Klarinet Archive - Posting 000166.txt from 1995/06

From: Tom Izzo <tji@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: RE>Re- Re>Tom Izzo's commen
Date: Sat, 10 Jun 1995 23:47:16 -0400

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On Sat, 10 Jun 1995, Neil Leupold wrote:

> ntouch Memo 06/10/95
> Subject:RE>Re: Re>Tom Izzo's comments 3:27 PM
> Tom Izzo wrote:
>
> "I must admit that when I write for chamber orchestra (2-2-2-2-2hn, strings) I
> write for the Bb,
> unless I'm requested otherwise; and my large scorings tend to Eb, Bb, Bb, Bb
> Bass, for orchestral writing, though I do require some doublings in my longer
> works; and all of my Jazz selections require saxes doubling on Bb Clars both
> Sop & Bass."
> Okay, Tom. I'll start with you then. I posed the question hypothetically in
> my initial posting on the subject. Since you are, in fact, a composer of
> orchestral works, utilizing the conventional resources of a modern symphony
> orchestra, why do your large scorings "tend to[ward] Eb, Bb, Bb, Bb Bass, for
> orchestral writing"? Why, when writing for chamber orchestra, do you "write
> for the Bb unless requested otherwise"? What rationale do you, as a modern
> composer, use when deciding which clarinet will play a particular part? Are
> composers of the 20th century simply conditioned by reflex, as a product of
> their conservatory training or via some other influential factor, to use the
Bb
I can't speak for all 20th Century composers here, but I must admit that
some of my writing is done from a logistics standpoint. If I write for Eb
& Bb Clars, I know that more orchestras (ie: amatuer as well as
professional), would be able to perform the music. I don't get
commissions for orchestral writing, so I write when I want to hoping to
get performed. I realize that that may sound like a cop-out, but that is
not the intention. I "hear" the orchestral sound as homogenious and
unless I'm thinking "hmmm let's feature Clarinet sound here", I guess you
could say I got lazy & wrote for Bb's. But you got me thinking, so now
maybe I'll write more A parts.
I was sitting here thinking about your post of this afternoon, and let me
"transpose" it to my playing for an example. I mentioned that my
principal instrument is the Bass Trombone. But if I'm contracted to play
a Symphony gig on first part, there's no hesitation-my bass stays at
home. If I'm doing Beethoven, I'd show up with a small bore Tenor
(peashooter), and an Alto. If I'm contracted to play second, most parts
require a large bore Tenor, so I'll bring my 42B, and so on. Now back to
Clarinet, If I was a Dan Leeson, and I was hired to play D Clarinet,
that's what I'd play. But if I'm writing for an Orchestra (in mind), that
was not featuring the Clarinets as soli per se....this is getting worse
instead of better isn't it? I know, I guess I think of an orchestra as
Bb's (w/Eb sopranino), but I think of like instrument choirs as total
tonal entities.
> as a starting point - branching out only for purposes of experimentation with
> timbre and technical ease of performance? I think this is the root of the
> discussion. Help us understand how a composer thinks about the clarinet in
his
> orchestral works.
I know that I definetely do NOT think of the keys of playing
(easier-never crosses my mind), only the keys of sounding is important.
> Since you have dedicated a good amount of energy toward understanding and
> developing the timbral differences in your clarinet choir music, I suspect you
> probably have a keener sensitivity than a composer who has not concentrated on
> clarinet choir music (as illustrated by my Eskimo/snow analogy). By
I'd like to think so, but you've caused me to wonder, if I have though
through enough on larger scale writings.
I have to agree with you. I probably
don't take the right consideration
w/orchestral writing. this
> token, you're probably not quite representative of composers who don't share
> your additional talent, but perhaps this is a better way to go: from the very
> specific down to the more general.
> - Neil

I'm thinking as I write, and the computer is not paying attention to me.
I have a gift. I hear the musiuc that I write. I hear music written on a
page just by perusing the score. So I'll have to agree with you, when I
write for instrumental choirs (Brass, WW, String, etc OR Clarinet) I
think of all the colorations, but I rely on Bb thinking in orchestral
writing, and this is true of Trumpets as well-I tend to write for Bb
Trumpet instead of the "standard" Orchestral C Trumpet. BTW most
Orchestral Trumpet players play all of their parts on a C instrument
regardless of what's requested-D, C, Bb, A-unless the conductor
intervenes. Brahms generally getrs performed on small bore D's even if
written in C or Bb.

So you've made me think of what I'm doing, too.
This is why I enjoy this discussion group. Very informative, Educational,
Inspirational. I only wish Trombone-l, and Brass-l were as enlightening.

Thanks,

Tom