 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: pewd
Date: 2006-06-24 18:31
I'm not finding much help searching, so am throwing this out the the experts on the list...
I have a collegue with a gifted bass clarinet high school student (all state, 1st chair) and the student wants to enter a local symphony's young artists competition.
He needs a bass clarinet solo, classical, with chamber orchestra accompanyment. They won't allow him to perform a Bb solo - it has to be specifiically written for bass, and must have a published chamber orchestra accompanyment (no low brass parts in the orchestra).
As I know very little about the bass clarinet literature, I was hoping someone on the board could provide some suggestions.
TIA.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: pmgoff78
Date: 2006-06-25 20:19
I doubt that the competition he is entering is worth entering if he can't play a piece for Soprano Clarinet. Given my viewpoint on that I would recommend the concerto for Bass Clarinet and Orchestra by Dietrich Erdmann.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2006-06-25 21:51
FWIW,
The Grant concerto looks (and sounds) fiendishly difficult to me. Any high school student who can play it is very good indeed. There is another work on the site called "Three Chocolates" that is also challenging but IMO probably more playable at the student's likely level. The first movement works best on A clarinet but Jim Grant provides an alternative part for Bb, the second movement is for bass clarinet, and the third is designed for Bb with a(n optional) flourish at the end on Eb. Aside from the issue of playing more than the bass clarinet, the three pieces are essentially instrumental torch songs so they might not work for a concerto competition but, if the student can play soprano, it would be an interesting tour de force and, if he played it well, he might pull it off. Or, if he only needs one movement, he could do just the second.
The problem is that there really aren't any great works (or, perhaps, any works period) for bass clarinet and orchestra (of any type, let alone string) before the 20th century and most, if not all, of the 20th Century works have been written for virtuosi. Then, of course, there is the issue of availability of the music. Another possibility to check into would be Andre Hajdu's "Truat melech" a rhapsody on Jewish themes for clarinet/bass clarinet and string orchestra. Movements alternate between clarinet and bass clarinet. This has been recorded by Giora Feidmann and is also available on Music Minus One!!!!!
Don't know how to obtain the orchestral parts.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: pewd
Date: 2006-06-26 00:21
>The problem is that there really aren't any great works (or, perhaps, any >works period) for bass clarinet and orchestra (of any type, let alone string) >before the 20th century and most, if not all, of the 20th Century works have >been written for virtuosi.
thats what i'm trying to find out - is there anything suitable out there - for a student (good, but not a virtuoso).
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2006-06-26 04:32
Here's a list you can browse through for an idea of what's out there:
http://www.new-music.org/bibliography/bclcon.html
In particular, I notice some works from the Canadian Music Centre. If it is still several months before the competition, it might be worth going to the Center's website, searching out what they have for bass clarinet and chamber orchestra, and borrowing or ordering scores to look over.
The Erdmann is, IMO, a very good work but I'm not sure if it meets the orchestration requirements. My recording simply says "orchestra" but it was originally commissioned by a chamber orchestra. I can't get to my piano reduction right now but, in the morning, I'll see if I can find out more. I don't think it is as difficult technically as the Grant but it is still very challenging, with some bass clef and some slap tonguing.
One lead worth checking out might be the Lyrical Concerto by Simon Proctor. This work was originally written for serpant (!!!) but Proctor believes it should work well for any low instrument and has prepared a piano reduction version for bass clarinet. The piano reduction is published by Southern Music and orchestral parts may be available through them or, at least, they may be able to tell you how to obtain them. In its serpant form, it has apparently been played by the Boston Pops. Southern rates it as grade 4. I happened to be in a music store a couple of days ago browsing through their file cabinet stock and ran across it. I would rate it a little more difficult than grade 4. I didn't buy it. You can probably find it at a local music store and take a look at it. It might be worth checking to see if it is within the rules.
Another possibility would be to call Eble Music and tell them what you're looking for. I've always found their people extremely knowledgable where repertoire is concerned.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2006-06-26 15:42
Here is more information on the Erdmann. According to Ries & Erler:
Erdmann, Dietrich, Konzert für Baßklarinette und Orchester
1 (Picc.). 1. (Engl. Horn). 1. (Bassklar.). - 1. 2. 2. 2. 0. Schlagz., Pauken, Streicher
If I read this correctly, it means the work requires two trombones and two tubas (as well as percussion and tympani). Thus it wouldn't work for an orchestra with no low brass -- too bad.
Best regards,
jnk
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