Klarinet Archive - Posting 000529.txt from 1996/03

From: niethamer@-----.BITNET
Subj: Re: Stravinsky's "Three Pieces" (Mazzeo article)
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 15:36:21 -0500

This post got a bit long, so I split it. Here is part two. I also
neglected to mention that articles like this are a great reason to become
a member of the International Clarinet Association. E-mail me for an
application form.

David Niethamer

***************

The first piece has often been described as a
"blues," but Stravinsky described it as a per-
sonal and private reflective set of sounds. As
regards breath marks, he said, "Each breath is
not just so much exact time; its length depends
on the moment in the music." Conceming this
movement, his indication was that the mark in
the second measure was intended only to be a
slight suspension of sound, not a clear break.
Then I played it as he suggested, and he said it
was exactly right. The same applied for the
breath mark in the fifth measure. But the one
in the sixth measure was for a clear break, thus
producing the intended finality to the first
phrase. The I Ith measure marking was in-
tended to be only a very slight suspension of
sound, but not interrupting the forward flow.
The mark in the 1 3th measure was to be a de-
liberate breath, setting forth the second half of
the phrase, a decaying one.
The one in the 14th measure was intended
to be only a separation, giving emphasis to the
quasi-repetition of the text in measure 15.
Measure 16 has a clear diminuendo, and
measure 17 is a repetition of 16, thus coming
up slightly at the beginning, so as to be a dy-
namic repetition of 15. Measure 18 was to be
slightly aggressive, on an even dynamic level,
dropping within the first four notes of 21. The
last of those four tones should merely cease
without obvious cutoff of sound. The reca-
pitulation, beginning toward the end of mea-
sure 21, should be clearly stated but not overly
emphasized. Depend on the space before it to
give proper emphasis.
Measure 26 should include a slight suspen-
sion of sound, but not any sense of cutoff. The
breath in 28 is, of course, a very clear one,
followed by an abrupt sense of beginning,
more resonant tone, increased loudness, well-
marked grace notes, and crescendooeall to be
followed by an incredible decay to zero, such
as a clarinet can produce superbly. He recom-
mended complete suspension of any further
motion of hand, lips, and body until well into
the silence. thus adding length and effective-
ness to the diminuendo.
The second piece was to be extremely bril-
liant, dexterous, and very ongoing, with a sub-
stantial emphasis on the phrase beginning after
the quarter note in the third line of the printed
text. Then, a substantial break after the high,
not-long-held G. The first three pp groupings
in line 4 are intended to be somewhat subdued
and whimsical, immediately followed by a
clear mp response. Do not overlook the eighth
rest before making the next entry. Then at its
pp, again as before, followed by a like pattern
as earlier, then ending on the quarter note G,
instantly followed by six notes of a very sub-
dued ending phrase, itself followed by a sub-
stantial pause. After the pause it should be
somewhat whimsical, with gathering definite-
ness, virtuosity and brilliance, to the held G on
the last line. The last phrase should be very
forthright and spit out brilliantly, thus giving
ample scope for the surprise and abrupt less-
ening of volume, darkening of sound, and
ritard.
The third piece is of a completely different
character, possessing an inexorable drive,
forthrightness, verve, and vigor, with marked
rhythmic portrayal. There should be an unre-
lenting sense of continuity, until the 14th
measure. Incidentally, he commented favor-
ably and with some surprise on the deftness of
the 32nd note triplet in line one, in which I
played the B~ within the triplet by merely lift-
ing my left forefinger from the A~ fingering.
The other B~s were, of course, with the conven-
tional right forefinger. Also, he spoke of the
glibness of the triplet in the beginning of the
second line (played by left forefinger only, or
by adding the two lower right side keys played
by the right forefinger to the B). All accents
are to be vigorously played with unrelenting
rhythmic drive.
The "sombrer le son" indication in the sec-
ond line of page 3 does not, he said, mean
"darken," nor should the rhythmic drive be
less. He intended an abrupt change in volume,
but no less spirit. The B~ in the triplet at the
end of the second line is again best played as
indicated for the 32nd note of the like triplet
described above, The C#3 of the triplet on line
4 should again be played as in the earlier
similar text. The toss-off into the last measure
of the fourth line should be very vigorous and
carefree, and the following two-note and three-
note groupings should each be played with un-
relenting drive within each set. Note that on
line five the (D7 and C) and line six (B and A#)
also should be so treated. Note that beginning
with the last note of line 9 there are five sets of
F#/F naturals. Of course by now, after all
these years and hundreds of performances,
everyone should be aware that the first two
notes of line 4 from the bottom of page 3 (the
misprint earlier refelTed to) should be two
32nds, followed by three 16ths.
All of these repeated sets which I cite are
best played by vigorously enunciating triplets,
all equal, and disregarding bar lines. We both
agreed that we had heard clarinet players who
neglected to count numbers of repetitions!
Immediately soften the sound beginning with
the last two notes of line 3 from the bottom of
the page, and then dnveoednve unrelentingly
to the quarter note B7 in the last measure. He
recommended holding it until you felt sure that
the audience understood it as the end of the
piece - at which point you would abruptly
surprise them, and play a very flippant, soft,
last Bb, preceded by its grace note. He empha-
sized that he wanted unrelenting rhythmic
drive, especially to be noted in the softer
places, where most players might instinctively
play with less spirit.
All of the above remarks are made on the
basis of statements he made before we started,
during, and also after I played. Now, some 40
years later, I look back, never having forgotten
that day, nor that Stravinsky was a major hero
in my life. When first I heard the Sacre on the
radio in 1931 or '32,before I joined the Boston
Symphony, I felt an incredible stimulation and
excitement. It has never left me.
This past summer when we were in Venice,
my wife and I made a special vaporetto trip to
San Michele, the cemetery island near Venice,
where Stravinsky was buried alongside his
wife, Vera, and where he had in past years
gone to place a wreath on Diaghilev's grave.
There I had the privilege of going to his own
and his wife's graves to pay my respects. I
spent a long, quiet time in contemplation, then
made a photograph of the graves. It was a
somber occasion, and I felt so grateful for what
his existence contributed to my life.
*****************************
Notes:

Radnofsky, Kenneth. "Portraits of Improvisa-
tion," pp.16-21. Winds Quarterly, Fall
1980.

Stravinsky, Igor and Robert Craft. Conversa-
tions with Stravinsky, pp. 16-31, 108-123,

Knopf, Alfred A. Retrospective and Conclu-
sions, pp.4-5. New York, 1969.

Selected Correspondence, Vol. 2. Edited by
Robert Craft, (1984)

Themes and Episodes, pp.28-9,182-3,192-3,
448-9. New York, 1967.

Walsh, Stephen. The Music of Stra~insky, pp.
90-1. Routledge, 1988.

White, Stephen. The Composer and His
Works, 1977, pp.281 -2; 1979, pp.181-258-
9. Faber and Faber Ltd., Great Britain.

Swenson, Anton Jr. Applications of Selected
Analytical Techniques To Twentieth Cen-
tury Worksfor Clarinet and Their Implica-
tions for lnterpretation and Performance,
pp.104-256. University Microfilms, Inc.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1970.

Weston, Pamela. Clarinet Virtuosi of Today,
pp.35,96,273. Egon Publishers Ltd., En-
gland, 1989.

More Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past, pp.63,64.
Pamela Weston. England, 1977.

I would like also to thank Ms. Marion Tay-
lor, bibliographer of the University of Califor
nia at Santa Cruz, and John Mohler of the
faculty of the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor.

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org