Klarinet Archive - Posting 000341.txt from 2010/11

From: <bandmanmario@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Gunther Schuller Duo
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 08:58:56 -0500

I totally concur with your review of his personality. I had the honor and pleasure of playing assistant principal clarinet under him during the World Premiere of his "In Praise of Winds" with The University of Michigan Symphony Band. Rehearsals were thorough and intense musically while his overall demeanor was light hearted, amusing, anecdotal and somewhat laid back. Though both are geniuses and good people in their own ways, anyone that has ever played under the late Dr. William Revelli (who also worked with us during that period of time)knows what a drastic change of pace that was. A great combination of great expectations and down to earth people skils, a wonderful piece and an unforgettable experience!
---- Keith Bowen <keith.bowen@-----.com> wrote:
> I recently asked on the list for help in contacting Gunther Schuller, and
> via a suggestion from Colin Touchin, I was able to contact him through his
> publishers Schirmer and have just spoken to him. He's the only living
> composer I know of who called for the bass in A, in the Duo Sonata for
> clarinet and bass clarinet. I thought you would all be interested since what
> he says has performance implications.
>
>
>
> He is charming, interesting and totally on the ball at 85. He absolutely
> remembers all about the piece, which he wrote about 60 years ago. He said
> that after playing in the Met Opera for 15 years (as a horn player) he was
> totally familiar with the A bass, which they had purchased shortly after WW2
> for Lohengrin and other Wagner performances. Yes he does agree it is a
> different tone quality. In the Duo Sonata, while the first movement is
> highly chromatic and Stravinsky-esque, the sense of key returns and the last
> movement is strongly in D major (and Poulenc-esque). So it made sense to him
> to write for both clarinets in A (he does use low written E for the
> soprano), and that would be the ideal way. But of someone doesn't have one,
> don't buy an A bass, just transpose it down a semitone on the Bb - but don't
> do it on two Bb without transposing as the key relationships between
> movements are important, more so than the timbre.
>
>
>
> He says that he was amazed at the furore this created, with people accusing
> him of 'not knowing it was obsolete'!
>
>
>
> A thoroughly agreeable man and a nice conversation. I felt honoured to talk
> with him. And the work is well worth the effort.
>
>
>
> Keith Bowen
>
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