Klarinet Archive - Posting 000928.txt from 1998/12

From: "Carl Schexnayder" <carlsche@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Rye: [Al] Bartok "Contrasts"
Date: Fri, 25 Dec 1998 04:19:09 -0500

Hi:
What recordings of this work would people on the list recommend?

Carl Schexnayder

-----Original Message-----
From: David B. Niethamer <dnietham@-----.edu>
<CmdrHerel@-----.com>
Date: Wednesday, December 23, 1998 9:44 PM
Subject: [kl] Rye: [Al] Bartok "Contrasts"

>On 12/22/98 10:07 AM, Teri Here wrote:
>
>>What I'm interested in is hearing any and all comments on this wonderful
work
>>from anyone who's performed it!
>
>I played this last summer for the 11th or 12th time since the first time
>in Grad School. Great piece, and I think I'm starting to learn to play it!
>
>I play the first two mvts. on A, the last entirely on Bb. I spent a lot
>of time thinking about the dilemma here. Bartok seems to have wanted the
>darker, more mysterious color of the A clarinet for the middle section,
>but a reliable clarinet change to A for the middle, and even worse, a
>**VERY** quick return to the By for the end was not possible for me.
>Making the change made a longer break between the sections than the music
>seemed to warrant.
>
>2nd mvt. - see if you can convince the violinist to play the first phrase
>without vibrato. Most of them will balk, but if they do it, and you get
>the balance exactly right, the sound (IMHO) is hair-raising. Listen very
>carefully to who is "on top" - play with a little more expression when
>you're on top, and a little less "color" when you're the harmony voice.
>Wonderful movement.
>
>A couple of weeks ago, in some context now forgotten, I gave a favorite
>fingering for the G4 grace not to the Ab4 (repeated several times). Her
>it is again, for convenience sake:
>
> *G* *Ab*
>
> R R
> T O T O
> X X
> X X
> _ _
> X X F#/C#
> X X
> O O
> Ab/Eb
>
>You have to **TRADE** pinkies on this - if you leave the Ab/Eb pinky in
>place, nothing will happen. Properly done, this fingering gives an
>aggressive snap to the grace note that makes this passage scream in a
>wonderful way.
>
>HTH
>
>David
>
>David Niethamer
>Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
>dnietham@-----.edu
>http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/
>
>
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>
>

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