Klarinet Archive - Posting 000198.txt from 1997/10

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: clarinet works
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 1997 17:45:35 -0400

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.11
> Subj: Re: clarinet works

> I am in total agreement Shelley. Mozart's Concerto seems as though it
> could be played on a flute, or horn, and is a little more generic when
> it comes to using the specific flavor the the clarinet.

If you were a hornist or a flutist you would not make this statement.
The tessitura of K. 622 is beyond that of either a flute or a horn.
It is also very unidiomatic for flute and the horn could not conceivably
execute 50% of it. It would be ludicrous for either instrument to
attempt the work.

While the idea of a work for one instrument being performable on
another works in some cases (for example the bassoon concerto on
the clarinet as has been done), the use of either a flute or
a horn for K. 622 would be so seriously unidiomatic that the
result would be embarassing.

I do not suggest that you must like the work or even tolerate it.
That is a personal decision. But the suggestion that it can
be executed effectively on the instruments you mention is not
a personal issue. It is a technical one.

>
> I love all of Weber's work, and his First Concerto really impresses me,
> specifically his skillful use of the string tutti to open Allegro
> Moderato, and how he reintroduces it subtly under clarinet oblingados
> towards the end. The second movement is a gorgeous Adagio, and the
> third a playful Rondo, which I find more interesting and a little less
> repetitious than Mozart.

Well, one could say these exact things about the Mozart concerto.
It has a string tutti to open the Allegro Moderato, he reintroduces
it subtly under the clarinet obligattos towards the end, the second
movement is a grogeous Adagio, and thir a playful rondo. Whether or
not it is interesting is personal, not technical. Same thing for
its quantity of repetition.

All you are saying is that you prefer it more. And that's OK but
it is not necessary to drag in technical reasons why you prefer it
more, particularly when those technical reasons apply just as well
to the other work.

>
> Also, Weber's works (most, if not all) for solo clarinet were written
> having a specific Artist Carl Baermann in mind, and were inspired when
> he heard the beautiful tone of the clarinet. These compositions were
> ground breaking because the exposed many more people to clarinet as a
> solo instrument, and more compositions grew from this new knowledge.

And here you are ignoring the history of K. 622 which was also inspired
by a particular clarinetist, namely Anton Stadler who also was said
to have played beautifully. I think you are permitting your affection
of the Weber works to cloud your judgement.

>
> Mozart's Concerto is a wonderful piece of work, and I like it very much,
> but Weber's Clarinet Music is Number One in my mind.
>
Nothing wrong with this. Some people like asparagus and others don't,
but be accurate when you speak of technical matters. You don't have
to be when speaking of personal issues such as what it is you prefer.

> Respectfully Submitted...
>
> --
> Craig Countryman
> cegc@-----.net
> http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1711
>
> Quote of the Day:
>
> "What really matters is what you
> do with what you have."
> -Shirley Lord
=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================