Klarinet Archive - Posting 000166.txt from 1998/04

From: Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.Net>
Subj: RE: Copyright Infringement "Rules"
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 1998 21:50:47 -0500

Joshua Coleman wrote:

>Have the publishers ever thought about printing the piano part in a way
>so that the pages lay side by side instead of a book-type format? This
>way, there are minimal page turns, and there won't be irate pianists out
>there photocopying parts to avoid page turns.

It's possible, and it has been done. How would you like to have 10" x 13"
pages, spiral bound, so that when the book is opened it lies flat and has
four full pages of music visible? An additional benefit is that they're
slightly larger and easier to read than the standard sheet music sizes

Who uses this wonderful format? Only a few publishers of organ
accompaniments for Roman Catholic hymnals. They're not perfect -- not
enough throught was given to ending right-hand pages at places where a
natural and graceful pause can be made to turn the page. The publishers do,
however, insert occasional blank pages to reduce page-turning.

These editions show what could be done if publishers gave a damn about the
musicians who buy their product. Even in the standard format, it is often
possible to make a score friendlier to the musician. I have just played
the piano accompaniment to a clarinet solo one of my students will be
working on. It has six pages, necessitating a turn at the end of 2 and 4.
In each place there is a natural pause for the pianist - a fermata on one,
and on the other a sustained chord from which the soloist takes off into a
cadenza. Someone was thinking about me, and I'm grateful.

That's rare. Many editions almost compel a certain amount of photocopying
to make them playable. I am completely unapologetic about doing it when
necessary.

Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.net>

   
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