Klarinet Archive - Posting 000114.txt from 2010/10

From: Jennifer Jones <helen.jennifer@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Goodman/Bartok/Contrasts
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:10:51 -0400

Of course, everyone has probably already done their google searches,
but I did mine and made this below, so:
On this theme, I post:

http://cseries.typepad.com/celebrityseries/2008/03/boston-daily-gl.html

Part of what appears on that site:
(left to right) Josef Szigeti, Bela Bartok and Benny Goodman recording
Bartok's "Contrasts" in 1940

Ever since I first heard of it, I've been curious about our
presentation of Benny Goodman with Bela Bartok, Ditto Pasztory (Mrs.
Bartok) and the great violinist Josef Szigeti at Jordan Hall back in
1941. The other day, I got a glimpse of the review of the concert that
ran in the February 5, 1941 Boston Globe, and it's kind of a hoot.
Here are some snippets:

"Benny Goodman went classical at Jordan Hall last night. He played the
clarinet, but he did not have an orchestra with a strong 'powerhouse'
behind him, and instead of swing, the program was a chaste list of
'serious' pieces. The concert was in the Chamber Music Series of Aaron
Richmond, and presented, in addition to Mr. Goodman, Bela Bartok,
Hungarian pianist and composer; his wife Ditta Pasztory, pianist; and
Josef Szigeti, violinist.

For his first appearance in Boston as a classical musician, Mr.
Goodman played Debussy's Rhapsody for clarinet and piano, partnered by
Mr. Bartok, and joined him and Mr. Szigeti in Mr. Bartok's
'Contrasts.' When the 'King of Swing' shuffled amiably upon the stage,
midway of the program, he was faced not with a crowd of stamping,
whistling hep cats, but the dinner coats and evening gowns of a
Bostonian audience trained to sit up attentively during a Mozart
Sonata and who know better than to applaud between the movements."

Which doesn't really say anything about the relationship between the
performers. It seems more like a record of who was there and
contemporary social customs of a certain group of concert-goers.

The contrasts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZYSKKADagI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXceJjKDA1Q&list=QL&feature=BF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhhErDZKOBo&list=QL&feature=BF

How often do people write about relationships? Suppose it is more fun
to just have them and leave the writing to the lonesome, noodly
fingered, thoughtful or pining?

'twould be interesting to hear what is written though.

-Jennifer (lonesome, noodly fingered, pining and often makes attempts
at thoughtfulness)

On Fri, Oct 15, 2010 at 12:00 AM, Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org> wrote:
> A Spanish student of mine wants to research Bartok's relationship with Goodman in the genesis of the Contrasts.
>
> Is there an obvious English language source?
>
> Tony
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