Klarinet Archive - Posting 000114.txt from 2003/05

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Basset Clarinet
Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 14:05:41 -0400

There have been several reconstructions of K. 622 (but no published ones
that I know of for K. 581), and every one of them is interesting, but
none make any suggestions that this is what Mozart originally wrote.
Mostly they are logical approaches to passages that certainly can
exploit the lower tones of the basset clarinet, but no one really knows
what it was that Mozart wrote. So it is not known if they are right or
wrong. Alan Hacker did an edition as well as the NMA volume and there
may be others. I saw a terrific short article from The Clarinet that
address what Mozart might have written.

The NMA volume (and which I reviewed for The Clarinet magazine some
years ago) presents two versions of K. 622, one the traditional version
that we all learned, and one a basset clarinet reconstruction from the
mind of the editor of the volume. It's very nice but, like all such
reconstructions, without any musical authority.

It is the absence of the manuscript that leaves questions about not only
the low notes in K. 622, but also the high ones. Did Mozart write for a
high G, as is often done in today's performances? I doubt it but I
don't know. It is a problem that, in my opinion, will never be solved
unless someone discovers the manuscript hiding under a rock.

Matthew, have I touched on the points that wanted explored? If not, be
more specific.

Dan

Matthew Lloyd wrote:
> I can recall seeing a score with the solo part reconstructed. I know
> that Dan would suggest that this is a matter for the performer, and of
> course he is quite right.
>
> What does the Neue Mozart Ausgabe show in the solo part on the last
> edition out? If the NMA doesn't show the reconstruction, who does?
>
> Does Dan have anything learned to say about the question generally? It
> is something that I would like to look at more but would appreciate a
> starting point.
>
> Matthew Lloyd
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
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>

--
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**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
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