Klarinet Archive - Posting 000585.txt from 1999/05

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Different pitched Clarinets timbral qualities
Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 03:51:50 -0400

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.22
> Subj: RE: [kl] Different pitched Clarinets timbral qualities

> Rufus Mont Arey was the principal clarinetist of the Philadelphia Orchestra
> in 1923-24; he taught at Eastman for a long time. He is said to have boiled
> clarinet playing down to two elements--tone and articulation. I can see his
> point.
>
> I think it more likely that Stravinsky objected to the pitch--the unintended
> tonal modulation of playing the last movement a half step too high--than the
> timbre. Either way, it is crystal clear that he wanted the particular
> instrument.
>
> Now, I am not going to object to students learning the Mozart concerto on
> Bb. I know I did. Heck, if the kid is excited about it, I don't care if
> they learn it on kazoo.
>
> IMHO, there isn't much of a timbre difference between the Bb and A--not
> enough, anyway, to keep me from transposing parts in the orchestra so that
> they lie better. I am of an entirely different opinion about the C (now
> that I won one)--unlike the Bb/A, there is a tremendous tone quality
> difference. So much so that I am now of the opinion that own should strive
> to use the intended instrument when called for, at least in the late
> romantic Mahler/Strauss works when the difference in tone was clearly the
> reason for the composer's preference. (Aside from that, it's easier--I'd
> like to hear someone successfully play the Klarinet in Ut part to Strauss'
> "Happy Workshop" on a Bb!)

I was doing a performance of that work in Santa Barbara. I played
basset horn and the C clarinet player (though playing entirely on
a B-flat instrument) was the first desk player of St. Louis, George
Silfies. A wonderful clarinet player and also a sensational piano
player. He often did both ends of the Brahms sonatas on one program
with one of his students.

Anyway, I said to George, "Why don't you play the part on a C?" and
he responded that he never played on one he liked. So I took my
C out (having brought it along for just this eventuality), a C now
owned by David Niethamer in Richmond, and said, "Try this."

He refused to give it back for a week. He fell in love with it
and wailed on it. (He also wailed when he was playing the part
on C, because he was that kind of a player.) I have a picture
somewhere taken after the concert of him with my C and me with
my basset horn.

>
> kjf
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, May 13, 1999 9:59 PM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Different pitched Clarinets timbral qualities
>
>
> > From: MX%"klarinet@-----.32
> > Subj: Re: [kl] Different pitched Clarinets timbral qualities
>
> >
> >
> > JW schrieb:
> >
> > > Some composers do/did indeed write for specific clarinets. Stravinsky
> > > is one in particular, ala his 'Three Pieces'. He was very specific
> > > about wanting the 'A' stuff played on A clarinet, not just because of
> > > pitch, but timbre...
> >
> > - snip -
> >
> > Mitchell Lurie told me during a lesson on the Stravinksy 3 pieces that
> > Stravinsky himself once actually stopped a performance because the
> > clarinettist had not changed instruments for the third mvt.
>
> The anecdote was first reported on by Rufus Airey (spelling?) who
> wrote it up around 1950 or so. Stravinsky was sitting in on a
> rehearsal where Airey was trying out the hall. Airey played the
> pieces and Stravinsky interrupted him (some ear!!) to say, "I wrote
> that movement for A clarinet because that is what I wanted. Please
> play it on A." Airey complied.
>
>
>
> >
> > David
> > David Glenn
> > notestaff@-----.de
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> =======================================
> Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
> leeson@-----.edu
> =======================================
>
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=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================

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