Klarinet Archive - Posting 000079.txt from 2008/08

From: Glenn Kantor <klarinet@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Poulenc Sonata
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:29:42 -0400

Tony,

Again, referring to (the late) Jerry Pierce's opinions on the Poulenc
Sonata, he wrote that it was Georgina Dobree who was researching the Poulenc
and came across the various drafts that he had made for the work. Anyway,
she decided that some of the notes were "wrong" and convinced Chester to
reprint the work with the changes.

Chester followed through with what Georgina claimed were the final wishes in
the final drafts of Poulenc. The (4 note) changes are really quite minor,
but Chester probably saw an opportunity to gain a few more sales in a later
(different) edition.

True? Not true?

Glenn B Kantor

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Pay" <tony.p@-----.org>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: [kl] Poulenc Sonata

> On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 7:22 PM, Glenn Kantor <klarinet@-----.net>
> wrote:
>
>>> In 1990, (the now deceased) Jerry Pierce (past President ICA, columnist:
>>> "Pierce's Potpourri", noted clarinet historian, etc...) wrote me a long
>>> letter on April 17, 1990 with his thoughts on the different Poulenc
>>> editions.>>
>
>>> As he concluded in his letter, he indicated that whichever edition you
>>> play, it really doesn't matter. As Jerry said: "it is all Poulenc - at
>>> one time or another".>>
>
> Yes, I agree with your quote, namely: "it is all Poulenc - at one time
> or another." And, that it doesn't really matter which notes you play.
>
> However, what I don't much like is that some people say it is WRONG to
> play the notes that are now in the latest edition, and in some
> previous editions. I'm talking about people like Philippe Cuper, for
> example.
>
> Now, if he and others prefer to play the notes that Poulenc originally
> wrote, I have no quarrel with them.
>
> But since it is quite clear that Poulenc changed those notes -- see
> the photocopies I posted --, they shouldn't go around the world
> bending the ears of the poor students who play what Poulenc finally
> endorsed, even in some cases saying that it is a SCANDAL that those
> notes be played.
>
>>> Come on now - We are talking about 4 (count 'em 4) notes.
>>> Will the average listener know the difference? no
>>> Will the average clarinetist know the difference? probably not>>
>
> There are two issues here.
>
> The first is the issue of what notes are played in a particular
> performance -- and that doesn't matter much.
>
> The second is the issue of what is correct scholarship. The
> photocopies of the manuscript place the CHRONOLOGY of Poulenc's
> thoughts beyond doubt. Therefore, it is nonsense for the French
> players to claim that their (unaltered) manuscript is the only correct
> version.
>
> So, they should acknowledge that; and either present the complete
> situation to students, or SHUT UP. It's the only ethically defensible
> position.
>
> By the way, in passing, a few years ago I had occasion to record the
> Theodore Gouvy Sonata, and used the Musica Rara edition edited by one
> Jerry Pierce, of whom I knew nothing. In his introduction, Pierce
> stated that Gouvy's phrasing and dynamics were sufficiently
> unequivocal to make it possible to publish the work unedited.
>
> Yet, on comparing the clarinet part with the version printed in the
> piano score, I found quite substantial differences of phrasing and
> dynamics. Anyone playing the part without making that comparison
> would in my view have come erroneous conclusions about Gouvy's
> intentions.
>
> My first reaction was to contact Jerry Pierce and ask him his reasons
> for making these (unacknowledged) changes. Unfortunately, I found
> (from this list) that he is no longer with us.
>
> Now, I'm sure that Jerry Pierce was a great man in many ways.
> However, with all due respect to Glenn Kantor, this experience
> certainly doesn't encourage me to take Pierce's opinion about what we
> should do about the Poulenc sonata more seriously than the evidence of
> my own eyes.
>
> Tony
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

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