Klarinet Archive - Posting 000472.txt from 1997/01

From: "David C. Blumberg" <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Woodwind Quintets - Boring?
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 10:43:44 -0500

Dan,
I agree with you virtually 100%! I would much rather play then be an
audience member to a WW. Quintet.(note that I wrote rather play then be an
audience member, because if I wrote "listen to", I'm sure some wise alec
would write "don't you listen to what you are playing"?).
Many trite works abound. Some good, lots bad.

At 09:43 AM 1/24/97 -0600, Daniel A. Paprocki wrote:
>I have two views of woodwind quintets. They differ depending on which side
>of the reed I'm sitting on.
>
>If I'm playing in a ww quintet, I like quintets (some more than others).
>Granted you don't run into works that are comparable to some of our chamber
>works that include strings (Mozart Quintet, Brahms Quint., Bartok
>Contrasts, etc). There are some ww quintet works that come close (Barber,
>Hindemith, Nielsen).
>
>If I'm listening to a ww quintet, I get bored quickly. I've talked to
>other woodwind colleagues (not just clarinetists) and they feel the same.
>I think it's something to do with just having the single colors (as
>compared to a wind octet of instrument pairs) and no string instruments.
>The different tonal colors (to me of course) don't blend as well as if
>strings are present or other like colors. Also, there is just not a great
>wealth of high quality music (Danzi - yeah, right. maybe the Rossini
>quartets - isn't Pop goes the Weasel arrranged for WW quintet?).
>
>I know I'm going to get flamed on this one.
>
>Dan P. (Packers 56 - Patriots 6)
>
>***************************************************************************
***
>
> Daniel A. Paprocki
> Instructor of Clarinet
> Malone College
> Kent State University - Stark Campus
> dap@-----.us
>
>***************************************************************************
***
>
>
David C. Blumberg
reedman@-----.com
Principal Clarinet Riverside Symphonia
Adjunct Woodwind Instructor Univ. of Penn,. Bryn Mawr College