Klarinet Archive - Posting 000160.txt from 1997/05

From: Lord Rob <rteitelbaum@-----.EDU>
Subj: RE: Mozart Concerto-2nd mvt
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 22:09:21 -0400

The addition of an "intro" measure started, as far as I can determine,
with the Carl Fischer edition. I don't know what on earth would prompt
them to do this, but it's an absolute musical atrocity as far as I'm
concerned. It makes this great Adagio feel more like a show-tune. Sure,
it also makes the movement a good deal easier, but part of the Adagio's
charm is its immense difficulty, and a lot of that difficulty stems from
the fact that the clarinet and piano/orchestra have to start right out
together. (Chamber music players have a decided advantage here.)

As for editions, I've never really seen one that I liked. The International
edition, edited by Reginald Kell, is the one I use, and overall it's pretty
good, there's just one glaring error in measure 84 of the Adagio, as I
mentioned in an earlier post. (2nd beat A''' should be G'''). But as long
as the notes are right, I don't think the edition matters too much, since
most players are going to change the articulations and dynamics anyway.

Rob Teitelbaum
Claremont McKenna College