Klarinet Archive - Posting 000433.txt from 1994/05

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Parts for Andrea (bass clarinetist extraordinaire!!)
Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 15:40:38 -0400

Bass clarinet orchestral parts for both the American In Paris and
Pictures at an Exposition going in the mail today.

For the Gershwin, watch out for solos at 6 measures after circle 8
(all alone), 8 measures after circle 41, particularly the high
D just before circle 42 (somewhat covered by the other players, thank
goodness), and the big solo at 7 measures after circle 68 which is
a lovely b.c. solo accompanied by quiet strings.

The part 4 before circle 17 will give you a workout and, while not a
solo, it has to be right because you play it with the other
two clarinets. If the orchestra has saxophones, do not play at circle
53 for one full measure, even though it says "solo." It is a sax
solo.

As for "Pictures", movements Promenade, Gnomus, La Cabane sur des Pattes
de Poules (sometimes called "Baba-Yaga") and Great Gate of Kiev are all
for b.c. in B-flat, the others are in A. Treble clef is used throughout.

Movements you have to watch out for: Gnomus. It is fast as can be and
very clumsy to execute; Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle: this is slow
but rhythmically very difficult and you do it with the first clarinet.
By the way, it is a hateful, repulsive, and disgusting movement. It was
written to be a characature of two Jews and Moussorgsky was an out and out
bigot. I can never play this movement without feeling diminished by the
flagrantly bigoted nature of it.

Two solos: one in the Old Castle at 32 (no big deal at all, just exposed)
and one in Baba Yaga just before 92. This one you have to work on because
it is a long string of triplets that start at 91 in the clarinets and
it goes from player to player with you finishing it off.

This is only one of at least 4 or 5 orchestrations of Pictures. I have
also done the Ashkenasy arrangement which is very good, too. But Ravel
handles the orchestra so very, very well.

Dan

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
====================================