Klarinet Archive - Posting 000384.txt from 1995/01

From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Jerry Pierce's death in Clarinet Magazine
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 18:47:33 -0500

On Tue, 24 Jan 1995, jay eric niepoetter wrote:

> Don't want to get everyone too excited, but I just came from the ICS
> collection kept at the University of Maryland. I talked to a fellow named
> Tom, his last name now slips my mind. As some of you might know Jerry
> Pierce's vast collection of music was given to the ICS. Tom said it was
> more than 7000 pieces, which almost triples the current ICS library. It is
> being catalogued, and might be available in as little as 3 months. Tom also
> has ideas (which I encouraged) to put a listing of the collection, once
> completed, on-line, so we won't all have to shell out the bucks for a new
> book of listings. He said that some of the delays will be because 'bout
> a 1000 or so of the pieces are photocopies and he will have to check the
> legalities in making them available.

Much of my correspondence with Jerry Pierce concerned swaps of
rare chamber music involving the clarinet. The first composition he
requested of me was a trio -- actually a duo -- entitled, "Paolo and
Virginia" for Clarinet and Violin with Piano Accompaniment by Amilcare
Ponchielli.

Mentioned prominently in an article of mine appearing in the
February-March 1990 edition of "The Clarinet," the piece was unpublished
and had been the subject of a two-and-a-half year search on my part. I
eventually located the manuscripts in Milan, Italy through the assistance
of friends fluent in Italian. I purchased microfilms of the manuscripts,
which turned out to be of non-standard size (not microfiche), and after
finding a repro house with adjustable optics (like a photo enlarger), I
had myself possibly the only sheet music of this rare piece in captivity
in the U.S.

I mention this for two reasons. The first is that it is probably
part of Jerry's music given to the ICS and may be available to members in
the near future. The second is that, after performing it in 1987, I am
pleased to report that it has wonderful, melodic (if slightly florid)
material for the clarinet, and I recommend it highly. My only caveat
is that, in certain places, the manuscript is a little difficult to read.
Still, it's worth the trouble sorting out.

Connie

Conrad Josias
La Canada, California