Klarinet Archive - Posting 000153.txt from 2001/09

From: alevin@-----. Levin)
Subj: [kl] Re: miscellaneous
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 15:19:05 -0400

A couple of general comments on matters raised in the past few weeks:

1. I agree completely with Dan Leeson that you should play the music on the
specified instruments. The sound of the clarinet is unique because of its
construction. Certain passages over the break , low B/Bb upper E/Eb, F/F#
and the altissimo notes have sounds that change if you transpose them on an
instrument. Good composers with a sense of instrumentation were/are
conscious of this and write to it - even if it is based upon imperfections
or unsolved problems in the design.

2. The horn analogy is appropriate. Valveless horns have missing notes and
serious tuning problems; but have a unique and marvelous sound. They can't
be used to play much that was written after valves came on the scene
because composers were freed from the limitations imposed by their
imperfections. (Going the other direction also has problems. Some years
ago I was playing with a community orchestra. For some reason we were
short-handed at one rehearsal and the conductor decided to read the William
Tell Overture. An old edition with parts in 2 keys. Only the first horn
was at rehearsal. When we got to the fanfare - nothing. He said "it
ain't in the music." Mass confusion. Remembering a tip from orchestration
classes I told him to start with the 3rd part, then 1st, then 2nd, then
4th. Once he remembered to transpose 1st and 3rd in one key and 2nd and
4th in the other, he was alright. Geminis have split personalities anyway.
Hee! Hee!)

3. I happened on a performance of the 3rd movement of K622 the other day.
The clarinet sounded German to me but was a bit reedy for my taste. The
clarinettist added some embellishments (not to my taste on 1st hearing; but
not hideous or out of character either.) My biggest complaint was the
unevenness of some runs and thirds. Some figures sounded out of rhythm.
Imagine my surprise when the artist was announced as Sabine Meyer!!!! Any
thoughts?

Allen Levin

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