 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-04-22 02:49
I was wondering what everyone thinks about this piece of music? I've had a CD of it for quite some time, and I recently purchased the sheet music. While I never really liked the piece while listening to it, it seemed complex and I was intruiged and wanted to study it further, which is why I bought the music.
Well, I've listened to it several times while following the music. There are several things that vex me in the piece, and some things I love. I'll start with the bad stuff...
The piece seems to go nowhere. Thematically, the movements (particularly the first) seem very wandery to me. I understand where all the material comes from and I recognize (and enjoy) the inclusion of motifs from different movements throughout and in different forms. However, as a whole, I feel the piece lacks direction. After listening to it, I don't really feel like I've been on a (for lack of a less dorky phrase) musical journey, like I do with a Brahms Sonata (I'm not comparing Reger to Brahms, I'm just using Brahms as an example of a composer whose pieces I feel are very well structured). Additionally, the clarinet part is pretty segmented. When both parts are played together, it doesn't seem like a big deal, but when practicing the solo part alone, it seems to lack flow (it's jumps from idea to idea and doesn't stay on one for long). Maybe these things were Reger's intentions...
Stuff I like... The piano part is amazing (though I think it's too heavily textured some times). My initial impression of the piece was that it was very "noisy and thick-sounding", and this is probably why. I like it though. At many moments, the piece is beautiful.
I'm not writing this to complain about the piece. The CD book made reference to their being a "great deal of controversy" about Reger's music, and I'm just wondering if my impressions are common. For whatever reason, the piece intrigues me. I want to like it more than I actually do... If there's anything I'm missing, please let me know.
DH
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-04-22 14:09
The Reger Sonata is very beautiful but you are gonna need a virtuoso of a pianist to bring it off!!
David Dow
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Author: martind
Date: 2004-04-22 17:42
Hello Don,
I found your interpretation of the Reger OP. 107 very interesting.
Reger's sonatas were not performed extensively in the U.S. for
many years but were popular in Germany from my research which
was many years ago. I performed both sonatas, op. 49 and 107
on my graduate and senior recitals back in the early '60's.
I never had a recording which would have been beneficial in a
number of aspects. His use of chromatic harmony was one of
the things I found most interesting. Brahms no doubt has some
influence on his compositions. He may be recognized for his
organ/keyboard works, especially his variations on some of the
masters, than his clarinet offerings.
Yes, you will need an exceptional pianist to pull off a good
performance.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-04-22 18:23
DH -
The most difficult thing about the Reger sonatas (and even more for the Quintet) is that almost no phrase is played entirely by one instrument. The melodic line is constantly handed back and forth. As you say, this makes the music impossible to learn just by practicing the clarinet part.
For me, at least, Reger didn't intend to have the music played in chopped up fashion, without the joining the phrase fragments together. It's a little like the opening of the last movement of the Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony, with the musical line created in the listener's head as the melodic notes alternate between the 1st and 2nd violins.
I think the only way to work up Op. 107 is to listen to a recording several times, following along with both parts from the piano score, to learn how things fit together. I've also played through it jumping from the clarinet part to the piano part along with the melodic line -- pretty good transposition practice, too.
I've heard some but not many satisfying performances of the Reger sonatas. In the good ones, the clarinetist and pianist do more than simply merge their phrase parts seamlessly -- they also arch the phrases as if they were a single player. Each one continues not only the notes but also the phrase shape.
Alas, Reger is not Brahms. As you have found, the phrases don't play themselves. You and the pianist have to supply the energy to keep things moving. This is even more difficult because of the harmonic complexity and the thickness of the piano writing. Your pianist needs to get out all the notes, yet maintain some transparency.
I think the Reger-era pianos had a less booming bass than todays 9' Steinways. Try it with a 6' Baldwin.
By the same token, you need to resist the temptation to play too loud and grim. Reger was known as the "king of the fugue," but German music also has waltzes. You don't have to add seriousness. There are smiles in the music, too, and it's up to you and the pianist to show the light as well as the shade.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-04-22 22:11
I think Ken's analysis of the Reger Bb sonata is well thought out and he makes a number of important observations.
The chromaticism and uneven phrases lengths do take some getting used to. The complex piano part works in tandem with the clarinet to create long melodic lines.
The Reger is basically a work which is subtle, but passionate at the same time. The clarinet must use even fingering to create legato lines where single notes do not pop out.
I often use some of the passages in the Reger sonatas just to practice even legato. The wide skips take a good deal of control to play musically.
It is a difficult piece which few clarinetists can convincingly convey...GBK
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-04-23 02:40
The recording I have is by Ib Hausmann, with Nina Tichman on piano, by Hanssler Classics. It sounds like a good rendition to me, but it's the only one I've heard. In the opinions of those who have heard a variety of performances including this one, how does the Hausmann measure up?
DH
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-04-23 16:39
Leister did a recording of the this on Bis records...as to whether it is still available I have no idea.
David Dow
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-04-23 19:50
I've heard the recordings by Leister, Yeh and Hausmann, but my 2 favorites are the recordings by Eduard Brunner and Charles Stier.
Brunner conveys a solid, convincing interpretation with long flowing lines and a beautiful sound.
The current definitive performance is by Charles Stier (an American clarinetist who plays on Wurlitzer instruments). He is accompanied by the fine pianist William Bloomquist. The two of them have done their homework and deliver a very well thought out performance. He plays effortlessly and keeps you fully engossed in this very complex work. Stier's sound is ideally suited for these pieces and his intonation is impeccable...GBK
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-04-26 14:34
Although I've played with Charles Stier (clarinet choir at U-Md when he was a post-doc and I was an undergrad) and he's one of the nicest guys I've ever met, I have to say I don't care for his sound on the Brahms/Reger CD mentioned by GBK above --- there's a certain constant harmonic that's always present in his tone that just rubs me the wrong way. Otherwise, the playing is pretty much impeccable, as far as I can tell. He plays a custom-made Wurlitzer Reform-Boehm instrument, by the way, and his tone is more Leister than Drucker, to make a dubious analogy.
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