Klarinet Archive - Posting 000965.txt from 1998/02

From: "John Gates" <cadenza@-----.com>
Subj: Re: companion piece to 'Pierrot Lunaire"?
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 12:33:25 -0500

This is interesting. I knew about the Emperor Waltzes and the transcription
of the Chamber Symphony but not about Bruckner, Mahler, etc.
-----Original Message-----
From: Labadorf@-----.com>
Date: Friday, February 27, 1998 7:29 AM
Subject: Re: companion piece to 'Pierrot Lunaire"?

>Karen,
>
>You should consider some works presented by Schoenberg's "Society for
Private
>Musical Performances." This Society was established in 1918, organized by
>Schoenberg, Berg and Webern, and its main goal was to present multiple
>performances of contemporary music of various composers. It was a low
budget
>operation and could only program small chamber works. Consequently,
chamber
>settings of large orchestral works were transcribed just for these concerts
>(many of these works are available on rental basis from Belmont Music in
>California). Pierre Lunaire was premiered on one of these concerts (Victor
>Polechek was the clarinetist).
>
>The instrumentation for these works were generally: vln I, vln II, vla,
vc,
>cb (one player each) 3 or 4 various winds (depending on the piece), piano
and
>harmonium. Some works you might want to consider:
>
> Mahler, Songs of a Wayfarer
> Mahler, Songs of the Earth (A CD recording of this version may still be
>available)
> Debussy, Prelude to 'Afternoon of a Faun'
>
>
>Other transcriptions for the "B Series" (these were lighter works open to
the
>public for fund raising) included some Johann Strauss Waltzes, Bruckner
>Seventh Sym. and various other pieces.
>
>These transcriptions were either prepared by Schoenberg or other Society
>members under Schoenberg's supervision. They are very well orchestrated,
and
>as chamber music are not compromises to the original.
>
>If you want to know more about the Society, you should read a dissertation
by
>Judith Meibach, _Schoenberg's "Society for Musical Private Performances,"
>Vienna 1918-1922 - A Documentary Study_ presented to Univerity of Pittsburg
in
>1984 (University Microfilms) This is an excellent resource containing not
>only history, but a list of every program presented by the Society, a list
of
>performers (interpreters) and an extensive bibliography (I hope you can
read
>German!) The dissertation itself is in English.
>
>Let me know if you are interested, and I can dig for the publisher and
>address.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Tom Labadorf
>Clarinetist, U. S. Coast Guard Band
>Adjunct Instructor, Connecticut College, New London CT
>Adjunct Instructor, Hartt College of Music, Community Division
>Labadorf@-----.com
>
>In a message dated 2/25/98 1:53:42 PM, you wrote:
>
><<A performing group I am in is performing Pierrot Lunaire (Schoenberg)
next
>season, but we need to fill out the rest of the program. What would be an
>interesting companion piece (or 2) to schedule with this? I'm looking for
>about 30-40 minutes of music that will gently lead the audience into the
>world of Schoenberg (a friend suggested something by George Crumb). I'm
>looking to keep to 6-8 performers.
>
>I have enjoyed the list's repertoire suggestions to other members in the
>past and hope you can help me out, too. Thanks!
>
>Karen Sandene
>Third Chair Chamber Players
>Lincoln, NE
>>>