Klarinet Archive - Posting 000588.txt from 1995/12

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Mendelssohn Concerto
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 13:42:59 -0500

There is a distinct problem with the Mendelssohn concertpieces for
basset horn, clarinet, and piano. Unless something new has happened
in the last year or so, none of the available editions include a basset
horn part. I guess the presumption is that there are not enough
basset horns out there to justify the inclusion of a performance part
that is not going to be used.

When I first purchased my set of parts, they were published by International
and they included a basset horn part. Now, they do not. Sad.

The two works are also arranged for orchestra and one of those two
arrangements is by Mendelssohn himself. I think it is the first of the
two.

Both pieces were written for the father-son Baermann pair and I
find them exceptional works that are audience pleasers. They fly
and any basset hornist who is not prepared to play them at the drop
of a hat is probably an evil person. Each one of the pair is
about 12-15 minutes long, one movement, fast-slow-fast.

Last year, I killed 7 clarinet players who performed them with bassoon,
and 2 clarinet players who performed them with cello. Such performances
will cease at once. Do I make myself clear?

In case some of you did not notice an earlier response on this list
and on this subject from Nick Shackelton, I want to mention to all that
he is new to the list and we are indeed fortunate to have one who is
certainly among the world's leading scholars on the history of the
clarinet. You might be interested in reading his Grove's articles
on clarinet. I have read and used a great deal of Nick's research
for some time. His writings are a joy to read, so literate are they,
and if my memory serves me correctly, there is a book to be published
in the UK (perhaps even already published) with a whole series of
articles on nothing but the clarinet (one by Tony Pay, also on this
list) and Nick has made a contribution to that effort. It seems to
me that the very best work of the last century on history of the
clarinet has always come out of England.

However, he is not nearly as good looking as I, so let's not go
overboard here.

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
====================================