Klarinet Archive - Posting 000083.txt from 2008/05

From: Joseph Wakeling <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Gnarly buttons
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 11:23:53 -0400

Sean Osborn wrote:
> Please don't dismiss a piece that can reduce audiences to tears.

Mmm, it's been a while since I last listened to Gnarly Buttons but I do
have a strong impression that it's a *very* impressive piece live. My
first encounter with it was hearing the last couple of minutes of it on
the radio, about 10 years ago or more, from a live performance at the
Proms in London, and it was very striking.

Then I got a recording, and was ... disappointed, not least because the
ending wasn't a bit how I remembered it being. It's quite possible that
putting it on disk actually takes away from its quality. In fact I have
the general impression about John Adams that he almost always sounds
better in concert than on record.

Since Dan mentioned André Troutett, I should note that his recording of
it is available on a CD called "American Clarinet". It's mainly Alain
Damiens' CD with recordings of the Elliott Carter concerto and 'Gra',
Reich's New York Counterpoint and Howard Sandroff's 'Tephillah', but
Troutett (his colleague in the Ensemble Intercontemporain) is the
soloist in Gnarly Buttons.

Personally, I prefer the Carter concerto to Adams, but that's just me. :-P

-- Joe

------------------------------------------------------------------