforcement and a
little new information.

The trios by Jacob and Schumann are excellent. The Schumann trio,
which is entitled "Fairy Tales," was one of the last compositions by that
composer and is a must for this combination of instruments. Francaix is
one of my favorite composers, and, although I haven't performed his
clarinet, viola, piano trio yet (it was published in 1993), it's on my
performance wish list.

Regarding clarinet, violin, piano trios, I can't remember whether
anyone mentioned Bartok's "Contrasts." I second Dan Leeson's enthusiastic
support for Milhaud's "Suite," which is accessible and enjoyable theater
music. The Khachaturian Trio is also an important composition for this group.

In a 1990 exchange of music with John Fuest, Principal Clarinet of
the Royal Liverpool Orchestra, I received a highly regarded composition for
this combination entitled, "Trio in C Minor," by turn-of-the-century
English composer Richard H. Walthew (Boosey and Hawkes).

Two other trios for this combination were topics in an article
entitled, "Unusual Instrumental Works by Bolcom and Ponchielli," that
I wrote for the February-March 1990 issue of THE CLARINET (pp. 51-55). The
Bolcom piece, which is entitled, "Afternoon Cakewalk," is a ballet suite of six
rags (A and Eb clarinets are used), which were used as an accompaniment
for a touring group of dancers. The original "pit orchestra" consisted of
composer Bolcom, piano, David Schifrin, clarinet, and Sergiu Luca, violin.
When I performed this musical confection in 1987 at a Dabney Lounge Concert at
Caltech, the parts were available on rental from Theodore Presser.

The other trio referred to in the article is "Paolo and Virginia:
Duo for Clarinet and Violin with Piano Accompaniment" by Amilcare
Ponchielli. This unpublished composition, which was also performed at the
1987 concert, was played from a manuscript received from a library in
Milan, Italy. There is a fine European recording of this superb piece by
the Swiss/Italian group "Syrinx."

Best wishes in expanding your group's repertoire,

Connie Josias