Klarinet Archive - Posting 000471.txt from 2002/09

From: The Ciompi Family <deal5@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bb/A Conundrum
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2002 00:24:47 -0400

Dear Kevin,
I think you are doing the right thing. It is the same decision I made over 20 years ago. I don't think Stravinsky really cared. I never played with Stravinsky, but Robert Craft, whom I did play for, never seemed to care about the medium, as long as the message spoke out clearly.The new edition was just a way for Stravinsky, rightly, to continue getting royalties.

Sincerely,

Arturo Ciompi

Kevin Fay wrote:

> A couple of questions on which horn to use:
>
> 1) My orchestra has programmed Petruska for the next concert - the 1947 edition. This is rental music, so my practice to date has been from the 1911 version that you can buy off the internet.
>
> One of the tings done betweeen the versions was to use only the Bb clarinet on the later version, making a couple of passages much more difficult to finger. The clarinetist who rented the part before me (or perhaps many rent-generations ago) carefully photocopied a portion of the 1911 version where the difficult passages were played on A, and inserted them into the part with tape.
>
> >From the archives and other readings, I've gleaned that Igor knew and understood the sonic difference between the two instruments. Was this Stravinsky's artistic decision to do all of the piece on Bb (which, ideally, should be respected), or just a lazy copyist? You get to vote - let me know.
>
> (An aside - I will probably play the passages on A as they will sound better; just want to know how guilty I should feel.)
>
> 2) My wind ensemble is currently playing a transcription of Malcolm Arnold's Four Scottish Dances, a nice piece (or rather 4 of them). The last movement is a finger-buster.
>
> I've played this work in an orchestra, though - remembered it as being much easier. Turns out that the arranger (a) kept the piece in the original key (a good thing for the oboe solo & horns), but (b) transposed the parts to be played on Bb clarinet, hence the technical difficulty.
>
> I admit it - I'm lazy. Yanked out the A and played the rehearsal. My section-mates think that I'm insane, but it lies better.
>
> The philisophical question - Mr. Arnold wrote this thing for A clarinet. Is it "better" to respect his decision, or go with the desires of the arranger? <BR><BR>(This ignores the question of transcriptions being sacriledge, but programming isn't my decision.)
>
> Again, your vote won't sway my choice, but affect the degree of guilt on my part.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> kjf
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