 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-12-05 16:41
Well I had practice and practiced the stamitz concerto in Bb to death. The concert is a week from this Thursday and I know the concerto by heart. Couldn't be in a better scenario for my first solo piece to be performed ever.
Until I contacted the professor who said he wasn't able to get the orchestra parts so now I have to play the first movement of the Mozart Concerto instead (to which he already has the orchestra parts). That's what happens when you're given a certain amount of money for a budget in a County College music program.
And I have a week and 5 days to learn and get it as perfect as possible.
Woo boy. That's a fairly significant amount of pressure for my first solo piece to be performed . . . . Just a little venting whilst I take a break from it and surf the web a bit.
Alexi
PS - Oh yeah. And did I mention I now have to find and procure an A clarinet for it? My professor said he'll talk to a music store that he deals with a lot and try to get me one at cost from them (I asked him if I had the option of trying them out before purchase and he said sure) and I'm also looking around now for one.
Yeah. I'd say that's a decent amount of pressure added on to 70 hours a week of work (Christmas at UPS = lots and lots of packages) and finals.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: pewd
Date: 2004-12-05 17:12
i had a reply to that, and thought better of it, as i have a rather sharp tounge.
lets just say i question your prof's sanity. maybe he got hit on the head with a brick or something, had his brains scrambled?
riduculous requirement.
good luck.
-paul
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-12-05 17:45
No can do. This semester is my graduation semester from the county college (which is why I'm allowed to play a solo). You're right. It is definitely insane. But I'll just have to make the best of it. Boy. Talk about a bunch of obstacles to overcome. But if I can make it through this . . . .
US Army Japan Band
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2004-12-05 18:11
Okay, has the orchestra been rehearsing the Mozart, and if so did you know this? Especially if the answer to the first part is is no, do you or the director know anyone who might be able to donate the cost of the rental of the Stamitz and get it shipped overnight? If the orchestra already has the Mozart and you weren't told I am dumbfounded.
Honestly this sounds like a bad dream or an April Fool's joke, except it's not that time of year.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2004-12-05 18:17
Are you talking about Stamitz' Concerto No. 3 in Bb?
If you are, FWIW, the parts and score are individually available from www.sheetmusicplus.com. Depending on the size of the chamber orchestra, the cost should be less than $100. The problem with Sheetmusicplus is that they show a 1-2 week lead time before shipment.
If you want to obtain the parts, you might try calling Eble Music in Iowa and Luyben Music in Kansas City to see if they have the parts in stock and if they can expidite shipment. Both are very good - if you called early tomorrow - you might have the music in hand by Wednesday or Thursday - but the cost will be a bit higher.
Never mind your trying to learn the piece. What about the orchestra? Is it professional? If not, has it been working on the Mozart all this time? If it has, why didn't the prof let you know sooner? Will you have any rehearsals with the orchestra? You can actually probably pull it off if you have the technique. If I were you, though, instead of rushing to buy an A clarinet, I would ask the prof if I could borrow his.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-12-05 18:45
In response to above questions . . .
JNK, that's the correct piece. And I don't think that the prof would be willing to pay more than 100 because he somewhat baulked at it being close to 100 in the first place.
The orchestra has the Mozart and has played it before. Also, the professer will be having many professionals (friends of his) sit in during the concert to help "beef up" the string section so they will be able to pull off the Mozart without having practiced it. They will run it through once this Thursday and the performance is next week thursday with a brief run-through right before the concert.
We knew he had the orchestra parts to the mozart however I was told that for a change of pace (the mozart was performed a few semesters ago by the clarinet professor of our college) to work on the stamitz and that he would get the parts. What I'm thinking (and may be wrong, but what I believe happened) was that it was procrastination on his part in inquiring about the orchestral parts for the stamitz and he now realizes that with shipping it'd arrive too late.
Like stated above, the orchestra will run through the mozart this Thursday (without me) and once again next week thursday (with me) right before the concert.
As to borrowing an A clarinet, I've asked my professor a few times if he has an older or 'backup' A clarinet that I can borrow on a number of occassions (sometimes orchestra parts are for A clarinet, sometimes I just was hoping to do a chamber piece that called for an A clarinet) and was denied each time. I'm guessing he just doesn't feel comfortable lending out his instruments. That's his perogative and if that's the way he feels, I can't help that. Doesn't make him a bad man, just maybe a little protective of his babies!
HOWEVER, I think I can borrow the second clarinetist's A clarinet for the performance. I'll ask him today if it's possible to snag it up to rehearse/practice at home with it, but if not, I'm sure he'll let me use it the day of the concert if I can't find one anywhere else.
And as for pulling it off with my technique? Doubtful. I have LOTS of practicing and intricacies to work out. I figure I'll try at LEAST an hour a day (skipping scales and thirds, etc. etc. in order to fit in time for mozart and sleep between jobs) and just hope for the best.
Alexi
Clarinetwife - I only WISH it was a bad dream.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Musiccla
Date: 2004-12-05 19:55
Whoever set this up is inept! You are being blindsided big time and that really shouldn't happen. To learn the Mozart on a "new" clarinet is INSANE to try it in a week.
I wouldn't even do that and I'm a seasoned professional player.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2004-12-05 21:21
I remember being asked to guest/stand in for principal clar in Shostakovich's Cello Concerto, 5 days from the concert ! This is the hardest thing I've had to do at short notice - never set eyes on it - it's an absolute B****. I think I know how you feel here and it's the apparent unfairness of the scene that must be hard to come to terms with. I understudied the Mozart recently and decided to take the first movement at a classical pace rather than the pace at which Sabine Meyer takes it. Taking it at Brymer's comfortable pace was a godsend.
I suggest finding the best A clar, hire it and send the bill to the dictator/prof for his utter insensitivity. I'm sure we all hope that you can still enjoy the first movement of the Mozart after this.
With Jack, I agree, the orchestra needs to know this movement but more specifically it needs to know how YOU want to play it. It's not the most technically demanding but it's one of the most difficult for the band to play with you.- just like most Mozart symphonies. Beefing up the band by adding more strings ? well, our experience is that the minimum orchestra of good players is the answer after all, when you play true "piano" in Mozart you want to be heard over the band! Don't allow the pace to spiral - it's your call
I'm sure none of this is very useful to you at this late stage, but I felt (through ire), compelled to comment. I wish you weren't going through this.
After it's over - I suggest a full report to the director of undergraduate studies , so that this does not happen to anyone else.
With all sympathies and best wishes,
Bob Thomson
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2004-12-05 22:27
Alexi--does your school have any reciprocal relationships with others for repertoire, or do any of the professors involved belong to an organization that might have a relationship with another organization that has the piece? I truly feel that this mess is so not your problem that the solution should not involve programming a piece that you are not prepared to play. Especially if you're not even certain you'd be able to scare up a horn to do the gig!
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-12-05 23:47
Alexi,
You said: "I'm sure he'll let me use it the day of the concert" but are you comfortable with being able to adapt to a new instrument that quickly?
I agree with a comment above, that you've been blindsided. It's very unfair.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2004-12-06 02:39
Seriously, ask around yourself...see if local colleges/universities/orchestras/schools or whomever have a copy of the piece. As I recall, the orchestra parts aren't any worse than the Mozart orchestra parts!
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2004-12-06 05:32
Can you protest by saying you are not going to play the Mozart concerto? What is the worst thing that could happen if you did that?
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-12-06 13:35
Since I'm not taking the class for credit (only allowed to sit in since I'm a math major and not music major) there would/could be no repurcussions in any actions that I take (refusing to play, reporting the professor, etc. etc.) aside from him personally getting mad at me.
In all honesty, it seems that either it's blown a little out of proportion here or maybe I'm just taking it too lightly. I do realize that it, well, sucks to say what would be allowed on this board. But we've ALL practiced the famed K622, and although rusty, I hopefully will be able to smooth out some of the problematic spots come the 16th.
As for the A clarinet, that's a bind. As hans pointed out, it may very well be a mess trying to get it together. I HAVE played his A clarinet and it is DEFINITELY much different than my well adjusted/tuned Bb. I remember the chalemeau D coming out softer and slightly stuffy, I remember a VERY stuffy Bb, I remember an out of tune clarion A and up (the twelfth tuning) which would mess me up.
One of the ways I'm keeping myself very composed is realizing that these things CAN come up in a professional setting. A clarinet could break near the day of the concert, and you'd have to play on a spare or someone elses. Perhaps some of the players couldn't make it and the reportoire had to be changed on the spot. As I recall, back in the old days when these composers were still alive, there were times where the composer would write something overnight to be played in a professional setting the next day. All sight-read. Granted the chances of all of these things happening at once are VERY slim, but they do happen. This is just a taste of a 'worst-case scenario'. I'll see how I handle it.
You're all right, and I agree, it IS unfair. It was definitely irresponsible of the music department to do this. And I won't even go into the fact that they changed the CONCERT DATE back a week only three days ago and nearly messed up my requested days off that I put in way ahead of time (luckily my job was understanding enough to allow the change so late). But then again, I'm a student. In his last semester (won't be returning next semester), who isn't even officially signed up for the class but was allowed to join because they don't have many clarinet players in that school and needed me there, and I'm not a music major at all. Not even in their department. What kind of pull would I have?
Another thing is that I don't want to burn any bridges along my way. I haven't had the opportunity to make too many so why go about burning them quite yet? Also, it IS considered a "sophomore" recital (getting my associates degree) so as much as it does irk me now, I do have more years left in my life to hopefully get a recital done the RIGHT way.
The music department at that college does need to change things around, but I'm finding that (at least in my personal experience) that college staff rarely take the students interests to be first. I have yet to receive a response from the music department at the college I'm transferring to (after two phone calls and an email all ending about a week ago), as well as this fiasco, not to mention others in the past from two other colleges.
That's about all that I've been thinking about. I guess I'll plug along and see how well things work out in the end.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2004-12-06 13:38)
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2004-12-06 15:38
This is where you start taking another path than the perfection that musicians always try to strive for.
Some of my musicians are always grousing about how this or that wasn't exactly right in a recent performance. I always tell them to try and get it right next time, but that sometimes you just have to go with what works at the moment, like it or not.
(And, before talking about your problems, I should say that it's more than obvious to me that your needs and feelings are coming a long way second in the eyes of the "powers that be" in the music department, whoever may be pulling the strings. Taking a major event like a recital and throwing the parameters that far out of whack a week or two before the execution is stupid, inhumane, and poor policy if the person in charge has a reputation that s/he wants to preserve. After all, you might be putting on the lead clarinet show, but they're responsible for the full thing. It's all well and good for s/he to go around telling others that "It's all that stupid "Lexi's" fault!", but it will also reflect VERY ill on him/her for allowing such a thing to go forward in the first place. If the powers that be are stupid enough to let this go forward, then I'd not feel too bad about my role in it…plenty of blame to go around.)
Having said that, I've always tried to do the best possible given the circumstances in hand. With that in mind, consider the following:
1) If you can't land a A clarinet pretty quickly, consider running the part through a transcription program and using a Bb horn. I don't recall the range, but my experiences with Mozart in the past lead me to believe that any missing low Ebs in the transposed part could be worked around with little difficulty. If the tyrant is willing to jerk you around as has already been done, it's unlikely that going with the Bb horn will make any more difference. S/he probably won't even notice...
2) Actually playing the part as much as you can between now and then. Most of us have been through this particular piece more than once or twice in the past. (I even did it once in A and once in Bb, and I don't consider myself a classically oriented clarinetist by any stretch of the imagination.) And, you've got the music there to practice. I'd ignore the parts you can play pretty well (about fifty per cent, if my memory serves) and woodshed the runs and arpeggi like mad in the time left to you. Even if you're going to play it on a A horn but don't have it for your practice time, run through the A part on the Bb to get the tricky stuff right. It will sound different on the A horn, but the finger transitions and the like can be learned on any horn.
3) Finally, take a "Sgt Steiner on the mid-war Russian Front" approach (as seen in the movie Cross of Iron) to the whole project. It involves a "God, I know that this is going to be an ordeal for me throughout, but I can still go down fighting" attitude, but this will not be the only time in your life that you are asked to make bricks without straw. Do your best, and be proud of what you have done despite the obstacles and adversity thrown in your path.
Good luck, and I'm sure that you'll do just fine.
T. Stibal…
…who, in his high school, largely bass clarinet playing days, had to learn the first movement of the Mozart Bassoon Concerto on the fag in five days to replace the 1st Bassoon (who lost his front teeth in a hockey game whilst playing against young T. Stibal's team) on a concert under similar circumstances. The cadenza was not what was expected (playing it on the bassoon, I nevertheless used a bass clarinet one that I had used in the past; the director had the nerve to carp about that, believe it or not), but otherwise I pulled it off.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-12-06 15:45
We ask our students to be prepared and to think/plan ahead.....
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2004-12-06 17:51
I like what I hear in your last post, Alexi--Go make yourself some lemonade if that is the sort of moment this is going to be.
All the best
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