Klarinet Archive - Posting 000011.txt from 1996/11

From: "Michelle (mitch) Reynolds" <mmitch@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Challenging pieces for clarinet
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 11:33:57 -0500

Definitely...I learned the hard way in my college
years of clarinet that once I felt I had learned a
piece to the point it became "easy", that's when
my mentor would play the piece for me to hear in
such a way to make me realize I had only just begun
to even learn it.

Even in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, I had at one
time had the naive idea that the second adagio
movement was so technically "easy" that I could learn
the rest of the piece first...now, whenever I work
on it, I find the control, sound, and endurance needed
for the adagio is much greater that the other two
movements combined...

Once you feel you know something, that's when you
realize you have only started!

m. r.

On Fri, 1 Nov 1996, Steve Prescott wrote:

> This is an old subject but it's something that's been bugging me for a
> while and I felt I should say something for my own sanity.
>
>
> I think some posed the question, and I can't quote it, about not having
> anything challenging to play. I, personally, think this is a short-sighted
> statement.
>
> Ex. When you first start learning Mozart's Clarinet Concerto it is
> difficult. Once you've learned it, it becomes easy....Then it becomes
> difficult. Mozart's Concerto is one of the most difficult pieces in the
> clarinet repertoire for the accomplished player.
>
> Secondly, we hear challenging pieces for clarinet on the radio all the
> time. There are many on this list who have produced recordings of standard
> as well as contemporary works.
>
> Thirdly, (and last), a piece of music doesn't have to burn up the clarinet
> in order to be challenging.
>
>
> 2 contemporary works worth playing (or at least learning):
>
> Joan Tower's "Wings"
> Libby Larsen's "Dancing Solo"
>
> As everyone says, that's my 2 cents.
>
> Steve.
>
> Steve Prescott
> Instrument Rep.Tech./ Clarinetist
> Indiana State University
> mipresc@-----.edu
>