Klarinet Archive - Posting 001042.txt from 1998/10

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Weber Concerto number 2
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 10:53:06 -0400

On Sat, 24 Oct 1998, Dee D. Hays wrote:
> While I haven't heard Niedich's recording, I did hear a the "Polacca"
> section from a recording by Sabine Meyer on PBS the other day. It was way
> too fast. While one can admire her ability to play the clarinet at this
> speed, the piece was no longer musical. It was just a blur of notes.
> Although it is the player's task to bring music to life (after all it is a
> performing art), there comes a point in re-interpreting the piece where the
> composer's vision is lost. To me, this recording had lost all connection to
> both the composer's vision and general musicality.

Dee's comments should be bronzed and mounted!

Often, sadly, the soloist's interpretation has as much to do with selling
a recording as it has to do with personal expression. I look for artists
to purchase recordings of that are "safe" purchases - that is, they aren't
going to have a cut on the CD that is so outlandish that I will regret
purchasing it.......(I do have a few of these). I haven't heard Sabine
Meyer's recording - and I would be very sad to hear that she has gone the
route of Stoltzman (a few recordings kind of all into Roger Shilock's
definition of revolting......but sure love that Brahms set!), Neidich (if
in fact he does double tongue and play too fast on the Weber 2 Polacca),
etc........

*sign*.....Saturday morning.....think I'll go listen to car talk, play
catch with the football with my 10 year-old, see a movie, and watch
Michigan try to win another big ten team.....I may even buy real beer for
that game - forget the Bud-lite!

Enough about recordings for a couple of hours anyway.

Roger Garrett
IWU

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