 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sarah Elbaz
Date: 2007-02-16 19:25
Paul Ben-Haim wrote three pieces for clarinet.
The best one (and probably one of the best pieces that was written by an Israeli composer) is Three Songs Without Words, for clarinet and piano
(can be played on many other instruments but the best are : voice, clarinet and Cello). Ben Haim and his students came to Israel from Germany in the 30'S and tried to create a new style by using local melodies and musical ideas. This style later got the name the Mediterranean School.
The "Three Songs" is a very typical mediterranean piece.
The first song: Arioso, is a Yemenite melody. The second: Balada, is an Arab
melody and the third : Spanish Song, is a very known Ladino song.
Its a beatiful pieces, and not too difficult. The piano part is very nice too and you need a good pianist to play it. ( about 9 min.)
Pastorale Varie is very different. Its for clarinet, srings and harp. The piano reduction was made by the composer but its not a very good pieces for a recital, because its long (about 18 min.) and quite difficult and it doesn't sound very good with piano. There is only one recording of this piece with piano, it was done 2 years ago by an Israeli clarinetist : Shirley Brill and the pianist Jonathan Aner. I think that this piece sound much better with orchestra.
It is not a Mediteranian style piece, its bassed on Jewish Melodies.
The third piece is the clarinet quintet, and the last movement of this piece is a version of the Pastoral Varie for clarinet and strings.
Sarah
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Author: Olorin
Date: 2007-02-18 05:28
hi,
i was considering doing the pastorale varie, but now i'm not so sure (i wasn't really set on it to begin with, actually). what's differnet about it? is it somewhat atonal, or serialist, or anything interesting like that? also, it wouldn't be possible for you to email the recording that you have, would it?
thanks so much! what are some pieces you would recommend for a recital? i feel like i'm trapped in the standard rep of brahms/mozart/nielsen/weber/debussy/poulenc and such, and can't think of anything new and exciting. i like the hetu concerto, but again with reductions... they aren't particularly good.
erin
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-02-18 06:02
I can recommend the piece Three Songs Without Words which Sarah mentioned. I played it many years ago but remember that it's great and not very difficult. It would be great for a recital. I think Ben Haim is at the highest level of composers and was very original and creative with his own langauge. Probably because of his location he is not as known as other composers.
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Author: Sarah Elbaz
Date: 2007-02-18 16:49
Hi Erin,
There are many good recital pieces:
Lutoslawsky Dance Prelude, Hindemith Sonate, Finzi Bagatells, Messager Solo des concours, and many more.
Talk about it with your teacher!
Good luck,
sarah
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Author: Olorin
Date: 2007-02-18 18:15
hi sarah,
thanks for the recommendations, but i've unfortunately played all of those pieces! i guess that's why i'm trying to work outside of the standard barrel of monkeys and find some new tricks : ). i'm very interested in the three songs without words, though, which will hopefully be a nice contrast to the nielsen concerto, which i've decided to suck up and play for my recital (albeit, a strange 'cut' version... long story).
cheers, and hope the weather is fairer where you are.
erin
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