Klarinet Archive - Posting 000149.txt from 2007/05

From: Simon Aldrich <simonaldrich@-----.ca>
Subj: [kl] Reconstructions of Brahms' Serenade No.1
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 20:38:21 -0400

Hello all

Brahms' Serenade No. 1 in D major Op. 11 was composed over several
years and in as many as four different guises.
It started life as a three or four movement work for wind and string
octet.
The first full version, with six movements, was for nonet (fl, 2 cls,
bsn, hn, vln, vla, vcl, bass).
Clara Schumann did not approve of the piece in its nonet formation
and it is believed Brahms destroyed the manuscript (as was his wont
when Clara didn't approve of a piece).
The following year Brahms expanded the instrumentation to a small
orchestra and the next year to a full orchestra, the form in which
the work is known and usually performed.

Two people, Alan Boustead and Jorge Rotter, have arranged
hypothetical reconstructions of the Serenade in its original nonet
instrumentation.
(A third person, Chris Nex, has arranged the Serenade for woodwind
quintet, string quartet and bass. This version is published and
therefore available.)
Printed parts for the Boustead and Rotter are as yet only available
on rental. Some believe this has hampered the adoption of the
Serenade into the mainstream chamber repertoire.
I heard a broadcast of the Chicago Chamber Musicians playing the
nonet version of the Serenade (it was not announced by which
arranger) and it works wonderfully for nonet. Some might say it is
more beautiful as a nonet than as an orchestral piece.

Months of off-and-on web searching has turned up precious little -
confirming only that critics love the reconstructions and that the
parts are not available for sale.
Assuming these two arrangements can actually be rented, does anyone
know the Boustead and Rotter reconstructions well enough to offer an
opinion regarding which is better?
Does anyone know if both these reconstructions are available and if
so, are they still rental-only (not for sale)?
If not, is there ANY way to get my hands on either of these
reconstructions?

Thank-you in advance,

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Simon Aldrich simonaldrich@-----.ca

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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