Klarinet Archive - Posting 000086.txt from 2008/06

From: "Daniel Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Simeon Bellison CD
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:59:18 -0400

On receiving Jim's note, I couldn't get my order placed fast enough. Thank
you Jim for mentioning this.

I'm still not sure exactly what is on the disk, but Bellison's arrangements
for clarinet is close enough.

Somehow, however, I don't think the disk contains the arrangements that
Bellison made for his clarinet orchestra. I don't know why I am so negative
about this, but I believe the arrangements he made of entire symphonies are
not as approachable as his clarinet/piano arrangements, or his clarinet
quartet arrangements (one of which calls for a basset horn part - and this
was in the 1930s!!). Kalman Bloch was a member of that clarinet orchestra
as was David Weber and many other people who studied with Bellison around
that time, all of whom have had an impact on much of the clarinet playing
America today.

As a young man I head Bellison play the Mozart quintet live. I couldn't
discern much at that juncture of my life because I knew so little. But I
loved his playing. And the very first edition I bought of K. 622 was the
one edited by Bellison and published by Carl Fischer. I look at it today
with horror, because Bellison added a lot of stuff that sticks in my throat,
but that was the fashion of the times.

Dan Leeson

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Lytthans [mailto:lytthans@-----.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 8:36 AM
To: Klarinet Digest (Mail)
Subject: [kl] Simeon Bellison CD

I just received a copy from Michele Zukovsky of her new Bellison CD,
entitled "Simeon Bellison - His Arrangements for Clarinet". It's on Summit
Records DCD 503. Run, do not walk, to Amazon.com to purchase it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0019M82DK/ref=sr_1_olp_1?ie=UTF8&s=m
usic&qid=1213802016&sr=1-1

On it are recordings by Bellison himself, Kalman Bloch, Michele and other
artists, performing gems all arranged by Bellison. I don't think any of the
CD's content is available elsewhere. When you listen to Bellison, then
Kalman Bloch, and finally Michele Zukovsky, you hear a strong similarity in
sound and interpretation. My playing is similar, too, because I studied with
Bloch for a number of years. I even have a mention (blush!) in the program
notes, for I supplied some of the photos and wrote or edited some of the
notes. This CD has been a several year project, with lots of angst.

If you haven't done so, read the article about Bellison, in this month's
Clarinet magazine, by Kalman Bloch. Very informative.

----------
Jim Lytthans, DMA
Anaheim, CA

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