Klarinet Archive - Posting 000639.txt from 1998/07

From: <EbKlarinet@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Mozart editions
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 00:11:14 -0400

In answer to the question about preferred Mozart editions, I like the Schott
edition by far. It's one of five I own, including the Schirmer, and I have
all of my students learn the piece with it. The articulation is decent, and I
like the attempt to restore the original version, even though no one knows
exactly what that was--it sure as heck wasn't what's in the Schirmer version
(which so many people seem to think is gospel, or something!) Because it is an
A version, I lend them my A clarinet, if necessary, when they perform it. I
tell them up front just how difficult it is, and make sure they understand
that they have to have an extraordinary understanding of phrasing and legato
before they are ready to perform it in front of an audience at their age.
Most of them don't get to perform it, though, because they're hs students, and
I am firmly of the opinion that one needs to wait until college to begin
serious study of the piece. And then you're *still* not anywhere near to a
complete interpretation!! I had the priviledge of playing it during the
Mozart Bicentennial year, and that was the first time that I began to
understand just how difficult a work it was, and wonder if I would ever get
everything out of it that Mozart put into it, and I was in my 30's at the
time! However, I do think that just because you're not ready to perform a
work doesn't mean you can't start looking at it. As has been mentioned on a
previous post, it's a piece you will live with for the rest of your life, and
hs is a good time to start taking those first exciting forays into what is
perhaps the greatest work by the greatest composer for our instrument. Thank
you, Wolfie, for our favorite piece!

Elise Curran

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