Klarinet Archive - Posting 000619.txt from 2003/09
From: "Fernando Silveira" <amigo222@-----.br>
Subj: Re: [kl] Francaix Concerto Questions
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 21:28:06 -0400
Hi Tony and others,
I am sorry to write, once more, to the list about that subject but I think
that some points should be cleared.
There is no dubts about the qualities of the Françaix's Concerto. But, for
me, become a doubt about for what instrument it were composed: that should
be the best contribution to clear all that stuff.
Compare that case (Françaix Concerto be played on A clarinet) with the folow
exemples:
**How would you fell, and judge, a very high level performance of the Mozart
Clarinet on Bb clarinet, played on a serius Symphony audition??? Or attend a
chamber music recital and hear, for exemple, the entire Stravinsky Three
Pieces played on Bb clarinet???
My answer is that the player can be a very good musician, but missed, a
litle, the respect with the author's wishes. And, maybe judging on a
contest/audition, if there are two or three players on the same level, the
jury would choose, for that reason, another player that show more respect
with that. See, historical aspects are inheret to a good musician.
We have to be in mind that when the composer start to write the music, they
choose a particular timbre that he wants. Why Molter choose write a clarinet
concerto for "D" clarinet??(please, it is not just a deal with keys) Why so
many composers (Ravel, Stravinky, Strauss, etc.) choose write important
passages for Eb/D clarinets (some passages not in high range of the Eb/D
clarinets)??? TIMBRE.
So, for those reasons, I said to Stephen to "think about that". I didn't
said it is wrong or somethink like that.
I am convinced that any good clarinetist can, for shure and without see the
player, know if one masterpiece, like Françaix, has be played one a diferent
clarinet them indicated on the music.
For me the main quality of a good musician is, like Tony said, "inspiring,
entertaining and moving your audience" and not "show that you are [just] a
musician worthy of winning an international competition", but, as a clarinet
specialist, you will never put aside tecnic aspects of the literature of
your instrument. Of course we, that play clarinet, should be more concerned
about inherent aspects of the clarinet that the simple "audience" do not
know. For that reason the audience is not allowed to judge on a contest.
All the best
Fernando Silveira
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Pay" <Tony@-----.uk>
Subject: Re: [kl] Francaix Concerto Questions
> On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 15:38:42 -0600 (MDT), stmoore@-----.edu said:
>
> > Recently I received my copy of the Francaix Clarinet Concerto and
> > thought it might be a very effective competition piece. I do have
> > some questions though..
>
> Yes, it might be a very effective competition piece.
>
> I well remember encountering this masterpiece on a tour of Australia. I
> had just played the Mozart concerto, and was invited to a student party.
> The first thing that happened was that someone showed me an LP of the
> Francaix, played by a French virtuoso, and asked me what I thought of
> it. I had to admit that I'd never even *heard* it. Smirking, they then
> played it to me, and I came to realise that what I'd done myself that
> evening paled into insignificance by comparison. I'd obviously have to
> go away and regroup.
>
> (But I never made it.)
>
> > 1) I have always heard that the greatest hinderance to this piece is
> > the fact that it is in the key of B major, making many of the passages
> > akward. Would it be legal for me to load the part into Finale and
> > transpose it for A clarinet, providing I don't give my copy to anyone?
>
> Actually playing the concerto was never 'possible' for me; but my
> opinion is that it would certainly be legal -- and perhaps even
> desirable -- to do this. Certainly, 'Francaix's understanding of the
> clarinet' doesn't IMO preclude it.
>
> [snip of other questions to which I don't know the answer]
>
> Fernando said,
>
> > Hi Stephen, you said you would attend some contest with that concert.
> > Is it true? If so, you should be more concerned about transpose it for
> > A clarinet. As I alread be a member of the jury of some international
> > clarinet contests, I can say to you that any good clarinet player will
> > know if you play it with an A clarinet. Think about that...
>
> Gosh. Then they'd all be out to *get* you, of course.
>
> An international clarinet jury (note the lower case) is much more
> concerned with what instrument you played it on -- and whether that made
> it *easier* for you than it was for the others -- than whether you
> inspired, entertained and moved your audience with how you played it.
>
> Hence the lower case. Because I also have already been a member of
> such a jury, I'm not so cynical about juries.
>
> But of course, if you aren't capable of inspiring, entertaining and
> moving your audience, you may well want to take his advice.
>
> Fernando further said:
>
> > No, I am saying that on one contest the main meaning is that any
> > attendant should have the same level of dificults and show their best
> > with the same conditions.
>
> That's the *main* meaning, you see. Not to show that you are a
> musician worthy of winning an international competition.
>
> On the other hand, I understood rather that the Francaix concerto was to
> be a part of Stephen's chosen concerto repertoire, and not a set piece
> to be played by all competitors.
>
> Sean then said,
>
> > I think it's a great concerto, and hope it doesn't remain out of
> > print.
>
> With the greatest respect for Sean's view, and with an already
> established respect for Sean himself, I totally disagree. I think it's
> a tawdry potboiler.
>
> (Someone will now tell me that that's because I've just admitted I
> 'can't' play it:-)
>
> Bye the bye, how are you doing with the Castelnuovo-Tedesco Sonata,
> Stephen, now I've finally actually completed the research for you?
>
> http://www.woodwind.org/Databases/Logs/2003/05/000449.txt
>
> Tony
> --
> _________ Tony Pay
> |ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
> | |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
> tel/fax 01865 553339
>
> .... Bottomless pit of needs & wants.
>
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