Klarinet Archive - Posting 000168.txt from 2007/03
From: "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] re: Les violins du Roy (to Simon Aldrich)
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 11:53:30 -0400
You should be aware that I sent a blistering email to Labadie
asking him this question. I pointed out that his seriousness of
purpose, his remarks on the matter of the importance of
authenticity authenticity, and his entire approach to the work
(as his comments indicated), were contradicted by his use of
clarinets in place of bassets. In effect what I suspect was that
his personal preference for clarinets -- as contrasted with
Mozart's specific directions -- resulted in something approaching
hypocrisy.. He talked the big talk but chose an instrumentation
that he preferred and to hell with what Mozart said. Next time,
he might consider tenor saxes since he doesn't like basset horns.
I doubt very much whether he will ever respond to my objection,
but I don't have to worry about the political situation in
Montreal as it reflects on my income. Labadie needed a kick in
the backside, and I gave it to him, though the business offices
of the Violins du Roy (to whom I sent my remarks) may not give
him my very critical message.
By the way, the second clarinetist was a blond, if that will help
you identify her. And both she and the first clarinetist played
wonderfully, as did the entire orchestra. The chorus was very
sensitive to diction, the soloists were outstanding, and, except
for the clarinets which ruined it for me, it was a fine
performance. I should also add that this performance was
specifically made for TV viewing, not for the CD marketplace.
Finally I mention this. When Larry Combs was with the MSO, he
invited me up to play the Gran Partitta with a special group
contracted by Larry. He played first to my second, and I was
interviewed in French on the CBC about the "cors de basset."
Fine group of players.
Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Aldrich [mailto:simonaldrich@-----.ca]
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 11:42 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] re: Les violins du Roy (to Dan Leeson)
Hello Dan
>I had an opportunity to hear a pre-release of a disk in
>which the Violins du Roy played the Mozart Requiem with a first
>class chorus, Labadie conducting. While the performance was
>stupendous, the orchestra used not basset horns but clarinets.
A
>very lovely woman played second clarinet, and a particularly
fine
>male player played first.
>Questions: who were these players and are they regulars with
>Violins du Roy?"
Les Violons du Roy have no regular winds per se. In certain
important
sections (oboes and horns) they try to have the same players
concert
to concert.
Unlike the strings, no wind player is under contract.
With regard to the clarinets, many different people play with
them. I
have played with them and most good Montreal freelancers have
played
with them.
For the Requiem cd I believe the first clarinet was either Jean-
Francois Normand or Martin Carpentier and the second was either
Marie-
Julie Chagnon or Marianne Croteau.
>Why in God's green earth did they play clarinets? The
orchestra
>uses baroque bows, 18th century trumpets (with contemporary
>pitch). So why would they use clarinets. The performance of
the
>work was negatively influenced by the clarinets, not in their
>performances but in the character of sound produced..
>I can think of only two reasons: (1) Labadie requested it, (2)
no
>one in Montreal has basset horns.
>Please don't feel that I am asking for confidences. I'm not.
I
>just want to know who those fine players were, and why they
>executed on instruments explicitly uncalled for by the
composer.
This is a thorny question to answer. Not only because it touches
upon
hot-button issues specific to this discussion list
but also because it relates to someone I deal with professionally
(Vlns du Roy conductor, Bernard Labadie).
I do not know why they chose clarinets instead of basset horns
and it
would be irresponsible of me to speculate baselessly.
I might ask Maestro Labadie next time I see him why he chose
clarinets.
(I am tempted to offer opinion on this whole issue, based on two
decades of trying to rent/borrow basset horns for myself and
colleagues and coming to grips with conductors' ambivalence
toward
basset horns but this would not only be against better judgement
but
also tangential to what you asked.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------
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Simon Aldrich
Clarinet Faculty - McGill University
Principal Clarinet - Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal
Principal Clarinet - Orchestre de l'Opera de Montreal
Clarinet - Nouvel Ensemble Moderne
Buffet-Crampon Artist/Clinician
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