Klarinet Archive - Posting 000898.txt from 1999/09
From: Gregory Smith <Gregory_Smith_Clarinet@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] RE:Leeson/Mozart/Marcellus
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 10:56:36 -0400
DAN LEESON WROTE:
"David, the subject of improvisation in Mozart (of which, of course,
K. 622 is a small piece of a very big problem) has been both under
discussion and in implementation since the mid 1960s. Actual recorded
performances of such activity can be found by the early 1970s. Marcellus=
knew of the practice by virtue of the fact that he was so opposed to it,
but I suspect that he never had an opportunity to discuss it at any
length, partly because there weren't that many people around at the
time that could discuss it with him, and second, because he was a very
conservative person who was cautious about change, particularly change
that he believed was not in the best interests of the music that he
played so very well. He also was influenced by Szell who was even
more conservative.
Now none of this is a criticism of Marcellus who did not consider it
appropriate to do this thing. My earlier note on the subject was not
addressed to that point, but rather to how Smith couched his response
to Nohe. As I reflect on how I felt when I first heard Marcellus'
recording of K. 622, I was saddened at how the magnificent playing of
this great artist appeared to me to be constrained by his conservative
view of how to play that piece. In the case of, for example, Bellison,
I can't be critical because, during his time, there were no viable
voices discussing this performance issue. But when Marcellus was
working, that was not the case. He chose not to listen, which is his
right, but I must measure him differently because of that choice.
Others, such as Smith, see it differently."
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Marcellus' famous recording was made in October of 1961 - before (by Dan'=
s
description anyway) the =
discussion and re-implementation of improvisation in the mid 1960's. Why
then would Leeson be saddened by the constraints of a conservative view
about improvisation as reflected in the pre - mid 60's recorded performan=
ce
of the concerto?
We know that Marcellus was a very consevative person when it came to
changing what he thought served the best interest of the music - which as=
you say he played so well under his mentor, Szell. But in 1961 and in his=
prior live Mozart concerto performances with the orchestra dating from th=
e
50's he couldn't have so strongly opposed something that by your own
admission didn't yet exist for him.
Yes, later in 1973 when he once again performed the concerto with the
orchestra under Maazel's direction - then he obviously chose not to
improvise even though improvisation was coming or had come back into
practice for the concerto. So what? You and others may fairly measure his=
artristic judgement differently because he chose not to improvise at that=
time (12 years after the recording). But I repeat that his decision not t=
o
improvise did not detract from and had nothing to do with the profound
quality of expression that I believe was already there in his performance=
.
LEESON CONTINUED:
"Life changes. Performance issues change. One either goes along with th=
e
winning bunch or else one goes down the proverbial tubes."
You aren't suggesting that Marcellus' performance on the 1961 recording
will =
go the way of 1940's Stowkowski/Philadelphia/Bach are you? (Which to me
isn't an issue of winning or losing anyway). On second thought I suppose
that you are saying that it has already simply by virtue that there is no=
improvisation.
=
=
I suppose that time will tell.......
Gregory Smith
2737 Hurd Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201-1209 USA
Tel: 847-866-8331
Fax: 847-866-9551
Email: Gregory_Smith_Clarinet@-----.com
Web Site: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Gregory_Smith_Clarinet=
/
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