Klarinet Archive - Posting 000715.txt from 1996/04

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Rabaud Solo de Concours and solo lists
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 23:12:09 -0400

Dan,
In response to your request for coments on the makeup of lists: I am
thoroughly disgusted with the level rankings of the All-State
music here in Maryland. It seems that virtually every other piece is
either too easy or too hard for the level. A case in point: The entire Weber
Concerto #1 is on the same level as the Adagio of the Mozart Concerto.
And also on this level (level 5 of 6) is the Jacob "5 Pieces" the Jean-Jean
"Arabesque", the Horovitz "Majorcan Pieces" and the Malcolm Arnold
"Sonatina". Am I the only one who sees a giant void in the difficulty
level of these pieces which are supposedly on the same level? Then, of
course, there is the problem of Rubank versions of Mozart, etc. which are
truly overedited. So I agree with you completely that these lists seem to
have been made up by either non-clarinetists or by people on drugs (or
both?).

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Tue, 23 Apr 1996, Daniel A. Paprocki wrote:

> Armand,
> I aggree with you. I know that this was an exam piece for the
> Paris Conservatory and should be challenging for a player at the college
> (or conservatory) level. The problem is that in the US, this piece is on
> most state high school class A (top level) solo lists. I don't think it
> should be. This is an advanced piece that should be approached by an
> advanced player, not in high school (yes, I'm sure there are a couple of
> high school students in the US that are able to play this piece musically).
> This brings up a good topic. What is on some other states class A
> solo lists? How do teachers feel about the makeup of the lists and the
> editions used. I will find Ohio's and report back and in the mean time
> lets hear from some other states or countries high school solo contest
> lists.
>
> Dan
>
> P.S.
> Check out the web page of the Conservatoire National Sup=E9rieur de
> Musique et de Danse de Paris. It's at http://www.ircam.fr/CNSMP/ and in
> two issues of it's online magazine they have short interviews with Michel
> Portal and Guy Dangain. It is in French.
>
> ****************************************************************************=
> **
>
> Daniel A. Paprocki
> dap@-----.us
>
> ****************************************************************************=
> **
>