 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2003-10-29 11:24
I was curious to know if their is a particular piece that is known as his signature song? I've been adding a number of his recordings to my collection and the diversity of his music within the big band/swing genre is impressive, but I don't know as much about him as I do Goodman who you can point to a couple of songs such as Sing, Sing Sing (with a swing) and immediately connect it with Goodman.
Just as an aside, when I was a youngster, my parents took me to a Goodman concert in Chicago, a really long drive from Southern Indiana. The audience was almost completely composed of folks my parents age. As soon as the drums kicked in with that distinctive beat for Sing..., the entire audiance was on its feet cheering, it was like a geriatric rock concert! The audiance went nuts on that song.
Best
Rick
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Author: Bryan
Date: 2003-10-29 12:16
His best-known recordings are probably Begin the Beguine and Stardust, though he had a fair number of hit records in his prime. He seemed to regard this as something of a curse, though he also seemed to have liked the money. In his autobiograpy, he mentions playing at a small club in the early 50s, and getting requests to play Frenesi six times, which caused one of his sidemen to quit on the spot.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2003-10-29 12:23
I think it has to be "Stardust," the big-band arrangement with strings and the lyrical Shaw solo that effortlessly climbs to a high B natural. If you want an example of a singing, fluent, fearless, and totally appropriate (to the piece) clarinet solo, that's my vote. There's an opening trumpet solo by (I think) Bobby Hackett, and a trombone solo by (I think) Lawrence Brown, and if I could say on my deathbed I'd led THAT band, played THAT solo, and made THAT recording, I'd die happy.
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-10-29 12:37
Rick,
His signature tune was Nightmare.
Vladimir Simosko wrote an authorized "musical biography and discography" of Shaw, published in 2000 by Scarecrow Press, which gives more detail in some areas than Shaw's autobiography, The Trouble with Cinderella. It lists eight "million selling" titles: Begin the Beguine; Back Bay Shuffle (Shaw composition); Nightmare (Shaw composition); Traffic Jam (Shaw composition); Summit Ridge Drive (Shaw composition); Frenesi; Star Dust; and Dancing in the Dark.
One of my favourites is his Clarinet Concerto, which he composed.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-10-29 13:26
Years ago, for a Ballet performance at the Met's summer season, I did a transcription of Shaw's famous "signature" tune NIGHTMARE. We used his big band arrangement, along with my transcription of the solo clarinet part. The Netherlands Dance Theatre had been working from one of his old recordings of the piece, and wanted to premiere the ballet in NYC with a live band.
To my thrill and amazement they invited Artie to the opening night performance because the dancers and choreographer were so in awe of him and his great music. He came and enjoyed the ballet and thought the "band sounded good."
The next day, in the ballet review by Anna Kisselgoff(sp), she raved about the ballet, and then mentioned that Artie Shaw's great "signature tune, Nightmare," had sounded wonderful once again on his "VINTAGE" recording.
What a hoot! She didn't see us working our butts off in the pit, and trying to swing like Artie's old band. I personally considered her comments to be extremely flattering. Woody's Herd "rides" again, and Artie's music lives on forever! Thanks for all those great tunes played beautifully, Artie.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2003-10-29 15:18
I enjoyed the Shaw interviews in Burns' History of Jazz PBS series. He seems to look at show business a little differently than most celebrities. Too bad he has not played all these years....who knows what kind of music he would have made.
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2003-10-29 15:33
I've said it before and will again....NO one....played clarinet like Artie. Not Goodman....Herman....Russell...Lewis...Fountain....no one. The man seemed to "become one with the intrument". Yet in "Cinderella" he says it's not about the clarinet....it's about the music. Maybe that's whay he was so good. And like all real musicians....he quit when it became something the record companies wanted to control by dictating what music he should record......and play on stage to sell the albums. God bless him and thanks for the music....
John Gibson
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Author: SJ
Date: 2003-10-29 15:53
"Nobody played clarinet like Artie Shaw" is a true statement and your opinion. And... nobody played the instrument like Goodman and rest that were mentioned. They all had their unique and individual styles. By the way, Blue is the best color.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-10-29 16:07
For some reason I always associated Frenesi No.1 and B the B No.2 with him.
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-10-29 17:45
Artie had a number of reasons for quitting. Having crazed fans overturn his car, with him in it; nearly getting his clarinet shoved down his throat and teeth knocked out by fans dancing on stage; losing all of his hearing in one ear from bombardment while he was in the navy in WWII; and the difficulties with the music industry, mentioned by John Gibson above, all seem adequate to me.
In addition, he really wanted to be a writer instead of a musician and felt that he had to get out of the music business to survive. It seems to have been a successful strategy, since he turned 93 this year. I wish him well.
Hans
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Author: gerry
Date: 2003-10-29 17:58
Right on! The haunting refrain of "Nightmare" that opened his many braodcasts certainly identified Artie Shaw. Still one of my favorites. Many years ago when my son started to learn the clarinet, I played many clarinet recordings for encouragement. He made an interesting comment: I would like to be able to play with the technique of Benny Goodman, the tone of Pete Fountain and the feeling of Artie Shaw. Pretty perceptive for a 13 year old.
Artie Shaw really made the clarinet sing and fortunately we have his music on record for us to enjoy now. At least one good thing to say for technology.
Gerry.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2003-10-30 00:05
Now that I think of it, the opening trumpet solo on Stardust was probably Billy Butterfield (Hackett played cornet) and the trombone solo was Jack Jenney. I don't know that Shaw had anything in his repertoire that was as instantly recognizable (and universally crowd-stirring) as Swing Swing Swing, though.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-10-30 02:48
gerry wrote:
> The haunting refrain of "Nightmare" that opened his many braodcasts
"Nightmare" was used to open and close his live broadcasts...GBK
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2003-10-30 10:39
DougR:
The two recordings that I have of Stardust, one recorded in Hollywood in 1940 and the other doesn't say both show the trumpeters as George Wendt, Johhny Cathcart and Billy Butterfield. Wendts' name is listed first on both recordings for whatever that is worth.
My Nighmare recording, done in NY according to the label, the trumpets were Chuck Peterson, Claude Bowen and John Best.
I want to thank everyone who replied, sounds as though Nightmare was as close as it gets to a signature piece. I didn't realize it was his radio show theme music. That said, I think my personal favorite is Star Dust but its a tough call because I really like Summertime and Begin the Beguine as well. Just too many great arrangements and compositions to make a call.
Best
Rick
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-10-31 11:39
There was a live interview with Shaw a year or so ago that was available on the web. There should still be a link to it somewhere here. "Nightmare," he said, was written for his radio show as a vehicle for extended improvization, that could be used to fill whatever amount of time was left at the end of the program's time slot.
He also did his usual take, asking the interviewer if they liked "Begin the Beguine", which they did. Then Shaw asked the interviewer how they would feel about the song if they were required to play it four times a night, every night, for the rest of their life. There have been other threads on this site recently in the same vein, but instead with regard to songs such as "Liechtensteiner Polka" and "Hava Nagila". The only thing separating a lot of people from some sort of early retirement is cash.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-10-31 17:25
Certainly
Frenesi is the one clarinet solo that defines what one could do with a piece of hackneyed music.
Shaw
was easily the most incredible force on the clarinet.
Searing intensity with a matchless control of air speed and an ability to glissando without any seams....
try doing the clarinion G alttissimo G gliss on the Shaw concerto and you
will gain a new respect!!!
David Dow
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