Klarinet Archive - Posting 000238.txt from 2009/02

From: "Bill Foss" <billfoss47@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Brahms quintet
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:55:42 -0500

I hate to be a total dunce here, and show my ignorance to all, but -

I have performed the Brahms Quintet several times over the years, always on
"A"
What is the section in question where Muhlfeld played Bb ?

Thanks,

Bill Foss
U.S. Army Retired
USC Aiken, Woodwind Professor
Director of Bands, Aiken Prep

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Cohler" <cohler@-----.org>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 4:26 PM
Subject: RE: [kl] Brahms quintet

> At 10:31 PM +0000 2/10/09, Matthew Lloyd wrote:
>>Did you ever explain why it was obvious Brahms approved?
>>
>>And was it a scientific explanation?
>>
>>Matthew
>>
>
> No science here. Just history, logic and some common sense...
>
> Brahms worked closely with Muhlfeld for the last 7 years of his life,
> performing with him on many occasions and attending his performances and
> rehearsals on many others. The Quintet was premiered on a concert with
> the Trio in which Brahms played the piano part.
>
> The private premiere took place on November 24, 1891 at the Court of
> Meiningen (where Muhlfeld was the Court Music Director and principal
> clarinetist of the orchestra) with Muhlfeld, Joachim, Robert Hausmann
> (cellist of the Joachim quartet) and two other players from the Court
> orchestra. Brahms played the Trio with Muhlfeld and Hausmann on this same
> concert. Shortly after, on December 10 (in an open dress rehearsal) and
> again on December 12, Muhlfeld repeated the performances of both works,
> but this time with the full Joachim Quartet on their concert series at the
> Berlin Singakademie.
>
> Brahms was enamored of Muhlfeld's playing and OBVIOUSLY directly involved
> in all the rehearsals and all the concerts where the work was initially
> performed. He was so close to Muhlfeld that he actually gave the
> manuscripts for the two Sonatas along with the performing rights fees to
> Muhlfeld as a gift.
>
> He wrote to Clara Schumann at the end of July 1891:
>
> "You cannot imagine what a clarinetist this Muhlfeld of Meiningen is. He
> is the best wind player I have ever known. Admittedly, for various
> reasons, this art has declined generally very much. The wind players in
> the orchestra in Vienna and some other locations are solid and very good,
> but in their solo playing one takes no real pleasure."
>
> After the open dress rehearsal of the Trio and Quintet on December 10,
> 1891, he wrote to his friend and music critic Eduard Hanslick:
>
> "Joachim has relinquished the virginity of his Quartet to my newest works.
> Hitherto, he has zealously protected the virgin sanctum, but now, despite
> my protestations to the contrary, he insists that I penetrate it with
> clarinet and piano, with trio and quintet. It will happen on the 12th of
> December with the Meiningen clarinetist. Tell Mandyczewski (or let him
> read) that the quintet 'Adagio con sordini' was played as often and long
> as the clarinetist could endure"
>
> Brahms extremely close association with Muhlfeld from the works' births
> until his death, coupled with his constant and effusive praise for
> Muhlfeld's playing in general and his interpretation of Brahms work in
> particular, lead one to the likely conclusion that Brahms "obviously
> approved" of the clarinet switch in the Adagio--which one SHOULD do. :-)
>
> Best,
> --
> Jonathan Cohler
> Artistic & General Director
> International Woodwind Festival
> http://iwwf.org/
> cohler@-----.org
>
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