Klarinet Archive - Posting 000932.txt from 2000/06

From: "Gregory Smith" <Gregory@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Conductors--Rant; Marcellus's Mozart Concerto
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 21:08:33 -0400

Ken,

Marcellus told me of sitting for all of his solo appearances (Copland,
Debussy, Mozart, etc.) and mentioned that the diabetes had a little to do
with it. But more importantly he felt that in his experience, the clarinet
sounded better for acoustical reasons sitting. He sat in the orchestra with
his legs crossed at the ankles and his bell resting on his knees. He even
had Moennig ream the bell of his 1958 - 59 Buffet A clar. serial #45451 -
the one that he played the rest of his career - so that the long B would be
up to pitch and had sufficient "ring" in the sound.

Yes I've heard that criticism of his playing of the Mozart before -
namely that the phrases don't "breathe" enough for some people. But I
mention what George Szell said about what he considered overdone or hyped
Mozart or Haydn - "You don't expect me to pour chocolate sauce over
asparagus do you?" Another quote was " It is perfectly legitimate to prefer
the hectic, the arrhythmic, the untidy - but to my mind, great artistry is
not disorderliness." I suppose, put into that context, one would understand
the interpretation - don't you?

Gregory Smith
**********************************************

----- Original Message -----
From: <MVinquist@-----.com>
Subject: RE: [kl] Conductors--Rant; Marcellus's Mozart Concerto

> I was at Oberlin at the time the Marcellus Mozart Concerto was recorded
and
> went to a live performance at Severance Hall. Marcellus sat in a chair
with
> the music in front of him, in the position where the concertmaster would
> normally sit -- that is, within the orchestra rather than in front.
>
> I heard that he could not play standing because severe diabetes had
loosened
> his teeth. However, I was still surprised that he read from the printed
> music and did not position himself as a soloist. Also, he watched Szell
for
> every entrance. At the cadenza in the slow movement, they turned to face
one
> another, locked eyes, and Szell conducted each note individually.
>
> The recording was made at that time and is perfect in every way, but has a
> reverential air about it that keeps the phrases from breathing. For an
> anodyne, listen to the first recording made by Gervase De Peyer, with
Anthony
> Collins conducting the London Philharmonic (I think), from the late 1950s
> when De Peyer was in his glorious prime. It has recently been reissued on
> CD. Every phrase is alive and breathing and fits naturally with the next.
I
> have over 100 recordings of K. 622, and to my mind, this is the best ever.
>
> Best regards.
>
> Ken Shaw
>
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