 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tim2
Date: 1999-04-14 01:49
Sabine Meyer is doing the Mozart Concerto with the Milwaukee Symphony. I'll hear her this Thursday. I don't think I'll ever have the chance to hear her live again. I'm looking forward to this a lot. I'll give a short review on what I hear.
Tim2
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Author: paul wusow
Date: 1999-04-14 02:33
She ROCKS!!! Her Weber recordings are unmatched by anyone as far as I am concerned! While Neidich plays some impressive Weber, hers has a little extra something that really takes it over the top... Enjoy the concert!
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Author: Arnold the basset hornist
Date: 1999-04-14 06:08
Do not forget to watch weather she uses a basset clarinet or not (she did a recording of Mozart's concerto with basset clarinet, I remember), and if she does, how did she solve the physical problem of holding the instrument when operating at the four (4) basset keys the german system uses.
An instrument maker said, only usuable when sitting and putting the bell on your knee. I've seen an instrument with a bendt barrel (and neck strap). I would prefer (and perhaps design my own) floor support - I got used to it with my basset horn.
Arnold (the basset hornist)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 1999-04-14 15:17
Very interesting comment, Arnold! I've heard several of her recordings on our classical radio, and have marveled at her technique and tone quality. I also saw a cover pic of her on "Clarinet" [ICA], beautiful!!
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Author: Arnold the basset hornist
Date: 1999-04-16 07:34
I just reviewed my CDs and found 3 recordings of Mozart's concerto:
recorded June 6th-8th, 1990: Sabine Meyer (with basset clarinet), Staatskapelle Dresden (Hans Vonk) [EMIclassics (P) + (c) 1990, CDC 7 54138 2]
recorded Oct 1992: Ernst Ottensamer (basset clarinet), Wiener Philharmoniker (Sir Collin Davis) [Philips Digital Classics (P) 1994, 438 868-2]
and a 'historic' recording from July 9th, 1956 (no basset clarinet) [RCA red seal RD85275] - I guess, Stephany aka <i> benny</i> would know, who played the clarinet.
I just remember a recording of this concerto played with a basset horn in F, too (transposed one whole tone down). I've forgotten to look for it.
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Author: Tim2
Date: 1999-04-17 02:34
Sabine Meyer is doing the Mozart Concerto with the Milwaukee Symphony. I'll hear her this Thursday. I don't think I'll ever have the chance to hear her live again. I'm looking forward to this a lot. I'll give a short review on what I hear.
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Review time.
Understand this was an all Mozart program. Magic Flute Overture followed by the Clarinet Concerto and "Jupiter" Symphony. A harpsichord was in front of the orchestra as was a person "imitating" Mozart, describing what was going on when he composed these pieces. He spoke before each piece. It complimented the program quite well, in my opinion.
This was everything I could have hoped for. She played her basset clarinet, standing up, but not standing still. She is a very mobile performer, stepping and shifting, as if to embrace the music. She truly gave it life and much zest. For Arnold, I only saw one time where her clarinet rested on her knee. It was in the middle of the second movement where she goes to the lowest note in a scale passage. She bent her leg and rested the bell on her knee just for that while. She moved around so much that I am sure most people did not notice. She played with her clarinet in a vertical position when she played notes in that low extreme and other times also.
The tone is different than I think would be on an regular A clarinet. The sound was thicker to me, very controlled, even at the high G in the rondo. All three movements were spectacular. The tempo was rather brisk in the first movement, yet she never overpowered the orchestra and the orchestra never overpowered her. The adagio never seemed to lag in tempo. It was very warm to my heart. The rondo was briskly done. I think she can tongue anything. This rondo rocked. The life she gave this was shown physically, by her movement on stage, and even more by the sound and interpretation she brought forth. It was overflowing. She got a partial standing ovation with three call backs. I left with the feeling I had just heard the Mozart as good as it can be done and as authentic as it could be done. I was on air. I was so impressed.
I heard at least 12 ad libs in passages throughout the whole concerto. She had problems (that I did not hear) with water in a hole where the Boehm Eb/Bb key is. She kept blowing the moisture out. This is a performance I will never forget.
I wanted to shake her hand or talk to her. I was unable to get to where she was. However, as luck would have it, as I was waiting for my taxi, along comes Sabine Meyer from the building going to where ever she was going. I thanked her for giving us the Mozart with such life. I also asked her how she was able to comfortably play those low four notes, Arnold. It is a balancing act. I thought I heard her say she used a strap, but I think I misunderstood her because I saw no strap at the concert. I was just so elated that I actually got to talk with Sabine Meyer. By the way, she is a rather tall woman.
I am sorry that I did not write until now but I have a regular job. This is the soonest I could get on the net. Paul Wusow is right in that she "rocks". Thanks for letting me share this.
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Author: Arnold the basset hornist
Date: 1999-04-19 07:04
Just an addition:
There is an other report the Mozart concerto by Sabine Meyer on this page telling she uses a neck strap - I guess a black one you can hardly see.
I heard her once, with non basset A clarinet, an know their "moving around" of the instrument, and thought when hearing to it (live), this sounds she could play a basset horn, too. Later I read, she allready plays it, too.
Later I heard another performance together with her brother Wolfgang Meyer (like "Homage to Benny") live.
Otto Kronthaler recorded this concerto togerher with the Radio Symphony Orchestra Krakau (conducted by Rudolf Piehlmayer) with a basset horn in F [ambitus records No. 97933 (P) 1994?], pitched one whole tone down the autograph fragment for "basset horn in G" KV 584b (or approx one semitone down the low pitch of baroque), or a third down of todays (basset) clarinet version.
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