Klarinet Archive - Posting 000054.txt from 2010/04

From: "Dan Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Hamelt as an opera
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:14:30 -0400

Wednesday evening I attend a performance of Thomas' Hamlet as broadcast live
from the Met (though it was a rebroadcast tape of the live performance last
Saturday).

The opera dates from around 1860 and it has an extended saxophone solo, an
alto sax, I think. There are two things about the solo that I think are
worthwhile to mention here.

The first is that there was such an extended saxophone solo at that date in
music history in the first place. It must have lasted 4-5 minutes and I
don't think I ever heard serious music from ca. 1860 that presented a solo
(alto?) saxophone.

The second is that the playing of the solo was very strange. It was almost
as if the conductor had instructed to saxophonist to occasionally play
perfectly, and at other time to play with pitch problems and a goofy sound.

I also mention that there was an extended clarinet solo, played by (I think)
Stephen Williamson. It certainly was not Anthony McGill because I know him
by virtue of the fact that plays with the Menlo Music Festival in California
every summer and I have head him on several occasions. Williamson (if it
was him) played very effectively.

But the best and longest solo was done by the first trombonist (who is
reported to be David Langlitz). Go figure.

Dan Leeson

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