 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2003-12-20 01:15
Last Sunday, one of the groups I play with, the one whose members all have had much more formal music training than I have had, had a Christmas concert. At the one rehearsal we had, the day before the concert, I cringed somewhat when they passed out excerpts from The Nutcracker. You see, I play bass clarinet and had never played the Nutcracker before. Besides, the other bass clarinetist was unable to make it to rehearsal.
The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, as most of you know, contains a short but extremely important bass clarinet solo. The notes aren't difficult, but it's the one bass clarinet solo ever written that, if missed or messed up, will be noticed by EVERYONE. The audience members may not know who messed it up (which means that it will reflect badly on the whole group), but will certainly know it was messed up.
Well, before Saturday's rehearsal got into swing, I was able to practice the 32nd note runs a few times to get them under my fingers. When we actually rehearsed the number, I carefully counted to make sure that I played it at the right time. (Counting is probably not necessary, as we would all intuitively know where it was to come in.) And when it came time, I got all the notes out in the right order and at the right time. My interpretation of the dynamics may not have been ideal, but that was but a secondary concern to me. We went through it a second time and I did it again, which certainly helped my confidence.
Of course, I made sure to practice the solo and my counting at home as well.
The next evening at the concert the other bass clarinetist didn't show up again, probably figuring she would be a liability, not having made rehearsal, so I couldn't pawn off the solo. Even if she had appeared, I would still have been the proper one to play it since I had rehearsed and practiced it. I am glad to say, I was able to control my anxiety and played the solo without a hitch. My dynamic interpretation was probably better than it had been at rehearsal, but, again, I'm sure that it was far from perfect. Despite this, I was relieved and proud of myself for conquering the most important solo I have ever played. There had been only two possible outcomes, victory or complete and utter disaster. Fortunately, the outcome was the former.
(As a side note, there was also a clarinet choir number, which was a jazz interpretation of Christmas music. I didn't hit any wrong notes, but my unintentional "improvisation" on some of the rhythms could have been lessened with more rehearsal.)
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2003-12-20 01:40
Even after playing this piece for many years and dozens of times, I still get a little nervous in the Sugar Plum Fairy. It is SO easy to miscount or play a wrong accidental. And you're right, EVERYBODY knows when you screw this one up!
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Author: William
Date: 2003-12-20 14:29
Good for you. Unfortunately, in our orchestra, the SPF is still on a winning streak. So simple sounding, and yet, so difficult to get exactly right. That little excerpt would probably constitute a good mini audition--that, and a single staccato G#5. If your good enough to play those two things flawlessly, your probably good enough for the job. Anyway, congradulations on your success.
(FYI, I play second clarinet & occassional Eb, not bass)
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2003-12-21 15:46
It's always nice to read such positive, "I did it!!!" stories such as yours, and you described the situation so well!
Your title made it sound like you were referencing the actual dancer in the SPF role, which made me laugh as I opened your post. 
When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school (many moons ago), I played auxiliary percussion in orchestra since the upperclassmen had the clarinet section covered. I LOVED Christmas music, specifically the chimes and the bells. We played SPF, and while the pianist took care of the keyboard part, I was also playing the melody on the bells. I remember how much fun it was, and enjoyed the fact that my sound projected more than the timid piano player's sound did!
Post Edited (2003-12-23 12:10)
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Author: William
Date: 2003-12-21 20:43
HooRay...we just had a concert this afternoon and our bass clarinetist finally defeated our Sugar Plum Fairy with a smooth and flawless performance. However, our Russian Dance never went faster and a couple of notes were dropped by this clarinetist toward the very end. Happy Holidays, everyone.
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-21 22:55
"I defeated the Sugar Plum Fairy" ... Don, did you glue her wings shut?
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-12-22 13:41
If I recall the fingerings on that part are a bit tricky. Unlike our (A) soprano playing buddies we play all the sharps in orchestral works.
Way to go. I have played this piece twice in about five years. And yes, the butterflies begin to twitter.
Happy Holidays,
Jean
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-12-22 13:49
In the bass clarinet world, remember that although you may win a particular battle, you haven't yet won the war!
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-12-23 08:54
Now you are ready for the big solo in Shos Leningrad Symph.
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