Klarinet Archive - Posting 000691.txt from 1996/03

From: Mitch Bassman <mbassman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Top 10 clarinet parts (not too known) [and brief concert
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 19:09:10 -0500

One of my my newest favorite clarinet solos is the bass clarinet solo in
the adagio movement of the Piston Symphony No. 2.

I attended the National Symphony Orchestra's concert this past weekend.
As usual (for this season) they opened the program with the premiere
performance of a newly commissioned "fanfare" by an American composer.
This one had aspects, of jazz, blues, R&B, funk, etc; lots of brass and
percussion, a tenor sax solo, and bright string sounds. (Sorry I can't
recall the composer's name; I don't have a copy of the program with me;
but she was in the audience and was called to the stage to accept the
applause.)

The other piece in the first half of the concert was the Piston Symphony
No. 2, which I had never heard performed before; what a wonderful bass
clarinet solo in the second (adagio) movement! Actually, I loved all the
woodwind lines in this symphony, but the bass clarinetist was a notable
standout.

The main work on the program (after intermission) was the Beethoven 9th!
(Music Director Designate Leonard Slatkin scheduled all nine Beethoven
symphonies for the 1995-96 season.) Tickets for all three performances of
this concert had been sold out since last summer. The Washington Choral
Society was excellent. The four soloists were outstanding, especially the
baritone. When he first opened his mouth in the 4th movement, the sound
completely filled the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center. I went
backstage after the concert to speak with timpanist Fred Begun and just
happened to run into the baritone soloist on my way out. I was glad that
I had a chance to tell him how much I had enjoyed his performance. The
NSO was as good as I've ever heard them. The standing ovation was well
deserved.

--Mitch Bassman
mbassman@-----.com