 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nick
Date: 2003-01-12 20:01
Today at the library I found a CD that I think you should all listen to at some point. It is clarinetist Michael Collins (with Pletnev on the Russian National Orchestra) performing the Mozart concerto and Beethoven's violin concerto transcribed for clarinet!
The Mozart is played beautifully, and the Beethoven violin concerto has always been one of my favourite pieces. The clarinet transcription was done very well, with just a few liberties taken, and suits the piece wonderfully, if not better than a violin would.
I've become really interested in pieces not for clarinet but transcribed for the instrument. Can anyone recommend any others? I also like Bruch's double concerto that was done with a clarinet playing alongside the viola instead of a violin.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2003-01-12 20:57
Score the Bruch Double off your "transcribed" list. I'm looking at the cover of the Bruch which states "fur Klarinette (oder violine)". This (I think) was originally written for clarinet and viola. I've heard this "mit violine" and it doesn't rate against the original. Lovely concerto to play but you need a violist with a big sound.
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Author: Nick
Date: 2003-01-12 21:14
Interesting!
And yes, I do agree that the version with clarinet is infinitely better.
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Author: werner
Date: 2003-01-12 22:05
Dieter Klöcker playing "Beethoven Kontrafakturen"
Beethoven transcribed for clarinet by
Adolf Wallnöfer, Ivan Müller, Christian Rummel and
Johann Sobeck.
One of my favorites.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2003-01-12 23:02
Off the top of my head, two solos I've seen transcribed/published for Bb is Pleyel's "Concerto for Flute" and Milhaud's "Scaramouche" for Saxophone. I've thumbed through them and overall they work fine. Although, the Pleyel is down an octave and a step it's still too much in the stratosphere for my liking; even if performed I'd probably want to exercise SOME integrity and do it on C. The Milhaud, to my ear definitely sounds better on clar than Eb alto or tenor. Personally, I'd hesitate performing this one out of respect for Milhaud's affinity for and use of saxophones in his orchestra works. v/r Ken
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Author: Mike
Date: 2003-01-13 01:44
I've heard the Collins Beethoven recording. It's flashy and impressive, but also unnatural. As a rule, I don't like it when works are transcribed for other instruments, just as I don't like it when orchestral works are transcribed for band. Something great is lost in the transcription, both musically and tonally. I think I would barf if I ever heard a violinist performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-01-13 02:58
In March of last year Michael Collins was scheduled to perform the Beethoven Violn Concerto transcription. Instead, at the last minute, he substitued the Mozart Concerto.
On the program change insert, he wrote that he finally came to the conclusion the the transcription for clarinet "doesn't work"
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=73319&t=73319
I think the transcription is an important attempt, and a tour de force to play, but the tessitura is too high and the demands put upon the player are unforgiving...GBK
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Author: d dow
Date: 2003-01-13 12:29
I simply prefer the Violin and its total flexibility in this work. I must admit Collins is quite a virtuso to do this thing so well...
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Author: Bill
Date: 2003-01-13 13:22
I'd be curious to know how many takes were necessary for Michael Collins to record the Beethoven piece. Maybe the studio recording cannot be duplicated in a live performance.
Bill
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Author: nzdonald
Date: 2003-01-13 19:12
i've performed lots of transcriptions.... favourites would be the Arpeggione Sonata and Mozart Violin Sonata Kv 378... my main motivation for this is being jealous of the great music written for other instruments... plus i admit to being just a little bored with the clarinet rep (at least as far as classic/romantic works are concerned)
it's tricky work- and sometimes you really do have to just admit defeat and play something else. I performed the 1st mvt of the Arpeggione quite a few times, each time resulting in me cursing the piece and swearing that i'd never program it again.... but then i found a different transcription that had many bits down an octave and had a few extra places to rest.... this made all the difference. If i had to record it i would definately stop for a rest at the end of the exposition!
i have a CD somewhere of Ralph Mano playing a Beethoven Violin sonata- i don't think this transcription works as Beethoven has written too idiomatically, but sometimes it is good to work on these "unsuitable" transcriptions as they can be like studies. The slow mvt of Mozart Violin sonata K380, for instance, really made me work hard on airflow when crossing the "upper break"....
Try out Telemann flute/recorder fantasias and duos. The B minor duo works well (plus, on A clarinet it's in D minor, quite a nice key).... the Fantasia in E minor is great for improving your articulation while not being so hard as to be unplayable (the short length of the movements definately helps). To match the articulation of a Baroque specialist playing recorder is a job for the virtuoso clarinetist, but the challenge will push your boundaries. If you can play this, the Mendelsohn Scherzo won't seem so hard.
donald
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-01-14 03:55
Mike wrote:
"I think I would barf if I ever heard a violinist performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto!"
Well, Mike, if anyone would like to try it, I can provide an example of the little-known and ill-reputed "Basset Violin." It is a five-stringed instrument, with compass needed to reach the entire tonal range of the composition.
I think you are in no gastric danger.
Regards,
John
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Author: Stéphane
Date: 2003-01-14 07:57
Robert Spring is also well-known for playing transcribed virtuoso pieces usually written for the violin. Famous works include Csardas by Monti (in a very interesting version for clarinet, violin and piano), different works by Wieniawski such as the Tarentella, the Hora Staccato by Dinicu/Heifetz, the Dance of the Gobelins by Biazzini, and even the Mendelsohnn violin concerto!
Those recordings are actually mainly featuring music with a gipsy inspiration that reminds you of the brotherhood of the violin and the clarinet in gipsy/klezmer music.
Stéphane.
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-01-14 13:26
According to a violist friend of mine, there's a viola transcription of the Mozart concerto. He played a little bit of it for me. It sounded somehow wrong...probably just because I'm a clairnetist. It's a kind of "let us keep our little repertoire to ourselves," reflex, though violas don't have much music either. I didn't like the Beethoven idea either- even though violinists have plenty of music, this didn't work.
I find it interesting that the clarinetist only decided that the Beethoven was a bad idea AFTER he recorded it. I wonder what prompted the sudden revealation.
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