Klarinet Archive - Posting 000907.txt from 2000/09

From: ShawThings@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Can the elephant dance??
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 07:05:01 -0400

In a message dated 28/09/00 3:56:58 AM AUS Eastern Standard Time,
leeson0@-----.net writes:
<>
appreciate more than I can say, the value of a vulgar, self-serving act,
carnal-knowledge-wise, that is.

The issue is if playing the Beethoven violin concerto on an accordion is
or is not roughly in the same category, music-wise, that is.

_______
- Reminds me of the definition of a gentleman as being a man who owned an
accordion and knew how to play it, but didn't.

I think I first heard the dancing elephant analogy as "singing" dogs. It
seems to be an obligatory comment on such things as tuba concerti.

In the case of Michael Collins (Beethoven concerto on clarinet) I don't think
it was self-serving since he neither conceived the idea nor commissioned the
arrangement - and the way he's managed to bring it off is far from vulgar.

Lots of the classical clarinet repertoire of the Weber period fits the
"vulgar and self-serving" description pretty well but is still often
enjoyable.

Some "inappropriate" arranging is intentionally funny. What about the
Dolmetsch recorder consort playing the Tschaikowsky 1812 overture (with
popguns) at one of the Hoffnung concerts in the 50s? - or Malcolm Arnold's
brilliant arrangement of variations on Annie Laurie for diverse neglected
instruments including 2 contrabass clarinets - or Denis Brain playing a
Leopold Mozart horn concerto on a length of hosepipe at the same concerts -
or, more recently the "Cambridge Buskers" (flute & concertina) c. 10 min
precis of Beethoven Symphonies & other revered/overworked old classics.

Patty (Smith), if you're "laughing till you're wheezing" (as I often am over
some of Tony Pay's brilliant comments) over the last few posts on this topic,
you'll need a crate of ventolin to cope with the Hoffnung concerts &
Cambridge Buskers!

All the best,
Tim.

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