Klarinet Archive - Posting 000279.txt from 1997/08

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: I'm back from Europe - Hello to all
Date: Sat, 9 Aug 1997 16:04:47 -0400

Had a terrific time. Heard a half dozen concerts in Salzburg including
two performances of Magic Flute, the Solisti di Veniti, two performances
at the Salzburg Marionette theatre, and one concert with the Mozarteum
orchestra. At this, the orchestra's clarinetist played the Parto, Parto
solo but his name was not given in the program so I was unable to
know who played so very well. This is a very small orchestra in the
backwater of Austria and yet this clarinet player was wonderful. Played
on a German system, of course.

The surprise concert was the Solisti di Veniti. Music of this era
has simply never come my way and I never went out of my way to
hear it. Vivaldi, Corelli, etc. So I was really very unhappy about
going to hear them. WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!!

It was magnificent. Suddenly, the last stand, 2nd violin came forward
and played a concerto. Then the concertmaster moved the back of the
section. The entire orchestra (which stood) was in constant fluid
motion swapping places with everyone playing solos. There were
2 concerti for 4 violins, 2 for 2 violins, 2 for 1 violin, 1 for
oboe and then a pile of encore.

I think that in the past and on this list I have been very negative
about the musicianship of Italian clarinet players, suggesting that
they have fallen from their once great heights to a level of
inadequacy match in few places. Well not the Solisti di Veniti. It's
a dynamite group.

What happened when I was gone? Did someone say "dark sound" or
"bright sound" or "the only clarinet worth owning and playing is
a Buffet" or "the German sound is very distinctive"? How many
young minds have had the course of their learning impeded by the
acceptance of grandmother's stories? Just send me their names.
It may be easier to kill them than to correct vocabulary
deficiencies.

Oh yes. Did any say, "the cadenza in Mozart's clarinet concerto"?
That person dies the death of a thousand bites on the backside.
Definitely a painful death.

=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================

   
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