Klarinet Archive - Posting 000856.txt from 2002/07

From: Bear Woodson <bearwoodson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Thank You, "Flitter Critters" and future clarinet works
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2002 22:22:03 -0400

Hello, Klarinet List.

I am days behind schedule on reading, storing
and answering E-Mails, because I have been
writing the "Fanfare for the Fallen Heroes of the
9-11 Attack" music that must be finished soon. I
still haven't read all the latest Klarinet Digests,
but here are a few answers.

I am DELIGHTED with the thoughtful con-
firmations that the Ranges for the likely Clarinet
Sextet next Spring will be solidly playable by
many advanced high school level players. My
Thanks to a number of you!

> Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 17:39:42 -0700
> From: "Bruce Hunter" <bhunter3@-----.com>
> . . . .
> (By the way, "Flitter Critters" is a real kick!)

Bela Bartok started a tradition in his Mikro-
kosmos to use 20th Century Counterpoint in
short piano pieces that are for children, to hear,
if not also play. In this same frame of mine, I
wrote my pieces called "Flitter Critters" for
unaccompanied Flute and Alto Flute in G, that
imitate pigeons, song birds, bats, bees, etc., to
hopefully impress Counterpoint Scholars, while
also getting an audience of small children to
giggle. However the Surgeon General requires
that I print these words:

WARNING!

Sometimes they flitter . . . .
and sometimes they critter . . . .
but you never can be too sure! . . . .

Mr. Hunter bought copies of my Flute Sonata,
"Three Flute Duets" and "Flitter Critters" two
years ago. I'm wondering if he plays Alto Flute
in G, as well as Flute and Clarinets?

> rien stein wrote:
>
> Mark,
>
> as Bear Woodson is very busy, and already
> did compose a lot for different kinds of
> clarinet, maybe you could feel called to
> compose for
>
> - clarinet in B-flat solo
> - claribass, that can be played by a more or
> less competent amateur
> - claribass and E-flat clarinet
> - etc, etc

Not yet. I'm in the process of writing a series
of works for Bb Soprano Clarinet. I have already
written my "Sonata for Unaccompanied Clarinet"
(May 2002, 3 mvts., 16 min.), which can likely be
played by many sizes of Clarinets. But until Pro-
fessor Joze Kotar, the Dedicatee in Slovenia, gets
to Premiere each of these Clarinet Works, other
players will have to wait.

(I will also wait until September 2002, when
Professor Kotar gets back from Music Camps
and vacation, so he can announce to the Klarinet
List some of the other new clarinet works I am
writing.)

I am intrigued about the idea of getting time
next Spring to write for a Clarinet Sextet, that
would include an Alto Eb Clarinet and a Bb
Contra Bass Clarinet. I've never written for
these 2 instruments before, and am curious if
there are CD's that I could find that would let
me hear them in solo spots. I'm open to sug-
gestions.

I've already used the High Eb ("Sopranino")
Clarinet in orchestral works, and I've used the
Extended Body Bb Bass Clarinet in a few
orchestral and chamber works.

(By the way, when I have used the Extended
Body Bb Bass Clarinet in orchestral works, I
provide Ossia Notes in the Contra Bassoon
Part, just in case the Bass Clarinetist does not
have the Extended Body Model. I therefore
include Notes about this possibility in both
the Conductor's Score and Contra Bassoon
Player's Part.)

Meanwhile, I gotta get back to work.

Bear Woodson
Composer in Tucson, Arizona, USA
"Bear Woodson" <bearwoodson@-----.net>

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