Klarinet Archive - Posting 000521.txt from 1995/11

From: niethamer@-----.BITNET
Subj: Re: Copland Sextet
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 23:40:13 -0500

On Wed, 29 Nov 1995, Lindsey Glen wrote:

> Does anyone know anything about a piece by Copland for clarinet, string
> Quartet and piano? I'm doing a recital for that combination in Feburary
> and saw it in the Thurston repertoire list - what's it like? Any other
> suggestions welcome (I'm hoping to do the Ives Largo for violin, piano
> and clarinet - a really beautiful piece if you don't know it), maybe the
> Mozart Quintet as a crowd puller)

As several people have already noted, the Sextet is a bear. There is an
old recording with Copland (piano), Harold Wright, and the Juilliard
Quartet on LP, and a newer one with Wright, Gil Kalish, and other members
of the BSO chamber players. The *Short Symphony* has been recorded by
Orpheus as well as Orch St. Lukes (Dennis Russell Davies, cond) on MHS
513993W. I just got this last, so I haven't even opened it.

The parts are expensive, and a mess. In an attempt (misguided, IMHO) to
sort out the groupings of the 5/8 and other assorted odd meter measures,
Boosey used dotted bar lines, which are printed badly enough to be easily
confused with the regular bar lines. Copland made the writing so complex
in spots that the groupings in the 5/8 bars are not the same for all the
players!

I've played both versions, and *with* a conductor (a good one, too!) it
isn't any easier. Lots of counting, and lots of listening are needed, and
lots of luck, too!

So, good luck to you!

David Niethamer