Klarinet Archive - Posting 000290.txt from 1995/11

From: Christopher G Zello <czello@-----.EDU>
Subj: L'Histoire du Soldat
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 22:43:29 -0500

Although I am not currently on the list, I wanted to let everyone know
about a recent find of mine. Frank Epstein, percussionist in the BSO,
has edited the part to Soldier's Tale and has printed up a great new copy
of this which he is now selling for $17. You may send him a personal
check. His address is:
Frank Epstein
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Symphony Hall
Boston, MA 02115

The opening of this part reads:
In preparing this part I am fully conscious of all that has recently been
said about Stravinsky's preferences vis-a-vis choice of drums and the
placement of those drums. Nevertheless, I maintain that this part, one
in which the frums are set up from low to high with the specific notes
(according to the score and the parts) simply rescored is easier and more
meaningful to play. The relative pitches that Stravinsky asked for are
thus maintained.

Having played the piece many times, I find that using tom toms gives me a
more even and balanced sound and for me much preferred over the many
varieties of snare drums that exist (each sounding so different according
to type of shell and head). In maintaining the use of a leather mallet
(where asked for in the score) I uphold Stravinsky's request for a subtle
change in timbre.

Furthermore, I would like to point out that after more than 25 years of
working with composers in the performance of their newly created pieces,
the actual instruments available whether good, bad, and/or better are the
ones that must satisfy the performance at hand. And in spite of the
composer's original demands, instruments are often exchanged to suit a
particular situation.

The edition of L'Histoire incorporates an abundance of written cues,
facilitating the current fashion of performing this work without conductor.

Frank Epstein
1995

I was fortunate to have played this this summer while at Tanglewood,
where our percussionist used this new part. After seeing the disarray of
the percussion part which comes with the set of parts, I will highly
recommend the part. It is done on some type of computer software,
typeset by a friend of mine in New York, Bill Grossman. The part is very
easy to read, layed out well on the page, with virtually no page turns
during movements. There is a set-up page of notes as well.

Granted this is a clarinet player's list, but I just figured this might
be of interest to a few people. . .

Feel free of send me direct responses. . .

Christopher Zello
czello@-----.edu