Klarinet Archive - Posting 000457.txt from 2000/05

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Bass Clarinet CDs (was [kl] Hi)
Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 01:46:42 -0400

> Hello..... Messiaen was FRENCH!!!!!! and... he really wasn't all that
> conservative... I'm sure it's a great disc, but we may all be more
> tempted to give it a listen if you would describe it more fairly.
>
> thanks,
>
> tjvm
>
>

Compared to the Lowenstern recording that was being discussed, Messiaen is
very conservative. The Abyss of the Birds is standard literature. Heck, by
now it is over 50 years old. In new music terms (what I had been mentioning
in an earlier post), that is old. Every other piece on the disc is pretty
standard in its sound. The Schoeck sonata sounds like Hindmith.

I think this is a pretty fair description of the CD. I am not saying it is
bad playing (quite the opposite, actually). Renate Rusche has a beautiful,
full, sound and plays with a great degree of feeling and musicality. The
repertoire is pretty conservative, however.

My use of the term is because there is nothing terribly ground-breaking
about the techniques used in performance. Whereas Lowenstern is continually
experimenting with sound, timbre, texture, and tonality, this CD does not.
It is good, basic, straight-ahead great playing.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
Los Angeles, CA
benmaas@-----.com
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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