Klarinet Archive - Posting 000675.txt from 2004/10

From: "Patricia A. Smith" <arlyss1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] K622 - to beat or not to beat
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 16:13:23 -0400

Tim Roberts wrote:

> On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 21:10:41 +0100, "Matthew Lloyd"
> <matthew@-----.uk>
>
>> Putting a beat to K622 is not reinterpretation. It is the imposition of
>> a wildly inappropriate style on to a work that is in need of no revision
>> whatsoever.
>>
>
> The original piano version of "Pictures at an Exhibition" also needed
> no revision whatsoever, but the world would be a lesser place without
> Ravel's "reinterpretation" for full orchestra.
>
IMO, there is something of a difference between transcribing Pictures at
an Exhibition from (the piano?) original to full orchestra, while
keeping the general overall style of the piece intact. What Ravel
accomplished there was to utilize the various timbres of orchestral
instruments in place of various pianistic techniques that create the
"pictures" in the listener's mind. However, Ravel, AFAIK, did not
tamper with the rhythmic structure, nor did he tamper with the overall
harmonic structure of the original.

Such a transcription is miles away from "setting K622" to a beat, and
basically changing the overall style and "heart" if you will, of the
music. While one is said to be a "transcription" the same cannot be
said of the other, because certain changes do cross the line from the
area of transcription into that of re-arranging the music, setting it to
either different rhythmic patterns, different harmonic patterns, or
both. It is a small distinction, but one I feel too often we do not make.

Patricia Smith

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