 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: michal
Date: 2002-02-13 01:20
hello everybody-
I have been trying to find out who was the clarinetist in the group of Prokofiev's friends that was the one to first play the piece.
I know it was friends who immigrated to New York, and Prokofiev wrote them the piece, which I assume they were the first to perform.
Would love any insight you might have on this!!
michal
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-13 01:55
I'm not 100% sure that the Zimro ensemble with Bellison is the same one that Prokofiev wrote for. I'll ask Dan.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-02-13 02:13
I always thought it was Bellison ( I could very well be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time)
I know it was in 1919 that Prokofiev was approached to write the piece (while he was living in NYC) by a group of Jewish musician friends.
I thought Bellison was part of that group - the original "Zimro" ...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-13 14:22
Here's Dan Leeson's response (reprinted by permission from a personal message). Note that Dan Leeson is a Mozartean scholar (he has an article or two in the Neue Mozart Ausgabe) and when he says "I believe" it means he's 99% sure, but he doesn't have the documentation in hand.
-------------------------
From Dan Leeson:
I believe it to have been the same Zimro ensemble, and if the stories that I have read about it are correct, not only did Prokoffiev write the overture on Yiddish themes for them, Bellison himself created the opening melody. It is not a known Yiddish song, but rather a melody that was made up to sound as if it were a typical such ditty.
As I remember, I got that information from a blurb about Bellison but I have no idea where or when I read that blurb.
And for accuracy, the original title of the Prokoffiev is as I have it; i.e., "Overture on Yiddish Themes," but this was later decided to be much too undignified and was changed to the current title. I prefer to remain undignified and keep the original.
Dan
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: michal
Date: 2002-02-14 11:42
Hello all-
thank you for replying with such great answers. This helps me uncover the mystery.Also, I agree with Dan on this one, i'd much rather have it Yiddish Overture!
michal.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
