Klarinet Archive - Posting 000417.txt from 2010/08

From: Jennifer Jones <helen.jennifer@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Cantabile
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:00:27 -0400

Dear Michael,

Continuing a 10 day old conversation:

On Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 5:06 AM, Michael Whight
<michaelwhight@-----.uk> wrote:
> On 19 Aug 2010, at 18:22, Jennifer Jones <helen.jennifer@-----.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear Michael,
>>
>> What do you mean "5th bar of the second group"? =A0On first reading,
>> that suggested the clarion D Eb F marked pp five bars after sotto voce
>> (marked B). =A0However, I can't figure out how "second group" would
>> apply to that.
>
> Yes that is the point I mean. I just use the term ' second group' to mean=
the second contrasted section in a sonata principle >movement. You may cal=
l it the second subject.

Could these subjects be called themes? Where theme, refers to
something like different melodies. This seems reasonable because the
first five bars of the sonata appear to be repeated three times with
varying levels of embellishment and expansion. There is a bit
beginning piu p (separate spot from the other piu p's discussed.)

>> =A0What appears to be a second group is marked piu p in
>> the reprise beginning with the Ab octave jump (marked I). =A0Since piu
>> means more, it seems that piu p would be equivalent to pp. =A0But I
>> don't know the idiosyncracies of these words or the idiosyncracies of
>> Brahms to feel certain.
>
> That for me would be the second group material in the recapitulation.

This seems to be technical terminology that I am unfamiliar with.
Where does "group" come from? Does this indicate a relation between
the theme at the beginning and the theme at the sotto voce. "a second
contrasted section in a sonata principle movement" seems overly
specific. I might be able to believe "a second contrasted section";
there is a different character between the Allegro amabile and the
sotto voce

I have heard of inversion "(counterpoint) a variation of a melody or
part in which ascending intervals are replaced by descending intervals
and vice versa" (wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn), but have not
taken any music theory, other than the introductory course which tells
you, for example, what melodic, harmonic and natural keys are. My
course did not address inversions, which is clearly no what is
occuring here anyway.

>Piu p is relative to whatever precedes it so can be anything. I
>use the Henle Urtext for Brahms but I don't recall a piu p marking in the =
recap there. I'm in Shanghai this week so I can't look it up. >Hope this ma=
kes it clearer! Incidentally the start of this sonata can be problematic bu=
t I was given a good tip once. If you play from >the upbeat to the bar befo=
re the recap ( from the D) and go into the main theme you will probably wan=
t to make a diminuendo to the >start of the theme. This will give you a goo=
d start on the F. Imagine those bars at the start of the movement and it se=
ems easier.

A bit like the fifth bar to the piece, where the eighth note open G of
the preceding bar is slurred to the high clarion B. Though obviously,
the clarion D to F interval is much smaller than the open G to high
clarion B.

>Alternatively you can play to the words ' Are you happy with your mouthpie=
ce?' It's a silly trick but can work out ok.

How about 'Shadow was a well loved cat, a clever cat, a cautious cat'?

-Jennifer

Why is it that I read Shadow with these words in mind:

sarcastic
scathing
condescending
acerbic
scaredy
cautious

And yet, find much affection for him?
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