The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-08-30 01:55
Just looking around in Keith Stein's book and ran across this in the literature for clarinet section. It's a piece scored for Soprano and three clarinets. Ever heard of this or played it?
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Author: Contra
Date: 2004-08-30 02:03
Possibly. Is it called Elegy for a Young American or something along those lines?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-08-30 03:44
I know the work very well, and in spite of what Keith Stein may have listed in his book, the correct original title of the piece is Elegy for J.F.K.
It is a very short work - lasting only about a minute and a half.
Stravinsky was deeply affected by the loss of Kennedy and wrote this work in March 1964 so the events of the previous November would not quickly be forgotten.
The first original scoring of the piece was for Baritone voice and 3 clarinets (2 Bb's and an Alto clarinet). The words were written by W.H. Auden who gave Stravinsky a simple 4 stanza verse. It begins:
"When a just man dies, Lamentation and praise, Sorrow and joy are one"
The work is in serial form, but is unusual because he uses a tone row with 3 tritones.
In December of 1964, Stravinsky wrote an alternate version of the work for
mezzo-soprano (instead of baritone). The clarinet parts were almost identical ...GBK
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-08-30 05:02
GBK,
Thanks for the info; enlightening as usual. I made a mistake. The book was actually David Pino's book and he does have the title correct.
Does the alternate version still use the alto clarinet?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-08-30 05:06
DAVE wrote:
> Does the alternate version still use the alto clarinet?
Yes...GBK
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