Klarinet Archive - Posting 000697.txt from 1997/12

From: RJMANDRSH <RJMANDRSH@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Morales, from Morales
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 1997 12:01:27 -0500

Often when I find the time, I enjoy browsing through this list here for
interesting reading. I have never felt the need to interject my opinion along
the way, although I must say I was rather suprised by a recent post. As a
rule, I try not to take things too personally. I have discovered rather
quickly that entering a position similiar to mine opens me up to intense
scrutiny and criticism and it all comes with the job. I don't mind one bit
reading positive or negative responses to my playing, that is what the entire
learning process is about. What I do mind is what seems to be an attack
pointing at my age as a culprit for some degree of immaturity or lack of
knowledge about music.

In the Mets "Tito" broadcast on the radio, it was pointed out to the readers
that I played the great "Parto" aria on the wrong clarinet. That is correct. I
did play the aria on the standard B flat. Mr. Leeson was kind enough to list
four reasons why I might have done this:

<1) The conductor (Maestro James Levine) insisted on a performance played on
traditional clarinet.

2)Morales was unable to find a basset clarinet that had the required
professional characteristics and this was compelled to ignore the explict
performance instructions.

3)Morales would have liked to play it on the proper instrument but does not
own one and decided not to incur the expense of one for such a rare occasion.

4)Morales does not know for what instrument the work is scored.>

He continued, in his opinion to say he considered the fourth to be the most
likely, mentioning that I was twenty when I got my first job and therefore had
no time to complete my studies and little oppurtunity to get to know things
associated with music outside of playing.

About the age thing he is correct. I did not complete my studies beyond the
freshman year of college. When I left for my first job I was eighteen.

I was very, very aware of the instrumentation in the "Parto" aria. As we all
know now, it is scored for basset clarinet in Bflat not A as in the Mozart
Concerto. And for those of you wondering which of the four reasons stated
above kept me from using the proper instrument, let me assure it was not as
easy as any of those stated, more a combination of many.

For those who truly know me, I hate to admit it, but I am a gadget man. :-) I
love new toys and I have a relatively open mind in regards to equipment as
long as I find it acceptable to my standards. It is not in my nature to just
purchase something to have it, I must love it (or else the wife will get very
angry....LOL....:-)...) I did do research to see if I could find an instrument
I would consider suitable to play. (As someone mentioned in a previous post,
many opera houses OWN these instruments and have them available for their
players to use. The Met is not one of these houses....not at the moment.) I
called all of the french major manufacturers and discovered rather quickly
that these are not in production, only basset clarinets in A (for the Mozart
Concerto) are being offered by a few of these companies. Most of the
recordings made with the proper notes played are either on original
instruments or German ones. Someone else pointed out that there was a
possibility for me to have one specially made....well, to that I can only say
that the Met knew of the season far more in advance than I (I choose to deal
with one season at a time for my own sanity :-).....) I have though, mentioned
to the Met the need to purchase certain instruments. For years I have been
asking for a proper working basset horn, and yes, this year a basset clarinet
in Bflat.....but these things do not suddenly appear out of the sky. The Met
has a budget like all orchestras in this country and certain monies each year
are set aside for certain things.

I think that this post about the proper instrumentation for "Tito" was and is
interesting to say the least. Yes it is written for basset clarinet in Bflat.
But because a person is young or didn't finish school has no barring on their
musical choices or knowledge.

Lets see. You all will have to pardon me as I am not sure where all these
clips have come from (I am rather new at this computer stuff and haven't
learned how to clip from articles :-)....sorry....)

<Interesting point: Did anyone at the Met announce or on the broadcast
announce that "we present Mozart's opera almost the way he wrote it? " >

No...I am sorry to say there was no announcement like this made...and had
there been the need I am sure Maestro Levine would have seen fit to do so. Do
you go to many operas? Many times aria keys and even at times notes are
adjusted to singers who...."can't hit the high notes"...this too is not what
the composer wrote. (We could go on forever discussing instances in where the
actual written part can differentiate from many of todays performances) There
is no need for an announcement, a bit of history at the Met will tell you that
this aria has been played for many years before me on the regular Bflat
clarinet and will most likely continue for years after me. (It doesn't make it
right...but that is the history) For those of you who have asked.....yes...the
part on my stand was written with both parts on it.

In closing, I am not defending or denying I played the aria on a clarinet
other than the one the aria was written for. And I am well aware that no
reason I could give would be good enough to satisfy everyone. So let me just
say.... keep up the interesting posts about all subjects, I look forward to
reading more on a variety of different subjects. :-)

Sincerely,

Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinet, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

PS- Although I would love to continue to talk about these posts all day and
evening long, it is really not possible for me. So, if you decide to address
me on this or any other matter, please do not get offended at the tremedous
amount of time it takes for me to respond back. :-) Sorry.

PSS- I did however forget to mention in all the jibber above that I indeed own
a basset. A Basset Hound named Britanny......and she has a marvelous tone when
singing at home. :-)