Klarinet Archive - Posting 000031.txt from 1997/09

From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Excerpts
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 15:55:17 -0400

On Thu, 28 Aug 1997, Robert and Deborah Shaw wrote:

> My teacher recommends that I make very serious my study of orchestral
> excerpts at this time. Anybody have recommendations which ones would be
> the top ten to study?
>
> Deborah
>
OK,I'm sure someone has beaten me to the punch, but in case you needed
corroboration, here are a few biggies:

Beethoven 6, mvmts. 1, 2 & 3
Beethoven 8, scherzo & trio(mvmt. 3, I think)
Brahms 3, mvmts. 1 & 2
Mendelssohn 3, mvmt. 2
Rachmaninoff 2, slow mvmt.
Tchaik. 4 (esp. mvmt. 3) & all over
Tchaik. 5, opening & all over
Tchaik. 6, all over

Of course there are many, many others, but I think these are good to start
with. And, to repeat my words of warning, work from a part, not an
excerpt book, and get to know the whole piece, not just the little bit you
have to play on your own. I don't think I can emphasize that enough.
(This is not to say that I am perfect and have systematically and
methodically studied every excerpt that I have worked on in my life; but
the ones I *have* played & studied in context are so much more solid, it's
truly worth it!)

For what it's worth....have fun!

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