 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ken
Date: 2000-05-20 06:10
“Professional” opinions welcomed? I'm preparing the Morton Gould "Derivations For Clarinet and Band” (original jazz ensemble version) for recording in August. In my study of the original 1955 Goodman CBS recording I came across "four isolated notes" and a resolving note scattered throughout the four movements that aren’t in the Schirmer publication I have. Mostly, they're inconsequential, buried in fast swing-eighth runs, curiously all a half-step up from the written part but fit tonally within each chord. The resolving note is a quarter note that modally completes the progression into a new key and cries to be played. Being a "purist" and suspicious of the editor I’m leaning toward doing it Benny's way and they ALL DO sound alot hipper, improve flow and create better tension. To further complicate matters, in the John Yeh, DePaul recording I have, he plays the INK! I can't imagine a world-class player like Yeh would've missed them and did his homework…most likely he opted to blow them off and play what he wanted. It’s certainly not uncommon for boppers when transcribing solos to intentionally play clams or even squeak in an attempt to maintain musical integrity and/or replicate a solo exactly as the original artist performed it. Considering Gould wrote the piece especially for Benny, conducted it in the CBS session and Benny had the original script in his face I can't help but think my part is wrong, or by chance it isn’t, maybe he/they decided to make on-the-spot changes. The common sense response is "it's your solo, play it the way you want!" Tough call, but this is a BIG DEAL to me, my name's going on the liner notes...whatcha think? <:-)
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Author: William
Date: 2000-05-20 14:42
Benny has a history of changing the composer's written score in order to satisfy his artistic needs. Remember the Copland Concerto changes that were made be cause they were reportedly "to hard" for Benny? I would rather think that he just liked it "his way" and considered it an improvement on Copland's work. If it were me, I would play the changes your research has found, especially if that is the way Benny did it. I heard John Bruce Yeh play this work live (from memory) and he is a great clarinetist, but he doesn't swing. Your recording should not attempt to copy his (or others) performance--it will be interesting to hear your fresh approach to Gould's work. Good luck--I'll be listening for you.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2000-05-22 02:10
William, thank you so much for your time and insight, great advice! I'm definitely going to plug in those notes. It's musicians just like you with a discriminating ear that would notice them and that makes it worth changing them right there. I reviewed Benny's rendition of the Copland and you're right, there are note changes...still I believe he did a beautiful job on it. This solo is turning out to be a deceptively difficult and challenging chart to master, technically and stylistically especially...a down-right bugger in some spots! My "fresh" approach as it were is to keep it as smooth and fluid as possible, inch-up the tempos a notch or two but not too much in order to maintain a swing feel, (Yeh's tempos are warp speed) exaggerate the accents, plug in some swells, make sure to play complete phrases and of course tasteful vvvviiiibbbbrraaatttoooo. It's not cheap to rent either, the gal at Schirmer quoted me $350 for the first performance, $280 for the second and $125 for each subsequent performance...I managed to talk her down to $125 per. I'll be touring and playing it nine nights to get the bugs out before we hit the studio. This piece is a hoot! Thanks again! <:-)
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Author: William
Date: 2000-05-22 15:06
Where will your tour take you? If you will be in the Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison area, I would like to hear you.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2000-05-22 21:43
William, thank you for your kind offer to take time out and come see me perform, I know I'd certainly do the same for you. Regrettably, my upcoming tour will be throughout the Carolinas 4-12 Jun; I play in a military band 19 years. Chicago-Milwaukee? Coincidence, I'm from Chicago, born and raised on the near North Side (Foster/Kedsie), later moved to Palatine. I went to Northern, and in years past studied with Mel Warner and Clark Brody (made a few trips to Northwestern and take lessons with GOD; Bob Marcellus). I was lucky enough to make it home last July to attend the 1999 Depaul workshop hosted by Combs, Yeh and Julie DuRoche; I probably bumped into you and didn't even know it. They all gave a wonderful recital one night. While there I also caught CSO at Ravinia (John Williams tribute/guest conductor) and thought they sounded awful. I hadn't heard them live for 10 years; appears age is finally creeping-up on them or maybe they just didn't feel like playing that night; they still got the preemo gig...hehe.
A future possibility is we have a sister band outside St. Louis that will tour the Chicago-Metropolitan area this August-September. I joined them on a 12-dayer in March and am trying to convince their Principal & commander/conductor to invite me back for that tour and program the Mendelsohn Concertpiece #2; my band has a decent concert band arrangement of it and they have a basset clarinet. If you don't mind me asking, are you a Chicago native and studied there? An orchestra player? Even today, I'm convinced
some of the best clarinet players in the industry (not me) come out of the Northwestern, NIU, U of I, Depaul and Roosevelt music programs.
Thx once again for your encouragement and response; the absolute best to you! <:-)
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