Klarinet Archive - Posting 000917.txt from 2004/07

From: "Jim Lytthans" <lytthans@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] ClarinetFest Finale
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 17:19:23 -0400

One of the best 'Fests in recent memory just ended this morning, with a
stunning performance by the US Marine Band Clarinet Choir (more about that
later).

We are now in Chantilly, VA (no, I won't sing "Chantilly lace...."!), out by
Dulles airport. Access to DC is easy from this area, as is the new Air and
Space Museum at the airport. $95/night for a suite (Sierra Suites...plug!),
with breakfast, is remarkable for the DC area, noted for it's horrendous
prices.

Saturday, for me, began with the recital by the hosts from next year's Tokyo
ClarinetFest. The playing was first-rate, although a bit reserved. I do
hope our hosts come up with some really low air fares and housing costs.

Next was a shared recital by Michael Webster, Steven Fox, and the inimitable
Colin Bradbury. Webster, along with his flutist wife Leone Buyse, and
pianist Robert Moeling (known collectively as the Webster Trio), performed
a nice arrangement by Michael Webster of five of Dvorak's "Slavonic Dances",
based on the piano four-hand edition. I have a flutist/pianist hubby and
wife combo that have been after me to perform with them. Michaels'
arrangements, of which he has many, will do nicely! Very idiomatic for all
instruments.

Stephen Fox, clarinet maker, scientist, performer, etc. then offered a
lovely performance of the John Ireland "Trio in D" for clarinet, cello and
piano. It's really a sonata for piano with clarinet/cello obbligato,
although very pretty. The pianist did seem to overpower the other players,
mainly because the piano lid was at full sail.

The great British clarinetists Colin Bradbury gave one of his best recitals
in some years at the 'Fest, featuring four charming Victorian bonbons by
Gomez, German, Walthew and Samuel. Colin's CDs are favorites of mine.

I skipped the shared recital by Arthur Campbell and Wei-leng Chen
(practicing and exhibits called), but did hear that they were masterfully
done. My final afternoon event was the 4:00 performance by the Senzouku
Gauken College Clarinet Orchestra. Senzouku College is a unique K-college
institution, with 81 clarinet majors. They played a somewhat aurally taxing
(there I go again!)
piece called "The Clarinetist in Luzerne", by Naotugi Nishida, for choir
and solo clarinet. Very dense writing, with a difficult solo part, usually
in the altissimo. I wondered why the composer didn't write the solo part
for Eb clarinet, except that all the special effects would have been much
harder. The group concluded with a masterful performance of Strauss's "Till
Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streich", arranged by S. Kobayashi. I really hope
it's published!

Saturday night was a real treat. We journeyed by school shuttles (ouch!) to
Wolf Trap Park, for a performance by the National SO, with Principal
Clarinet Loren Kitt as soloist, along with the Principal Bassoon Susan
Heinemann, in the Strauss "Duet-Concertant". Those of you who have played
this very late work ( I have)
by Richard Strauss know that it is a bit long and wandering.... typical of
the later Strauss pieces. With Kitt and Heinemeann performing, it sounded
like a new work by a youthful Strauss. Very beautiful, indeed. The
orchestra has come a long way under Leonard (I almost wrote Felix) Slatkin.
Wonderful horns and woodwinds! The rest of the program was clarinet
oriented: "Rhapsody in Blue", Mendelssohn's "Italian" Symphony, and the
"American in Paris". The audience was even more clap happy than our folks
in Orange County, California. They insisted on applauding after every
movement of the Mendelssohn. So much for East Coast culture...............

Sunday AM. Clarinet choirs galore. Massed Arundo Donax. The High School
Honors Choir began, directed by bass clarinetist Edward Palanker, of the
Baltimore SO, who earlier in the week gave a great lecture demo called "Bass
Clarinet Playing for Dummies". The HS Choir really showcased the future
super stars of the ICA (we hope!), and the clarinet world. These kids are
scary, with great musicianship and technique.

Next was the ICA College/University, directed by a former USC classmate
Charles West. Some of the players exhibited the same hair impairment that I
have, so I guess some ringers were brought in. No matter, the playing was
excellent. David Niethamer, formerly Principal of the Richmond SO and the
current Eb player of the orchestra, Jared Davis, performed wonderfully
Howard Buss's challenging "Prelude and Dance". Lots of notes in a very
short time! Smokin' Fingers!

The ICA Conference Choir followed with a nice performance of an arrangement
of Schubert's complete "Symphony No. 5", as scored by the conductor Harvey
Hermann and James Moffit. The head count was well over 100 performers, to
my eye.

The coup de gras (pardon my appalling French) of the morning was the
aforementioned performance by the Marine Band Clarinet Choir (section,
actually). Mmmm! Clarinet nirvana. Under the direction of Capt. Jason
Fettig, the group closed the 'Fest in great style, featuring Mozart, the
"Mannin Veen" Overture by Haydn Wood (remember that from the park concerts,
along with the "Manx Overture"?), a stunning performance of "Martian
Counterpoint from "Ten of a Kind" (Sym. No. 2) by Pulitzer Prize nominee
David Rakowski, written for the Marine Band, some R. R. Bennett, Grainger,
and John Williams. Clarinet Candy, indeed. A highlight was a performance
of the last movement of Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto", with Gy Sgt Jihoon
Chang as clarinet (of course!) soloist. Lot's of virtuosity was evident.
It reminded me of some recordings of Harry Keller, the clarinetist who
specialized in performing the great violin concertos on clarinet. These
recording were owned by my late colleague Frank Sabin. These are in good
hands, and will be edited to CD soon.

Thanks and congratulations to Bob Walzel, Marguerite Baker and the ICA
committee for putting on a great festival. It's lots of work, well worth
it, and much appreciated. Next year... Tokyo! (If I can afford it).

.............
Jim Lytthans
Chantilly, VA
Soon to be back in Anaheim, CA

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