Klarinet Archive - Posting 000120.txt from 1994/09

From: Jay Winick <winickj@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: Kegelstatt -- The Big Debate
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 09:00:29 -0400

On Thu, 15 Sep 1994 00smgeidel@-----.EDU wrote:

> Reply to Kegelstatt "question"...

> First of all, there is absolutely no question whatsoever as to what Mozart
> wanted. In every single instance Mozart painstakingly wrote out exactly and
> precisely the rhythm he wished to hear. I know--I looked carefully at each
+ one
> in the autograph.

Thank you, that is what I thought ( I was expressing some of the opinions
that have been brought forth by my musical partners and teacher).

>
> I believe this phrase is among the most misunderstood in our literature, and
+ the
> misunderstand arises from the figure's resemblance to the very common "turn."
> How ingenious of Mozart to take a "turn-like" figure and transform it from its
> usual role of decoration and lend it full melodic status!

True, very true, yet before you said it I was thinking of it as a written
out turn. But it is obviously the central figure in the first movement.

>
> The current editions are all suspect...I have examined them all and none
> actually reflect the autograph. The most glaring errors are found in the trio
> of the minuet, where wrong notes have come to be accepted as correct over the
> years. (A product of editors "correcting" Mozart.) I will send detailed
> information if anyone is interested.

The current edition I am using is the Barenriter edition, it has the
original semitone different notes in the trio section for clarinet as
ossia.

> As to performance preferences, well, I can give you mine, whatever they
may be
> worth to you. It is my opinion, as stated by other commentators, that the
> figure is usually played too loud. This is most likely a result of its
> difficulty, but none the less it is most frequently presented too loud to
> balance the surrounding musical information. And, since it is in fact the
> POINT and PURPOSE of the phrase, as opposed to a decoration, every note must
+ be
> heard. Not easy! I also believe that most play the first movement too fast.
> If these meager insights are of any help, I will be delighted to discuss the
> Trio at length, since it is among the most misunderstood works we currently
> perform.
>
> Best regards,
> Stan Geidel

Thank you very much Stan, I shall be printing this out and discussing it
with my ensemble members.