Klarinet Archive - Posting 001022.txt from 1998/01

From: Ken Bryson <kbryson@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Nelhybel (was Concert Band - Favorite Clarinet Parts)
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 1998 19:50:20 -0500

David's post sent me on a trip down memory lane. The first small
ensemble pieces I ever played were clarinet trios by Nelhybel. As I
recall, we couldn't play all of them because some called for a bass
clarinet, which we couldn't round up. But the pieces for three B flats
were terrific fun to play when I was a kid. I still remember them--the
melody of one is running through my head now. Wish I still had the
music. I remember being surprised to hear of Nelhybel's death not too
long ago--surprised because I had little understanding as a kid that
some of the music I played might be written by living composers, and so
had never considered the possibility that he was still working! I also
recall enjoying some of his band pieces, but forget the names.

Nancy

David B. Niethamer wrote:
>
> on 1/23/98 5:38 AM, DGross1226 wrote:
>
> >other suggestions include **Prelude and Fugue** by Vaclav Nelhybel (great
> >bass and contrabass parts);
>
> Don, thanks for jogging an old memory. My undergrad clarinet teacher was
> a friend of Vaclav Nelhybel, and Nelhybel would visit frequently to
> conduct his band pieces and also some clarinet choir pieces (which I'm
> not sure he ever published). Nelhybel was an organist, and *loved* the
> sound of the low clarinets, esp the contrabass. We had 2 Conta-altos and
> a Contrabass in our choir (every Wed morning at 8 a.m. - yuchh!). While I
> was in school, Conn came out with a device called the Multi-vider, which
> allowed you to play a clarinet with some sort of pickup, and the
> box/amp/speaker would allow you to alter the octave up or down. Nelhybel
> and my teacher thought it would be a hoot to have, say, 6 contras, so
> they hooked a few of us up to the box and let us have at it. It was quite
> a sound (but not necessarily a good sound!).
>
> Nelhybel loved the clarinet, and I always thought he wrote great clarinet
> section parts, attempting to get that organ sonority that he knew with a
> full range of clarinets, even in his band pieces.
>
> On another note, I don't think I saw anyone mention the Giannini Symphony
> for band. I always enjoyed playing that.
>
> David
>
> David Niethamer
> Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
> dnietham@-----.edu
> http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/