Klarinet Archive - Posting 000279.txt from 1997/10

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: Clarification of Earlier Remark
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 1997 22:26:33 -0400

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.88
> Subj: Clarification of Earlier Remark

> I just wanted to clarify that in suggesting that K. 622 could be played
> on the flute or horn that I was neglecting to think about the
> limitations of the instruments and instead focusing on the effect. The
> effect may differ on horn, but I think that a flute, neglecting these
> difficulites, could give an effect quite equal to the clarinet.
>
> This was perhaps an error in judgment on my part, neglecting these
> differences, but I still hold to my earlier premise, and the point I was
> trying to make in the above example: Mozart's Concerto is more generic,
> as opposed to Weber's direct aim at the clarinet.

I am afraid that you are digging your hole deeper and deeper. Without
any attempt to denigrate the Weber Concerto (which is indeed very
idiomatic), your perception of the Mozart concerto as being generic
is flawed at several levels, not the least of which are the
several Alberti bass passages played in the chalumeau register and
which ABSOLUTELY cannot be executed on any soprano instrument other
than a clarinet. Well that's not precise enough. The flute
could execute them one or two octaves higher, but then an E-flat
clarinet can duplicate contrabassoon music using the same
dynamic.

K. 622 is not more generic than tomato soup is generic for
chicken soup. It is a very clarinet oriented work, written
for a clarinetist, and who had a clarinet of unique compass.
It could just as well be published with a disclaimer: "Not
intended for use on any instrument other than a soprano
clarinet in A. Attempts at performance on any other
instrument will result in a very silly event."

I reiterate: it is perfectly allright if you prefer the Weber
concerti to Mozart's K. 622. It is your right to do so. But
please do not invent patently false technical reasons for
arriving at that conclusion.

Generic concerto, indeed!!

>
> --
> Craig Countryman
> cegc@-----.net
> http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1711
>
> Quote of the Day:
>
> "When you have completed 95 percent of
> your journey, you are only halfway
> there." -Ancient Japanese proverb
=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================