Klarinet Archive - Posting 000029.txt from 1994/06

From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Francaix's new Trio for cl-vla-pno
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 18:07:59 -0400

On Wed, 8 June 1994 00smgeidel@-----.EDU wrote:

> Has anyone had a look at Francaix's new Trio for clarinet-viola-piano? If so,
> would you mind posting a review, giving a description of the work? Many
thanks.
>
> S Geidel
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Geidel,

Being a total Francaix nut, I purchased his trio for clarinet,
viola, and piano on speculation. As I mentioned in a previous
communication, although I have not yet performed the piece, it's high on
my performance wish list.

My Francaix experience is as follows: I have performed movements
of his Clarinet Quintet and his Woodwind Quartet, and I played the
orchestral clarinet part in a performance of his oboe concerto, The
Flower Clock. At workshops I have played his Octet, which uses the
Schubert instrumentation, Divertissement, Wind Quintet No. 1, and Sept
Danses and Characteristic Danses (both of which use double wind quintets).
My personal library includes his insanely difficult but gorgeous Clarinet
Concerto.

Like his other music, the Trio is published by Schott and is not
inexpensive. The composition has five movements as follows:

I Preludio (Largo)
II Allegrissimo
III Scherzando
IV Largo
V Presto.

The piece is dated 1990, which, I believe, is some years after the
composer's death, and the copyright date is 1993. Although one can't
actually tell from this information when the Trio was completed, there
are some suggestive comparisons that might provide a clue.

The overall architecture of the piece is most similar to that of
his Octet (1974) in the sense that movement tempos roughly correspond. The
opening movement, like that of the Octet, is slow and moderately long (33
bars). The second movement is fast and technical (as in the Octet) and
some of the patterns are reminiscent of the first movement of the
Clarinet Quintet (1977).

The third-movement patterns (3/8) are very similar to those of the
second movement of the Clarinet Quintet.

Although I've not yet heard the Trio performed, I would expect
to be hearing some new tunes, but all within the Francaix idiom. I wish I
could tell you more. It does, however look like a worthwhile addition to the
repertoire, and I'm glad I added it to my library.

I hope this information helps.

Conrad (Connie) Josias