 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sarah
Date: 2001-10-31 02:44
I was womdering how many people who have played this played the third movement. My teacher said that his teacher never did, so he didn't. He said that it was a little too strange, but I like it a little (enough to play it). I was just wondering what everyone else thought about this movement.
sarah
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Author: Joseph O'Kelly
Date: 2001-10-31 03:55
I think this movement lends a nice contrast between the second and fourth movement. It gives the audience (and clarinetist) a break. The third movement is very simple which is its beauty in this piece. I plan to play the Saint-Saens sonata at a recietal this year and will defanatly play the third movement.
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Author: Mario
Date: 2001-10-31 14:41
When playing the third movement, think "like you are playing the organ" (one of St-Saens favorite instruments). It is not simple nor easy. Actually, it requires an amazing amount of breadth and tonal control.
The first part must be played with much drama, starting (and continuing) with a solid sound), but with some room left for an ending of the segment where one gives all what one's got (while maintian intonation and color of course).
Then the second part, a repeat of the first but two octave higher. It must sounds so ever light and "fluty". Naturally, this is a challenge since notes are on the high side and must be kept subtle and delicate at all time.
And then, you move into the 4rth movement without a hiatus: fast, bubbly and vigorous.
This sonata is often played by intermediate students, unfortunately. They never play it again (since it is associated with a student piece). But it is a work of much depth and beauty. Just listen to a Grand Master (say, R. Stoltzman, in particular for his rendering of the 3rd movement) to see how this piece can (and should) really be played.
Like the Mozart Concerto, it is often said that this piece is too easy for kids, too difficult for Masters.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2001-10-31 16:21
Go to www.bostonrecords.com and get the Harold Wright recording of it for a very nice thoughtful interpretation. Find other interpretations as well. It may give you some ideas. Wright plays it with an ear for the long phrase and with some forward motion. Be careful it does not become static (just a bunch of notes, rather than a musical line.)
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-10-31 22:32
Sarah -
The slow movement of the Saint-Saens Sonata is a problem for many people, and some of them leave it out. I think it should be played. The first movement starts off gently, but soon gets excited. The second movement is quick and playful. The fourth movement is all furious energy. The Third movement is the only place to back off.
Most people take the third movement too slow. It should go at least at MM = 60, so the phrases can have shape.
The piano starts with a deep organ tone, as Mario says. It should be rich but not bangy, and not triple forte. You, too, have to play with your richest tone in the low register. Take a little more mouthpiece, loosen your embouchure and drop the front of your tongue lower. Take a deep breath and let it flow out by itself. Play forte, but no louder. It has to be beautiful as well as loud.
This movement challenges you to keep the phrases going at a slow speed. It's very important to play in groups of notes, and not just one note and then the next. The first four notes are a phrase. Then there's a break and a two-note pickup to another four-note phrase a step higher. This is known as a sequence. You use the pickup and the higher pitch to make the two phrases into a single larger entity.
This is followed by the same two-note pickup, another step higher, but then by a double-length phrase in notes twice as long. This has to balance against the two preceding phrases, so that the three phrases form an even larger entity -- an arch.
Then, as Mario says, you play the same thing two octaves higher and softly. This is quite difficult technically, particularly where you cross back and forth over the clarion/altissimo break. Almost nobody gets the phrase ascending to Eb completely clean, particularly on the final Bb-Db-C figure. I've tried playing the Db like the F# below, with the two bottom side keys, but it never sounds right. You have to put in a lot of work on that register crossing to get the "clicks" out.
Another technical challenge is keeping your tone from sounding pinched. As in the low register, air support is the key.
You have to make the high passage sound enough different from the low one to keep the audience from getting bored. Once again, don't let the tempo drag, and play phrases like crazy. A little vibrato can help.
Finally, you and the pianist need to hold the audience's attention for the soft piano arpeggios at the end. You take part in this. Don't slump or even take the mouthpiece out of your mouth. Let things fade away to nothing. This lets you start the fourth movement very soft and then break the spell and let her rip.
The third movement is an essential part of one of the very best clarinet sonats. Like all great music, it's better than anyone can play it. Sure it's a challenge, but nobody ever said being a musician is easy. It's up to you to make it work.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Allison
Date: 2001-11-05 03:59
Well said Ken & Mario. Just curious Mario, are you the Mario from Quebec that was at ICC in June last year in Boston?
In any event, a small addition from comments I recieved from my teachers at ICC re this piece. In the third movement, as Ken mentions in paragraph 3.... to get that rich full sound is essential but it is also imperative that it be a very clean sound with no buzziness... and to do that I reiterate what Ken said... open your mouth further and give the air lots of support!
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Author: Allison
Date: 2001-11-05 22:13
Mario, I thought so! greetings from the KW area of Ontario. Ginny should be recieving her new pair of Rossi's today! She stayed home from work to accept the new "babies" from Fedex. They sure are addictive aren't they!
Re the Saint Saens, I personally love the third movement, as it is so beautiful (when played well) and so vastly contrasting both with the other movements and within itself. It is true that is is not easy to do well.
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