Klarinet Archive - Posting 000032.txt from 2004/12

From: kurtheisig@-----.net
Subj: Re: [kl] Scaramouche
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2004 08:49:53 -0500

As I remember it, Rascher said that he went to Paris to work on it with Milhaud---who was still composing the piece---in 1939---BUT it was sooo long ago!!!! (1972?)

-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Sent: Dec 1, 2004 3:26 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] Scaramouche

On 1 Dec, Joze Kotar <jkotar@-----.com> wrote:

> --- kurtheisig@-----.net wrote:
>
> > Scaramouche by Milhaud was originally for sax according to Sigurd
> > Rascher.

[snip]

> > Knowing that Milhaud alternated years teaching in Paris and Oakland
> > California, I tried Oakland information and Milhauds number was LISTED!!
> > I called, and was able to speak to him and ask that question---"Was it
> > originally written for Rascher on the sax?" His answer was: "My dear boy,
> > it is so long ago, I just don't remember."

> I think that Scaramousche is originally for two pianos.

The story I have is that it was an arrangement, listed as being for two
pianos, of some of the incidental music Milhaud had written for a children's
play by Vildrac (after Moliere) called 'Le Medecin Volant'. This play was
first performed at the Theatre Scaramouche in Paris in 1937 -- hence perhaps
the title of the piece.

How the saxophone comes into the story I don't know. Might it have been a
significant part of the original instrumentation (cf La Creation du Monde,
1923)? Perhaps someone else has more details.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd tony.p@-----.org
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
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... Man who eats too many prunes, sits on toilet, many moons!

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