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Klarinet Archive - Posting 000071.txt from 1995/09

From: Bernd Bruegmann <bruegman@-----.DE>
Subj: Re: would you recommend the following sonatas?
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 1995 03:00:17 -0400

Hi Lou, thanks for your interesting comments.

> Hi Bernd;
>
> First I must warn you that I like the Hindemith so our tastes may
differ
> I also very much like the Poulanc sonata.

Good point.

> Why I like the Poulanc is its wonderful melodies. I cant think of
> another french composer who had wrote better lines.

YES. I just love the somewhat a-tonal but surprisingly melodical melodies.
For me it's one of those pieces in which initially I could never guess
the next note, where it feels like I always play the wrong notes, but
they combine just beautifully.

> I also like the humor of
> Poulanc. I think that last Mvnt is very funny.

Yes, it's very entertaining without being ridiculous.

> The 2nd Mvt is so lovely and
> sad to hear, its hard for me to think about it with out getting a lump in my
> throat... Audiences love it.

YES. It's so sweetly emotional that it sometimes really hurts me. I get
comparable feelings only rarely, e.g. with the Brahms quintett.

> For the klarinet it think it challenging. with
> the opening phrase in the first mvt. and the leaps in the 2nd Mv... its
> playable but not easy.

Quite challenging for me, I would never make it through a recital without
several mistakes. We played the third movement at a dinner reception, which
went through okay, and it was the audience's favourite piece.

> I will give you my other suggestion try the Bernstien sonata. It is a
> very nice work maybe not great but both fun for you and the audience. It has
> some hint of a jazz feel but not too much. Very nice melody. I think it is
> better then the Tempelton sonatas.
>
> Lou Polcari

I definitely will try it. And since we agree so much on the Poulenc,
perhaps I should give the Hindemith another chance, perhaps my first
impression of many years ago was wrong.

Bernd Bruegmann