 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-01-02 22:53
Just wondering what everyone thinks about the Mendelssohn Sonata...
The clarinet compositions page on this website describes it as "subpar", and I've heard others refer to the piece similarly.
I personally like the piece. I love Mendelssohn's style in general and I think what the piece lacks in innovation it makes up with "cuteness" (not exactly a technical music term). I'm not comparing it to the pieces like the Brahms Sonatas or Weber Grand Duo Concertante, which are clearly genius. However, I think the piece is kind of fun. I particularly like the part in the first movement when the piano plays all the solo arrpegios.
I have the Dieter Klocker recording, and he seems to do a great job "squeezing blood out of this turnip" of a song (old saying from my high school english teacher). Maybe this piece is like a movie like Billy Madison or anything starring Sylvester Stallone. It's pretty enjoyable as long as your expectations aren't too high... Who knows.
Does anyone have any experience with this piece or want to share their opinion on its "subpar-ness"?
Donald Hite
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-01-02 22:58
The Mendelssohn Sonata may not be the worst piece written for clarinet, but it definitely is my top 5.
As it didn't leave a lasting impression with the public, that may have much to do with the reason it was never published during Mendelssohn's lifetime.
Funny thing....no one seemed to miss it.
Strictly a teenage work of historical interest, but with little substantial musical value.
I let my Junior High kids play it, but only as a curiosity to show the work of a composer who was their age when he wrote it...GBK
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-01-02 23:44
i have only heard it performed once- Gervase dePeyer played it at a conference back in 1996, his own version re-written to make it more interesting. i have no memory of it musically, other than people trying to escape out the back of the hall during performance. i'm not kidding.
and i'm going to get done for this but i have to say it..... NO ONE other than clarinet players (and maybe my mother) thinks that the Weber Grand Duo concertante is a work of genius. I'm really sorry, i'm really really really sorry but it's TRUE!
donald
ps- i didn't say the Weber was BAD, just not genius
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-01-03 02:33
Who would actually leave because of this piece?!?! I don't really understand. I don't think it's bad. It's just not good (if that makes sense). It seems like it's a "well written" piece, but Mendelssohn was just going through the motions like it was an assignment or something. Figures that I would question Marcellus's Mozart then say that I like the Mendelssohn... I'm weird like that.
DH
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-01-03 03:16
There are many pieces for clarinet which I find dull and uninteresting.
Not including transcriptions for clarinet which should never have been attempted (eg: Haydn Concerti, Beethoven Violin Concerto), on my short list would definitely be the Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto for clarinet and band, the Mendelssohn Sonata, the Horovitz Two Majorcan Pieces and (sorry folks) Babin's Hillandale Waltzes ...GBK
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-01-03 07:58
re Mendelssohn performance
... there just might have been other issues (tone quality) involved, but people were indeed making for the exit.
ACTUALLY the same thing happened in one of my performances just a few months ago- i played a modern piece that people didn't like and SOME audience members left before the lovely post romantic sonata that they would have liked. Maybe it was my tone? (in this case, i'm pretty sure it was the piece to be honest).
donald...
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-01-03 21:31
heehee, I like the Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto (in the same way I like the Mendelssohn Sonata). I guess that speaks volumes about my taste in music.
DH
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