Klarinet Archive - Posting 000591.txt from 2001/08

From: klarinet <klarinet@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Ed Lacy's comments about horns`
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 16:43:55 -0400

Dan, good point...what also should be mentioned is Mozart's revision of
Symphony #40 in g minor that was performed on April 16 and 17 in 1791. This
performance (conducted by Salieri) in Vienna for the "Society of Musicians"
annual concerts, had Mozart's friends Johann and Anton Stadler in that
particular orchestra. Mozart seemingly went out of his way, revising and
rewriting the flute and oboe parts to accomodate the relatively "new"
clarinet for this specific performance. Interestingly he chose the clarinet
in Bb (as this Symphony is in G minor)- knowing full well the Stadler's also
owned instruments in the key of A as well. The clarinets could comfortably
play in the key of A minor.(rather than the horrendous key of Bb minor with
the A clarinet) Another example of clarinets specifically added based on the
key of the work.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Leeson" <leeson0@-----.net>
Subject: [kl] Ed Lacy's comments about horns`

> Very well stated and thorough. Within the commentary was an item that
> may be expanded on a little more.
>
> Ed mentioned the Haffner symphony. The choice of clarinets had
> absolutely nothing to do with the key of the work because the original
> Haffner had no clarinets in it. It was in a later revision that he
> added clarinets (on the top stave which happened to be empty) and he
> selected the pitch of the clarinets based on the already defined key of
> the symphony. (Timpani were also added at the same later time. The
> manuscript shows the ink tint difference very clearly to demonstrate the
> later addition of clarinets and timpani.)
>
> There are two other interesting case of Mozart's use and non use of
> clarinets. The second movement of the concerto in E-flat, K. 482 and
> the last movement of the concerto in C minor, K. 491 both contain
> variations in c minor, and both use clarinets in B-flat notated in d
> minor. But both concerto also contain variations in C major during
> which the clarinets do not play, and this is deliberate because, on the
> clarinets at hand they would have been required to play in D major, a
> forbidden key for all clarinets. This same thing is true for the
> Beethoven 3rd piano concerto where the key changes from C minor to C
> major and the B-flat clarinets cease their participation.
>
> So the attractive theory that clarinets in particular pitches were
> selected because of their sound character does not seem to be supported
> by the evidence. However, once whatever clarinets were selected became
> a part of the ensemble, a particular sonic palette was defined and it is
> that palette that is altered arbitrarily by the substitution of one
> clarinet of the defined pitch with another.
> --
> ***************************
> ** Dan Leeson **
> ** leeson0@-----.net **
> ***************************
>
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