Klarinet Archive - Posting 000187.txt from 2004/07

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] For Ginger: clarinetto in La
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 18:04:02 -0400

On 5 Jul, "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net> wrote:

> When [the Mozart concerto] is played on any other kind of clarinet, the key
> signature of the work is compromised and whatever character the A clarinet
> brings to the work is altered. I think Moorhead is absolutely right. And to
> show you how dangerous a contrary view can be, there was an audition at the
> SF symphony about 10-15 years ago and a nice young player (and a
> sensationsal clarinet player too) was auditioning. He played very nicely
> until the conductor asked him for a few measures of the slow movement of K.
> 622. He played it beautifully on a B-flat clarinet because that is what he
> had with him. Later, the conductor made a comment about being absolutely
> unwilling to hire a clarinetist who would play 622 on a B-flat clarinet.

Oh, poo to him.

But actually, I don't believe that was the exclusive basis of his judgement.
There'd have to have been some real reason why he was unsuitable:-)

It reminds me of an episode of a British cartoon strip called 'Alex'.

(I should explain: Alex is a ruthless, self-centred yuppie business
executive, exclusively concerned with all the symbols of success. For
example, when his long-suffering wife is having a terrible time settling
their new baby, Alex offers to take the child for a drive in his new car --
the vibration of the drive is said to be a good way to get a baby to go to
sleep. After a few minutes Alex phones her on his mobile. "How's it going?"
asks his wife anxiously. "Perfect!" says Alex. "He's still screaming his
head off. I knew I was right to go for the BMW.")

But in the episode I was thinking of, Alex is the chairman of a panel
interviewing a prospective employee.

"OK," he says. "Consider this scenario. You're coming in on the bus to a
breakfast meeting. You've prepared pretty well. But then, a brilliant new
idea strikes you. You get out your laptop -- but just at that moment, a
heavily pregnant woman gets on the bus.

"Now, do you give up your seat, and work out the idea in your head; or do you
stay seated and write it up on your laptop?"

"Er, I give up my seat," says the interviewee. "No, no...I let her stand,
and do it properly on the laptop. Er, no..., yes, that's what I do."

He's shown out. Alex shakes his head, drawing a line through the candidate's
name.

"I *don't* think so. Coming to work on the BUS?"

By the way, I've ordered 2 copies of your book, Dan:-)

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd tony.p@-----.org
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
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