Klarinet Archive - Posting 000868.txt from 1997/03

From: "Steven A. Haaser" <HAASER@-----.edu>
Subj: Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade (re)orchestration
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 10:05:56 -0500

I'd like to hear from folks who have played Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherezade.
I'm playing it again, but with a different conductor who is changing the
orchestration of the opening woodwind chords in the first movement:

The four fermata, pp chords in bars 8-11 are ones. In all four chords the
first clarinet plays below the second, and especially interesting is bar 11
in which clarinet I plays the bottom of the F# chord.

The conductor has said that it is difficult to tune and that many orchestras
parcel out the pitches differently. In my previous performances I've not
encountered this. Anyone on the list care to comment? Have you played
an altered introduction to the first movement? Have you ever noticed it
on recordings or in concert?

We tried the alteration at rehearsal the other night and it was easier to
keep in tune, but Rimsky was a great orchestrator (in my opinion) and I
_like_ the way those chords sound specifically because the bassoons are
high and the clarinet at the bottom.

I'm eager to hear from you folks. Perhaps I'll get some comments that might
make Maestro reconsider. Thanks.

Cheers,
Steve
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