 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2007-05-04 23:59
I searched the archives and was unable to find anything specific to the clarinet 1 or 2 part for Brigadoon. I know there are people here who have had experience with it - would you share your opinions?
I have been asked to play the clarinet part (undetermined whether it will be 1 or 2 at this time...) and would like to know ahead of time what I'm getting into. Pitfalls in the music, the good and the bad ... anything?
Thanks folks! I always appreciate the insight of experienced players here.
Michelle
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-05-05 01:15
"So Many Years Ago" [as in Pinafore,I believe}, I played Brig, about all I recall was the oboe/bassoon duet simulating a bagpipe, much fun. Some of our Musicals experts, J Moses, GBK come to mind can give you a rundown on parts and doubling needed. I sorta believe the oboe part was in my clar [1st?] book . I presume you also tried a Google search? Others, HELP. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2007-05-05 02:12
BRIGADOON is a very enjoyable show to play, not particularly difficult, but it has some challenging moments.
Here's the way the BRIGADOON books are setup for the woodwinds on Broadway:
Brigadoon
Reed 1: Piccolo, flute
Reed 2: Oboe
Reed 3: Clarinet
Reed 4: Clarinet
Reed 5: Bassoon
More info from Tams-Witmark Misic Library:
AVAILABLE ORCHESTRATIONS
Full Orchestration
2 Violin I
1 Violin II
1 Viola
1 Cello
1 Bass
1 Flute - Piccolo
1 Oboe
1 Clarinet I
1 Clarinet II
1 Bassoon
1 Horn
1 Trumpets I & II
1 Trumpet III
1 Trombone
1 Percussion:
* Timpani (2 Drums)
* Snare Drum (Brushes & Sticks)
* Bass Drum
* Field Drum
* Tom Tom
* Cymbals
* Glockenspiel
* Chimes
* Temple Blocks
1 Piano & Celeste (Piano-Conductor's Score sent with rehearsal material)
Also available, at an additional charge: Full Orchestra Score (Partitur) in 3 volumes.
Theatre Pit Band
1 Flutes I & II
1 Oboes I & II
1 Clarinet I
1 Clarinet II
1 Clarinet III
1 Alto Clarinet
1 Bass Clarinet
1 Bassoons I & II
1 Alto Saxophone I
1 Alto Saxophone II
1 Tenor Saxophone
1 Baritone Saxophone
1 Horns I & II
1 Horns III & IV
1 Trumpet I
1 Trumpet II
1 Trumpet III
1 Trombone I
1 Trombone II
1 Trombone III
1 Euphonium
1 Tuba
1 String Bass
1 Timpani
1 Percussion
Piano-Conductor's Score sent with rehearsal material.
(Bagpipes ad lib., or Pit Orchestra parts)
(Saxes are optional if all other Reeds are used)
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: rc004e
Date: 2007-05-05 04:46
I had the good fortune of playing the 2nd clarinet part to Brigadoon a couple of years ago with TUTS in Houston and I loved it. I played the full orchestration. The first clarinet part is busy. It had a couple of nice little solos. There is a noodley triplet section in E major that happens 2 or 3 times. The second clarinet has some of this as well. Look at it before the first rehearsal! Hopefully you will have a good bagpipe player.as well. We had this world champion piper. I never knew that the bagpipes could sound so beautiful. I hope that you have fun with it.
RC
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2007-05-05 04:54
We're using a full orchestra and a pro bagpiper. It will be the first show I've done where I don't have to lug two or three instruments around! That will be a nice change.
Thanks for the responses so far... any more comments on Clar I or Clar II?
Michelle
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2007-05-06 01:49
Having played this show last year i can tell you that it's all mostly in the written key of B or F# major (reading on the clarinet parts). Hardly any solos for the first and there are two parts as i had to add when able to in the show. Be prepared as it long and IMHO not very interesting. The piper we had was the worst piper i've heard in a long while and his drummer couldn't keep time! Enjoy it for what it is but don't expect anything from it apart from playing in sharp keys.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-05-07 04:21
One of the charming things about playing in pit orchestras is that you are forced to deal with extreme keys. If you want to deal with everything in easy keys, you should probably be looking for an opening in a nice praise band, or somewhere else where guitar players have more weight in the music making decisions.
(I just finished The Music Man today, and it has several instances of five and six sharps, plus one of six flats and one in the horrendous key of seven sharps (and a minor mode at that). After an hour or so of that, A major starts to look pretty good.)
If the show is typical for the period (the great days of the "classic Broadway shows" like South Pacific, Carousel, Sound of Music, and so forth), you need to steel yourself against a lot of classic harmony voicing. Some may enjoy this, but I find it boring to the extreme. (It also seems to be typical for Gilbert and Sullivan stuff.)
If you come from an orchestral background, you should do just fine. From a band or jazz background, you may find yourself wondering why you are there if the pay is not really good.
It's a charming enough story, with nostalgic music perhaps, but certainly not a "modern" (or even "semi-modern") show. I always try to dodge these, figuring that I've paid my dues with multiple productions of Sound of Music and Carousel.
In particular, Carousel drove me near nuts, what with the unrelenting harmony use and the dismal tale that went along with it. Instead of "musical comedy", it is a lot more like "musical tragedy".
(Incidentally, "musical comedy" when using the French usage of "comedy" is more like any play involving music. So, maybe Messieurs R & H weren't too far off the mark...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2007-05-07 13:44
I played BRIGADOON on Broaway many years ago. It was a good work-out, not too long, met some really great players, got good pay & benefits. All around a good gig.
Do I think you'll enjoy playing one of the Clarinet parts for your production of BRIGADOON? Only if you look for the good in everything you do...
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2007-05-08 00:01
Funny, I have fond memories of playing Carousel in High School. I suppose that's the blessing of age - it is now a fond memory, as is My Fair Lady from the same era
Thanks for the comments. I come from a mainly band background, but have done enough shows to be respectful of the key signatures. It's not my most favorite thing, playing in 6 sharps, but it has been done before. It's low pay but it will be fun, for the experience and for playing locally with a group I enjoy.
Thanks again for the comments!
Michelle
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2007-05-08 03:16
Golly, I loved Carousel as a kid 50 years ago, played it in high school, acted some bit parts 10 years later in college, and now have the video and still love it. I loved My Fair Lady, too, and it doesn't have anything like Carousel's "You'll Never Walk Alone" ending to make me cry. Eu
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