 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LBViola04
Date: 2003-03-31 14:43
I am trying to write program notes for my senior recital for College. I am playing Mendelssohns Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Bersteins Sonata for Clarinet and Piano and Webers Grand Duo Concertant. I have googled, yahooed, and everything else I know and I still can not find much info.![[frown]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie2.gif) Does anyone have any info that would help me write my program notes? I am desperate...my recital is in less than a month!!!!!
Post Edited (2003-03-31 15:47)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-03-31 16:08
I'd suggest reading comments by both Brymer and Lawson in"Clarinet", and others.. Also in Groves" Dict. of Music ----, under composer names, as well as under clarinet, descriptions of music for it. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: LBViola04
Date: 2003-03-31 17:24
I have never heard of "Brymer and Lawson in"Clarinet" " What is that????
Groves had nothing of use...thanks for the idea though...
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-03-31 18:42
Both Jack Brymer and Colin Lawson have written definitive books entitled Clarinet, and discuss music/discography to some degree. You can view/buy them from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, likely your libraries will have at least one of the many clarinet books. Our modest sized library has a number of books on music in general, which should have commentary on composer's major works. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-03-31 19:42
LBViola04 wrote: "...I have googled, yahooed, and everything else I know..."
Does that include books too? Or, were all your efforts restricted to web sites?
Did you look at either of the recent Bernstein biographies? Both Joan Peyser's and Humphrey Burton's books will give you enough information to get started, and include additional facts/names to continue your research.
John Warrack wrote an excellent Weber biography in which he happens to mention the history of the Grand Duo in great detail.
How about Eric Werner's biography of Mendelssohn for starters?
Aside from numerous mentions of all the works in The Clarinet at one time or another, there are at least 3 standard clarinet texts which you could additionally consult.
If all else fails, and you decide to go the creative route, you could always analyze the pieces, and write a basic "listener's guide" to the thematic and harmonic development.
Again, if all your research was restricted to search engines, than you have just learned that the easy way out is obviously not the best way, and your college advisor should be ashamed of himself for offering so little guidance....GBK
Post Edited (2003-03-31 20:43)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-03-31 20:21
TKS, GBK, your knowledge of clarinet info, partic. of our good compositions far surpasses me, and I profit also. Ah, RESEARCH! Regards, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: LBViola04
Date: 2003-04-01 14:57
Just to clear up any confusion that may have occurred, after consulting my college library, in which I found NO books about the clarinet or any of the composers that I am playing, I THEN consulted the web...hopefully a College senior with a major in music education would know to look in the library first. I was NOT looking for the easiest way out. Thanks anyway.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-04-01 17:33
"...after consulting my college library, in which I found NO books about the clarinet or any of the composers that I am playing..."
Interlibrary loan...GBK
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Author: LBViola04
Date: 2003-04-02 11:53
After debating responding to your comments GBK, I decided that I was pretty offended by your attitude. I thought that this was a place where I could ask for some help after trying my hardest, and get some sort of an encouragement rather than being told that I do not have a clue what I am doing or that I do not know how to do research. I also want to remind you that I thought the rules of this board were that you could not tear anyone down or attack the person...Maybe you should remember this next time you want to "help" someone - especially someone who is feeling under the gun and a little confused right now about program notes since I have never had to write them before. Oh, and by the way, interlibrary loan for my school did not have any of the clarinet books. One of the libraries that were on the list had the book, but they told me that it was MIA. In this area of the US, band is not the most popular so libraries do not carry many of these books. Some of us are not as fortunate as you to have all of these resources available.
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Author: Mark Charette ★2017
Date: 2003-04-02 12:03
LBViola04 wrote:
> After debating responding to your comments GBK, I decided that
> I was pretty offended by your attitude. I thought that this
> was a place where I could ask for some help after trying my
> hardest, and get some sort of an encouragement rather than
> being told that I do not have a clue what I am doing or that I
> do not know how to do research.
You got the help (see the list of books GBK provided in his note, along with others). As to encouragement - well, your college librarian should be able to find and obtain these books within a relatively short period of time. I'm assuming that's who you asked. Inter-library loan combines the resources of literally thousands of public and private libraries, and if your librarian said "the only copy is MIA" then they haven't helped as much as they should.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-04-02 13:03
LBViola04 wrote: "...In this area of the US, band is not the most popular so libraries do not carry many of these books..."
Both of the Bernstein biographies were written within the last 15 years (Peyser - 1987, Burton - 1994). Each book made the NY Times Best Seller list, are both still in print and by this time are probably even in paperback. It is inconceivable that even the smallest of local libraries would not have one, if not both books.
The Mendelssohn and Weber references I cited (there are other equally good books about both composers) may be more difficult to find but are still around. The specific clarinet texts by Brymer, and others are widely available, and as Mark noted, interlibrary loan is a valuable resource which does work.
If anyone you know is an ICA member you could ask to borrow a few back issues of The Clarinet as a reference tool.
What dismays me the most is the apparent lack of input and guidance from your college clarinet instructor.
Or, perhaps he/she was never consulted...GBK
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-04-02 15:01
LBV, In my "A GUIDE TO ORCHESTRAL MUSIC" by Ethan Mordden, ISBN 0-19-502686-1, classification 785 [music], 1979; under Weber, pgs 142-3 there is a good-sized paragraph on his Concerto [Op 73,1811] and a smaller paragraph on his Concertino for Cl and Orch, Op.26, 1811 which may be of help to you. Info re Mendelssohn and Bernstein's clar works should be in other similar books, of which many should be available from your state's major libraries on loan [or by visit]. It is possible you could find some info on-line via the Library of Congress, by searching the U of Indiana music library, and /or sheet music suppliers such as [here] Sheet Music Plus, there are many! Best wishes, research requires patience and inventiveness. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-04-02 17:10
LBViola04: I share the amazement of others that you can neither find any appropriate references in your college library, nor can they assist in getting any.
Remember: Libraries are great; Librarians are greater.
If your school has fallen down that badly (pretty sad, if you ask me), hie yourself to a Public Library. If the place has a genuine librarian, he/she *can* be of assistance. My local library (in a small town out in the sticks) has provided loan or page copies of books from major University libraries with no problems. That's the way it works. But you must deal with someone who knows *how* it works.
Unfortunately, so many libraries nowadays -- both public and school -- do not have full-time librarians. And a "Library Technician" may not have sufficient knowledge of "the system" to assist you.
As a last resort (if time runs out), structure your program notes around the composers rather than the specific works. This is certainly done (perhaps too often?). Although the notes wouldn't be as informative as they might have been, it would be much better than nothing.
And please let this be a lesson . Whan you begin to attack a piece, find out about it up front. That way, for one thing, you will never again have the problem now facing you. Yhe importance of doing this is even greater because you as a performer will better appreciate the composer's intent, and you will likely do a better job of it.
Regards,
John
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-04-02 17:25
One other matter: Don't think too harshly of GBK. As Mark wrote, GBK in fact did offer helpful information. And, you see, GBK has taught for years, does to this day, and is too often faced with situations that make him appalled by the dearth of proper information assimilated by some students.
GBK tends to believe instruction really can't be that bad, and the problem lies with the lackadaisical attitude of students. On the other hand, I tend to presume that some instruction is just plain inferior, with leadership pretty much absent. In your case, I don't know about instruction, but you have explained enough about your college library that I would suggest potential students might want to examine alternative insttitutions.
Think about it.
Regards,
Joh
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Author: Tom Piercy
Date: 2003-04-02 20:39
In addition to the advice on where to look for info for program notes listed above, you can also try looking for recordings of the pieces, or more exactly, the CD or album liner notes to recordings of these pieces. Sometimes, enough information can be gathered from these to make acceptable program notes. No copyright infringement intended or advised, just another source.
Good luck.
Tom Piercy
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Author: Mark Charette ★2017
Date: 2003-04-02 20:51
Tom Piercy wrote:
> In addition to the advice on where to look for info for program
> notes listed above, you can also try looking for recordings of
> the pieces, or more exactly, the CD or album liner notes to
> recordings of these pieces.
Sometimes, however, those notes are less accurate than one would hope.
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