Klarinet Archive - Posting 000154.txt from 1995/02

From: Christopher G Zello <czello@-----.EDU>
Subj: Yeh recital in Chicago
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 1995 21:53:16 -0500

I took in a recital last evening, Monday, which had a little of
everything. Easley Blackwood was playing piano for this recital at
DePaul Univ. Concert Hall.

The first half of the program was the Berg Vier Stuecke Op. 5 and the
Max Reger Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 107. This is no big deal really.
Granted these pieces aren't easy, but the interest for me lay with the
fact the John Yeh played these pieces on an Oehler system clarinet made
by the Yahama company. I asked a former colleague of mine at DePaul who
studies with Larry Combs about the use of this new "toy." And this
person said that now the players in the CSO play their orchestra
purchased Wurlitzers whenever a conductor from a European orchestra
(one which uses the Oehler system, obviously) is in town. The sound and
the tuning are quite different than the Boehm system most of us know.
Do other orchestras do this now as well?

The second half of the program had two premieres by Easley Blackwood.
The first was a Sonatina for Piccolo Clarinet in E-flat and Piano, Op. 38
(1994). The three movements are entitled: Allegro con Brio, Adagio,
Allegretto. The other piece is a Sonata for Clarinet in A and Pinao, Op.
37 (1994). Movements: Molto Allegro; Tema (Grave) con variazioni; and
Allegro risoluto.

At the discussion after the concert George Flynn led John Bruce Yeh and
Easley Blackwood with a few leading questions. Basically Blackwood has
been composing music where gaps in the literature remain. To cite an
example he himself stated, he was asked to compose a Sonata for guitar a
few years ago. While looking back over the repertiore, he saw that there
was music for the guitar during nearly every era, but not the Classic(al)
era. So this guitar piece he composed was written as if it had been
written at the time of Mozart. Therefore there are relatively few (none
at all?) pieces for solo e-flat clarinet and piano which have any type of
substance/duration at all. Hence Mr. Blackwood wrote this mini piece was
is if were written in approx. 1810. The piece lasted at least 10
minutes. Definitely worth a listen. From a playing standpoint, it
doesn't spend much time at all in the altissimo register although it
sounded technically difficult.

The Sonata for A clarinet was good as well. The second movement
variations go through 5 modes. According to Mr. Blackwood, the plan was
to write one final variation in the major mode, but every attempt failed,
so he dropped the idea and merely extended the final variation which was
in the phrygian mode. This piece was at least 15 minutes long. The
program notes claim it has "embraces a style of French romanticism
similar to that of Gabriel Gaure's, with a dash of Scriabinesque
chromaticism blended in."

I guess what I'm now requesting are more postings such as this. . . Does
anyone else have an interest in original events? I would love to hear
about new pieces which you, Dan, play in the orchestra. Generally, I would
suggest that "reviewers" remain as neutrel as possible and state the
facts as un-biased as possible. I personally feel that sighting your
source for information helps everyone else reading. I don't mind
speculating or opinions, just marking them that way will differentiate.

Christopher Zello
czello@-----.edu