Klarinet Archive - Posting 000373.txt from 1996/12
From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Goodman and classical music
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 18:38:45 -0500
I appreciate David Hattner's sensitivity and insight regarding
Goodman's performance of classical selections. I particularly concur with
his conclusions about the debt to Goodman that clarinetists share because
of his contribution to classical clarinet literature through his
commissions.
About two years ago, I wrote two messages to this list (which I have
attached to this posting) about his most controversial recording,
the Nielsen Concerto, as performed by the CSO conducted by Morton Gould.
Goodman had consented reluctantly to record the concerto, and only after
considerable hounding by his close personal friend, Gould.
There is little doubt in my mind that Goodman or Gould had any
illusions about how their recording stacked up to other contemporary
recordings of the Concerto. Still, notwithstanding the flaws in the final
product, there was wisdom in Gould's persistence in pushing Goodman to
record the Concerto. And this wisdom was borne out by a report from one of
the list members during that flurry of messages about Goodman and the
Nielsen Concerto.
The report, which I'll attempt to reconstruct and paraphrase from
memory, went something like this: Our clarinet-playing correspondent was
attending a party or other kind of informal gathering of music lovers in
Europe -- Spain, I think -- when the conversation turned to the
Goodman/Gould recording of the Nielsen Concerto. "Simply marvelous,"
seemed to be the consensus.
Our reporter, nonplussed at the lack of discrimination in their choice
of recording, asked the group, "Aren't you aware of the superior recordings
of that work by other artists?"
Someone attempted to explain diplomatically that no-one in that
audience played clarinet or was aware of comparative merits of
recordings by clarinetists other that Goodman. Most important, they bought
Goodman's recording of the Nielsen Concerto not because of Nielsen's work,
with which they were unfamiliar, but because Goodman was the artist and
they wanted to hear him. Ultimately, they liked what they heard, were not
disposed to buy another recording of the concerto by another artist,
but were now probably open to hear live concert performances by other
artists.
The reporter, who may still be on the list and may see this
reference to his/her message, concluded (as I recall) with an
admission of being chastened by the knowledge that the world at large
doesn't always react to clarinet performances as clarinet specialists do,
and that perhaps, in a larger sense, there was virtue in Goodman's
performing the Nielsen Concerto.
Connie
Conrad Josias
La Canada, California
>From josassoc@-----.com Thu Dec 12 11:35:47 1996
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 17:39:32 -0800 (PST)
From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.com>
<KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>
Cc: Multiple recipients of list KLARINET
<KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>
Subject: Re: Benny Goodman and the Nielsen Concerto
On Wed, 25 Jan 1995, Steve Prescott wrote:
> I have a recording of Benny Goodman playing the Nielsen Concerto. I disagree
> with some of his interpretation. I also agree with some. This does not mean
> Mr. Goodman is a bad player.
>
> Steve Prescott
> Instrument Rep. Tech./Clarinetist
> Indiana State Univ.
> mipresc@-----.edu
In spite of his many commissions of famous classical works for
the clarinet, and possibly because of his preeminence in jazz, Benny
Goodman was believed by many to be a pretender when it came to
performing classical music.
Yet, when it came to performances of works written for him --
works such as Bartok's "Contrasts," Copland's "Concerto for Clarinet,"
Gould's "Derivations," and Poulenc's "Sonata for Clarinet and Piano,"
his performances were usually found acceptable.
Contrary to some popular thought, he was not hell bent on
performing all the classical concerto literature. I received a personal
insight into that part of Goodman during a conversation with Morton
Gould, whom I know personally.
Gould was a close friend and advisor of Goodman's and was also the
conductor used by Goodman on some of his recordings, one of which was the
Nielsen Concerto. Gould told me that, when he proposed to Goodman
that he record the Nielsen Concerto, Goodman flatly rejected the idea,
partly because preparing it was a lot of work, and possibly because he
might have felt that the work was best left to classical specialists like
Drucker, who (if my time frame is correct) already had a fine recording
out on the market.
Gould finally overcame Goodman's objections, and the project
proceeded to completion. Gould conceded that, although the performance
might have had some flaws, in the final analysis, both he and Goodman
were glad they made the recording, which became a kind of last hurrah for
their joint team, and did display Goodman doing many things capably.
Connie
Conrad Josias
La Canada, California
>From josassoc@-----.com Thu Dec 12 11:36:21 1996
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 1995 13:59:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.com>
<KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>
Cc: Multiple recipients of list KLARINET
<KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>
Subject: Re: Goodman and the Nielsen Concerto
On Wed, 1 Feb 1995, Christopher G Zello wrote:
> I had heard a far fetched story which came to mind after reading a recent
> posting. Is there any truth to the following--
>
> Frank Cohen was in a music shop or somesuch many years ago. In walked
> Benny Goodman. Here was this young Frank and Goodman was kind of ripping
> on him and somehow he discovered that Frank was working of the Nielsen. .
> .getting ready to play (maybe even record) it. Goodman kind of laughed
> and then went out and decided himself to record the Nielsen (partly to
> not be shown up by FC).
>
> Obviously a lot of details were taken out and a lot of facts ommitted.
>
>
> Christopher Zello
> czello@-----.edu
Chris,
There may be more to the story than I know about, but I must
agree with you that it does sound far fetched.
What I can tell you first hand is that Morton Gould, who was a
close personal friend of Goodman's and was the conductor of the orchestra
that accompanied Goodman on the Nielsen Concerto, told me that Goodman
was initially extremely averse to Gould's repeated suggestions that he
perform the concerto. He also told me that Goodman rebuffed him several
times (some of the reasons having been mentioned in my last posting
on this subject) before he acquiesced.
It's possible that there could have been some external "last
straw" -- something or someone like FC who pulled Goodman's chain. But,
from what I know about Goodman, he had an extremely high regard for the
clarinetists in the major orchestras (as well as certain newcomers) and
didn't regard them as his rivals. But more important, with his existing
accomplishments in the classical field (commissions, recorded performances,
etc.), he was secure enough in the knowledge of what he had done to make
it hard to believe that he would succumb to such a knee-jerk jealous
reaction.
I believe that what eventually happened is that Gould prevailed
on Goodman that, while he was still on the scene, he would be remiss
by not performing such an important work.
Connie
Conrad Josias
La Canada, California
