Klarinet Archive - Posting 001096.txt from 1998/01

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Re: Adagio for clarinet choir
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 09:38:00 -0500

At 12:38 AM 1/26/98 EST, Tom Labadorf wrote:
>Bill, you are right. I should refine my position lest I be called a
>hypocrite, because I myself play transcriptions. I agree that there is so
>much more to learn from music of other instruments than can be learned on our
>own. e.g., Bach Cello Suites for phrasing, Paganini Caprices for technical
>dexterity and embouchure flexability, Mozart Piano Concertos for clasical
>stylistic improvisation and ornamentation, Beethoven String Quartets because
>they're fun, etc. But, if the average Joe/Jane was comparing recordings of
>one of these works played in original instrumentation and transcribed for
>clarinet, which one would s/he buy? My guess would be the original
>instrumentation. ("Depends" is not allowed here)
>
>My original question really should read, "Why bother to *perform* any
music as
>long as it can be performed with the original intended instrumentation?"
Some
>might say that a particular transcription would sound better than the
>original, but this is rarely the case. To put my argument to practical
>application, I would recommend programing concerts or CDs with original music
>for your media. Let's not subject our audience and composers to second best
>representations simply because we want to play more good music.
>
Whether a given transcription sounds better or worse than the original is
up to the individual to decide. I just support the "right to choose."
"Different is good" as Arby's says. Would you also oppose pop artists
doing "covers" of others' songs just because they are not the originals and
therefore inferior? Was Elvis' version of "Blue Suede Shoes" second best
merely because Carl Perkins did it first? I maintain that many
interpretations and even instrumentations can be valid for many works.
Purists may avoid recordings of transcribed music if they wish, but let the
rest of us enjoy them. I wish MORE were available. The comparisons can be
quite illuminating, regardless of which is eventually chosen as the best.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.