Klarinet Archive - Posting 000277.txt from 1995/02

From: "David B. Niethamer" <NIETHAMER@-----.BITNET>
Subj: Re: Bass Cl in Rhapsody in Blue
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 22:34:48 -0500

Andrew - congratulations on your in-depth research into Bass Cl in
Rhapsody in Blue. A few years ago I had an opportunity to play the
original orchestration as part of a Richmond Symphony concert, where a
local university jazz band provided the "band" and the RSO provided me,
an oboe, and the requisite strings. I find to my chagrin that I didn't
keep a copy of my part, but I distinctly remember that there are ONLY 4
bars of bass clar in the whole piece. The local newspaper photographer
managed to catch me at *THE only time* that I had this =#$%^&*(*()
instrument (no flames, please - I love the instrument when someone else
has to play it!) in my hands, and I was widely seen as the "bass clarinet
soloist" for Rhapsody in Blue"!! (Dan, could I offer to replace your
Playboy picture?!?!)

There is a recording on Musical Heritage Society (MHC 229531X) of a
reproduction of the *entire* concert which included the premiere of RiB,
conducted by Maurice Peress. In a very informative and seemingly complete
note about the whole project, Peress lists the scores he examined:

"For the preparation of the material from which this recording
was made, I had five primary sources:
1.) original parts in the Whiteman Archive at Williams College
2.) Gershwin's pencil holograph - the two-piano score he prepared
for Grofe - in the Lib of Congress

[abbreviations mine - lousy typing DN]

3.) Milton Rettenberg's 1924 manuscript copy of the same
4.) a photocopy of Grofe's original piano and orch score, also at Willia
ms
5.) and the June 10, 1924 of Gershwin with Whiteman/Orchestra

Lastly, from the extensive notes to this recording, the three reed books
and their doubles - hold on to your hats!

1.) Walt Levinsky, Clarinet, alto sax, soprano sax

2.) Jack Kripl, Sopranino, sop, tenor, bari saxes, fl, picc

3.) Andrew Shreeves, Ob, EH, musette, heckelphone, sop/alto/bari
saxes, *bass clarinet*

And we though we invented the issues of "crossover" and "cultural diversity"

David Niethamer