Klarinet Archive - Posting 000244.txt from 2011/03

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Prokofiev Sonata Op. 94
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:06:57 -0400

On 26 Mar 2011, at 20:31, K S wrote:

> In Fanfare Magazine 22:5 (5-6/99), p. 313, David Denton wrote that the
> Prokofiev flute sonata was written at the same time as War and Peace
> and is full of quotations from it. Listening to the opera is
> essential to understanding the vocal nature of the sonata phrasing,
> and the word settings show where to breathe.

It's difficult to know where what David Denton wrote stops, and what Ken Shaw wants to write starts, in the above.

But it's bullshit from either of them. The sonata stands as a musical work in its own right; and it's not essential to know its precursors in order to play it.

> Larry Combs played the Kennan transcription at the 1985 Clarinet
> Congress in Oberlin. I thought it was a failure. He of course had no
> difficulty playing the notes, but no clarinet has the ease and
> sweetness in the extreme high register that comes naturally to the
> flute (or violin). On the flute it's silver. On the clarinet it's
> iron.

Given your VERY low track record according to me, Ken, I'll reserve judgement on that.

I've always thought that it's better on the flute than on the violin. But I'll wait to see how well I manage it on the clarinet, if I ever try.

The fact that I understand the problem is something of an encouragement -- and for me, certainly trumps any opinion of yours.

Tony
--

Tony Pay
79 Southmoor Rd
Oxford OX2 6RE
tel/fax +44 1865 553339
mobile +44 7790 532980
tony.p@-----.org

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