Klarinet Archive - Posting 000322.txt from 1994/11

From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: contemporary music
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 15:56:11 -0500

On Wed, 23 Nov 1994, Dick Williams wrote:

> Have any compositions for wind bands (except marches) been transcribed for
> orchestra? I would like to hear some.
>
> Dick Williams, dwilliams@-----.edu
>
Dick,

That's an interesting question for which I have only limited answers.
Although I wouldn't swear to it, my understanding is that Aaron Copland
first wrote his "Outdoor Overture" for band (for New York's Music and Art
High School) and later transcribed it for orchestra.

Recently, the Director of a college/community orchestra in which
I play wanted to feature his clarinet section at a concert. For reasons
that I don't fully understand, the Director was disinterested in the
Mendelssohn Concertpieces, and other pieces from the limited repertoire
for two clarinets didn't interest us players. The Director did, however,
take a shine to Ponchielli's "Il Convegno," which was originally scored
for "wind orchestra" accompaniment and is performed nowadays mostly with
a piano reduction of the band score. He rescored the accompaniment for
string orchestra, and this new version was performed on November 6, 1994
in Glendale, California.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were other band-to-orchestra
transcriptions. Perhaps others on Klarinet would be able to add to
this unusual conversion list.

Connie

Conrad Josias
La Canada, California