 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-12-07 19:49
I was working on some orchestral excerpts with a student and apparently had
forgotten how difficult the little 6 measure solo is in "The Gypsy Baron."
Although I've never yet had to perform it in concert (and hoping that day
doesn't come too soon) I'm surprised that this short excerpt isn't asked
more often on auditions.
It seems that the apparent solution is to transpose it and play it on the
A clarinet, or perhaps, better yet, on the C clarinet?
These 6 bars played up to speed on the Bb clarinet have got to rank as one of the nastiest short excerpts in the literature.
Anyone play it recently under concert conditions? ...GBK
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-12-07 21:44
Velly interesting, Glenn, where can we find a copy of it. We've all had "knuckle-busters" in our "careers", I recall a few. I trans'd a bit of a Reed 1 Music Man Shippupi [sp?] part to A cl where it "laid" easier, etc. Is it [the Gyp] just in BAD key [to favor a singer?], across the break or other problems? Curious, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-12-07 21:49
It's J.Strauss which is the problem!
But which is worse (place in order from bad to worst) - J.Strauss, Gilbert&Sullivan or Verdi's 'Aida'?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-12-07 22:38
Ken -
Well, that makes me feel better. At least I'm in good company...GBK
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2006-12-07 23:49
I would assume that Strauss when writing this passage had a German C-clarinet in mind. It has then been transposed for Bb-clarinet in later editions. On a German C-clarinet it’s still somewhat tricky but no where near a French B-flat and if Bellison tried to play it on a German B-flat he would have had problems for sure.
Alphie
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2006-12-08 02:24
I did the Gypsy Baron a few seasons ago...I remember doing it on the A which is still quite difficult to bring off...I cannot imagine it on the Bb clarinet.
David Dow
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-12-08 13:15
Thanks Ken. I can always blame arthritis.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2006-12-08 16:17
Without incurring copyright infringement, would it be possible to post the musical segment in pdf or jpg or other format for us to see?
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2006-12-08 16:32
thanks.......printed it.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-12-08 16:51
Alseg wrote:
> Without incurring copyright infringement, would it be possible
> to post the musical segment in pdf or jpg or other format for
> us to see?
In any case it was written in the late 1800s and copyright has expired a long time back. The only thing nthat can be copyrighted now are extensive editorial changes, and who would want a heavily marked-up piece anyway?
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2006-12-08 16:59
It is indeed a tough lick. It has been on a few audition list I've seen in the past.
My own way of handling this difficult passage, was to play it in all keys, that is, transpose it at sight, to all the keys you can get through. It's, of course, easier in some keys than others, but it's a good exercise. Once you get back to the original key, it "seems" much easier.
Try it: slow, fast, and changing the rhythm also helps, but the key change exercise made it very playable for me. Just my two cents.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-12-08 19:19
To introduce some Heresy, has anyone tried this on Alto cl, a 5th higher, right?, in the lower clarion, in 3 #'s, but only 1 G# needed? Will try it ! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-12-09 13:39
Thanks bob...and landscape print catches all of it.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-12-09 13:45
Many TKS, Bob49t, IMHO, the comparison/choice of "playable" key becomes quite evident, and ?dependent upon the availability of some of the additional keyings [17/7 up to the 19/7] to ease the accidental's fingerings. I'm "in over my head" here, but the C looks best, my Alto cl choice would need the LH Ab/Eb lever prob.. I showed the Bb to a skilled bass cl'ist [Sel V series 37[?]] last nite at our concert, and he played it at modest tempo ! Do we need to vote on our choice ?? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2006-12-09 22:17
No need to vote Don. Just try to avoid it. I must have played it many years ago, but must have had a long coughing fit every night to cover that passage. (Think anyone would suspect anything ?)....because I don't remember it.
I'm after it now though.
Glad it helped.
BobT
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2006-12-09 22:38
Not to be an arrogant jerk (although sometimes I am exactly that), but it doesn't seem too difficult on Bb clarinet if one uses the alternate F# (bottom two side trill keys) whenever possible. Of course, I'm saying that after only having seen the part in print (thanks, bob49t!) without actually playing it...
In our wind symphony we recently played a concert including "Dance Movements" by Philip Sparke which, towards the end of the last movement, has about four lines of sixteenth-note nastiness for bass clarinet and bassoons which, for me anyway, was one of the hardest licks I've ever had to do, worse than the Gypsy Baron lick, IMO.
Still not as bad as Daphnis and Chloe, though......
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2006-12-14 16:39
We (amateur symphonic orchestra) are playing it on our 'new year concert' soon and we're stiil trying to 'toss' who has to play it.
I make it happen sometimes, sometimes it's too much, so it'll depend on 'the moment', and that is actually part of the fun of playing music :-)
My trick ? : very free movement of the left arm, not only the fingers or the wrest, but let's shake the whole arm. It sometimes works ;-) (for me)
Post Edited (2006-12-14 16:42)
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