Klarinet Archive - Posting 000646.txt from 2002/09

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] 'Other versions' of well-known pieces: What would Felix
Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 09:42:52 -0400

On Mon, 30 Sep 2002 07:26:21 -0600 (MDT), AnneLenoir@-----.net said:

> Tony, Dan and any other dedicated purists, who I respect.
>
> Recently I heard a verson of the Mendelsohn Violin Concerto played on
> flute. For many years I have hummed that entire concerto in my head
> every time I heard it, and my immediate reaction was, "This is great
> that the flute player gets to play all those gorgeous passages." Not
> once did I think, "They should have hired a violinist".

Was that a professional performance, or a CD though, Annie?

I bet not.

I think the thing is, it was probably great for the flute player. (And
I note that you describe it in that way.)

Just to be clear about this: I certainly wouldn't want to stop any
player playing any tune for their own enjoyment. My own first reaction
to hearing the wonderful 'cello melody that opens the slow movement of
Brahms's C minor Piano Trio was to write it out for A clarinet and play
it to myself.

But that would be different from arranging and then programming a
version for flute, clarinet and piano in a concert.

I recently heard two flute concertos by Mozart, the various movements
being played by soloists stepping out from a flute 'orchestra' of
members of Patrick Gallois's class, with 'guest' cello and harpsichord.

I didn't feel that they had made it work sufficiently well,
stylistically, but I had no problem with the idea that they were doing
it.

> I have also heard the Finzi Bagatelles played on flute with chamber
> orchestra, and they sounded terrific. I never once thought "Oh gosh,
> they should have hired a clarinetist"

What, not at any point? Usually in such cases there's what I called in
my previous post, gains and losses.

> I know that you guys would have a cow if you heard my 2nd grade
> flutaphone class playing "Ode To Joy". To my knowledge not many
> composers have written for the flutaphone, and I like to teach the
> students beautiful melodies as a part of their early musical
> education. It has worked out very nicely because 2 of them are now my
> little 9-year-old clarinet students, and they are moving along very
> nicely.

If I had a cow about that, she would be called Daisy, and I would milk
her and look after her very well:-)

> I will probably never play in an orchestra again, so I won't have the
> opportunity to play the "wrong" instrument. However, I will probably
> continue to teach my students many "wrong" melodies, starting with the
> flutaphone. ANNIE

Long may you continue to do so, Annie.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
tel/fax 01865 553339

... Better living through denial.

---------------------------------------------------------------------