Klarinet Archive - Posting 001311.txt from 1998/05

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Argento's "To be sung..."
Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 23:48:53 -0400

on 5/26/98 9:46 PM, line ringuette wrote:

>I have been looking for another chamber piece for the combination of
>clarinet, high (sop) voice, and piano; and recently came across some
>postings on Dominick Argento's "To be sung upon the water". I have
>searched on sneezy, and from the positive remarks about the piece, I think
>I might want to try it.

While the Argento is published "for high voice", I think Argento had in
mind the tenor voice, and not especially the soprano. I say this because
there are many colors that can only be exploited by the juxtaposition of
the tenor voice and the bass clarinet. I've done it both ways, and I like
the tenor voice better. There's too much spread between the soprano and
the bass clarinet.

>I have never heard the piece before so, naturally,
>I do have a few question:
>
>1) what are the technical requirements for the clarinetist? Is it in the
>Bartok "Contrasts" range? Can someone briefly tell me what to expect?

As Fred J has already pointed out, it's not technically all that
difficult. There's a significant portion for bass clarinet, and that's
where all the technical difficulty lies, although I wouldn't put it in a
technical class with the Bartok. There are some touchy switches from "con
blasto" bass clarinet to high soft, delicate Bb soprano clarinet - you
have to practice the switches for the tonal command that's required.

>2) how manageable is it for the pianist and singer. Is it a piece that
>only a virtuoso can pull off, or is it within the reach of a very good
>singer and pianist?

Needs a very good singer - the piece is polytonal, and most singers have
enough trouble with just *one* tonality ;-) !! Some of the ensemble is a
bit counter-intuitive, but with a few well placed cues written into your
part, you should have no troubles. the piano part doesn't seem to be all
that difficult.

>3) Is there a good recording available?

There's only one - and old CRI recording with tenor Thomas Stewart and
Charles Russo, clarinet. I have a nice tape from last summer that I'll
happily send you. Email me privately.
>
>Thanks for any help you can provide!!! :)

Great piece. If you're looking for a piece more idiomatic for the
soprano, try Ned Rorem's "Ariel: Five Poems of Sylvia Plath". If you know
a flutist, Aaron Copland's "As It Fell Upon A Day" (fl/cl/sop) is good
(about 7 minutes), as is Allan Blank's "Four Poems of Emily Dickinson",
recently published by International Opus
<http://users.aol.com/intlopus/woodwind.html> Lester Trimble's "Four
Fragments for the Canterbury Tales" is also a real winner -
fl/cl/sop/hpschd (or piano).

HTH

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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