Klarinet Archive - Posting 000378.txt from 1997/06

From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Jacqueline Eastwood, when did I ever flame you??
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 1997 14:11:03 -0400

On Fri, 20 Jun 1997, Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu wrote:

> You mention improvising in the Gran Partitta slow movement, which, if
> I am correct, you just did in Tucson about 2 or 3 months ago. John
> Denman called me up to play it or lend my basset horns or something,
> so I know you did it (though I don't necessarily mean "you"
> personally -- did you play the performance?).

No, I didn't; in fact, I had forgotten about that performance. I think
it was programmed opposite the Opera being in Phoenix or something, so I
wasn't invited to play :+( (though I have played the piece twice,
the basset horn part written out for Bb, so I have to think BIG!! One
fine day I promise you I will own a pair of basset horns!)
>
> I always improvised that movement, but only if my colleagues on
> first clarinet and first oboe would do so too. Otherwise, it
> stuck out like a sore thumb. When I did it with the Toronto
> Symphony, Harry Sargous was playing 1st oboe (now he is at the
> Univ. of Michigan) and Jim Campbell was playing 1st clarinet (now
> at Indiana University). It was quite an event!! Chris Weait,
> now professor of bassoon at Ohio State, improvised on the bassoon
> line in other movements. We recorded the work with lots of
> improvisation.

I surely do like James Campbell's playing...as a teenager, I heard lots of
recordings of him playing "less routine" literature, which was quickly
added to my collection!

I will tentatively explain why I don't understand the basis for an
improvised performance (at least of the movement in question).

The way I have seen the parts (as some modern edited version, obviously if
the basset parts are written out for Bb), and heard different recordings
(the Netherlands Wind Ensemble is a standout in my mind, under Edo de
Waart) we have the horns playing a slow arpeggio
(do....mi...sol...sol...) then the seconds on each part come in with the
syncopated harmonic line...it's always very tranquil...then the oboe comes
out of nowhere on that long note and it just blossoms. The clarinet solo
and basset solo grow out of that and continue it. Simple lines, with
(from what I understand of your previous post clarifying terms)
composer-written ornamentation of the melodic lines: upper leading tones,
written-out turns, a trill, etc.

Now my question: is what we see on the printed page of the modern edition
anything at all like what Mozart actually wrote? Or did he just write
long notes and some editor over the years added the leading tones,
written-out turns, trill, etc.? Or is it somewhere in between? My point
being that modern editions are questionable...where does one go to find
the urtext? Neue Mozart Ausgabe edition?

WARNING! CONCLUSION FOLLOWS --STAND BACK!

If the modern edition is true to the composer, I feel that he
has already ornamented the line by what he very specifically wrote.

(LOGIC ABANDONED AT THIS POINT)

Now for the kicker: I also like to use a little vibrato on the basset
horn part because I feel more basset-y and it propels the line nicely, as
the oboe solo was in the beginning.

> > Why should I flame you? I don't flame people. I'm just
> a simple country boy.

Now do you want to flame me? (I must be feeling rather masochistic, I
guess).
>
>
> =======================================
> Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
> Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
> leeson@-----.edu
> =======================================
>

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu