Klarinet Archive - Posting 000055.txt from 2009/02

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Brahms quintet
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:52:02 -0500

Except, of course, the passage at m82-m93 of the=20
2nd movement. That really should be played on=20
B-flat clarinet as that is how M=FChlfeld played it=20
for Brahms, and of course the F-minor passages on=20
B-flat sound much better (Smoother, more in tune,=20
more resonant, because of the nature of the=20
fingerings. This is not a subjective statement,=20
for those who are going to want to argue, but=20
rather one based on obvious physics) than the=20
=46-sharp minor passages on A (which is no doubt=20
why Brahms preferred it).

Here is a quote from Erich Hoeprich's book "The=20
Clarinet" (a fair-use, I might add!):

>It is worth noting that according to witnesses=20
>at a London concert, M=FChlfeld switched clarinets=20
>in the middle of this section of the Adagio, a=20
>point nicely corroborated by the first edition=20
>issued by Simrock, where these bars are=20
>transposed for a B-flat clarinet in the part.

--Jonathan

At 7:20 AM -0800 2/3/09, Dan Leeson wrote:
>Cundy Bettony, the publishers of that Brahms=20
>quintet for a B-flat clarinet, made a number of=20
>works available that required an A clarinet in=20
>just such a transposition. It was not done to=20
>ease the burden of the strings, but to make=20
>repertoire available for clarinet players who=20
>did not have an A clarinet. They also did the=20
>Mozart quintet, too.
>
>There is no purpose in playing that edition,=20
>providing you have an A clarinet. I'm surprised=20
>that this particular edition is beginning to=20
>have a patina of authenticity, despite the fact=20
>that it has none.
>
>Whatever sonic character the key of the Brahms=20
>quintet brings to a performance is going to be=20
>trampled on by such a transposition.
>
>When I was a kid, some local players invited me=20
>to play the Mozart quintet. I didn't have an A=20
>at that time, and I couldn't transpose, so all=20
>the string players tuned their instruments a=20
>half step lower.
>
>It changed the character of the work dramatically. Don't do it.
>
>Dan Leeson
>
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--
Jonathan Cohler
Artistic & General Director
International Woodwind Festival
http://iwwf.org/
cohler@-----.org

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