Klarinet Archive - Posting 000143.txt from 2006/09

From: Sean Osborn <feanor33@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] "best" concerto
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 12:21:53 -0400

Kevin,

In my posted list of 9 concerti, I said I thought they could stand up
against anything in the orchestral repertoire.

Something to remember is that there is a HUGE skewing to programming violin
concertos in this country that doesn't exist in a lot of other places. In
the six years since I moved back to Seattle, they have only scheduled two
clarinet concertos - one for a kiddie concert, and one for a "music of our
time" concert (Copland - music of our time - don't get me started....)
In France and England winds are much more respected and programmed.

While it's true Violins have more better concertos, it's not even two-for
one. Name 18 great concertos for violin! And, we certainly have as many
good ones as the 'Cello, but programmers persist in programming mediocre
violin concertos with mediocre soloists who look good in tight black
dresses.....*sigh*

*climbs down of soapbox*

I do happen to think that the Mozart clarinet concerto stacks up against
his other great concertos, though Piano cto. #23 is marvelous.

Sean

PS, for Beethoven violin concerto - check out Michael Collins playing it on
the clarinet - it works very well (and a music critic friend of mine
actually likes it better that way).

>A side question. Are *any* clarinet concertos particularly good? The
>Mozart is a great clarinet concerto, but I don't think it's one of Mozart's
>"best" - not like the piano concerto No. 23, for example. Do any clarinet
>concertos stack up against the Beethoven, Tchaikovsky or Sibelius violin
>concertos? Dvorak for cello? Harold in Italy?

www.osbornmusic.com

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