 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-07-29 17:49
Cecilia Bartoli's concert performance of Parto, Parto from Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito is on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4mv-aE2cvQ&mode=related&search=.
She's amazing, with perfect coloratura and excellent projection of the text and emotions.
The poorly miked clarinet obbligato is technically perfect, but that's all. The player (whom I don't recognize) adjusts only slightly to Bartoli's delivery. A really good player would instantly match her nuances and emotional temperature. That's what making music making is about.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-07-29 18:36
I remember the 1st time I heard Cecilia sing on the radio. Bought a CD the same day - seldom do I made impulse buys such as that (hearing Dawn Upshaw singing the Gorecki was another ...).
Never regretted that buy, and have turned other people on to her by letting them hear her on my MP3.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sherman
Date: 2007-07-30 16:28
Nobody can denigrate this worldly soprano, even though it was a bit sharp, however the clarinetist was given absolutely no opportunity to play what is an equal part. Having played this aria many times, I was always asked to stand beside the soprano and therefore feel somewhat thwarted for the poor clarinetist. It is an equal part, but his diffidence is, I feel the part of the conductor, as usual the leader of the world. For starters, having the clarinetist almost off-stage is an unforgivable musical omission.
Incidentally for those who have not and are looking, this is a really fine piece to play on a recital. Piano does just fine. This orchestra and the conductor conducted as if it were Zarathustra.
Sherman Friedland
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: DougR
Date: 2007-07-31 01:21
Hi all. I'm really glad to have seen this clip, and appreciate the comments. It seemed to me that the clarinetist did indeed kind of "phone it in," but then I figured he was taking his lead from the conductor, rather than from Ms. Bartoli.
So, I have a question or two: is it common performance practice with "Parto, Parto" for clarinetist and singer to stand downstage next to each other? (I'm taking Mr. Friedland's post to indicate that it is.) In that situation, is the clarinetist's principal focus the conductor, or the singer--or some combination of the two?
Likewise, if you're supplying your obbligato from the back of the orchestra, is your principal focus on the conductor, or the singer?
Finally, if you're jobbed in to do "Parto, Parto," at the first rehearsal, do you automatically drag your stand up to the front of the stage next to the singer, or do you lurk in the clarinet section unless told otherwise?
(These may be no-brainers to people with a lot of orchestral experience, but that wouldn't include me, obviously.)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sherman
Date: 2007-07-31 02:27
DougR:
Certainly it is not a "no-brainer", but since the two parts work together it would be normal for the conductor to move the clarinetist to the front with the Soprano, or perhaps immediately behind her. One can only assume that the conductor wanted no focus on the clarinetist, or perhaps nothing to detract from the Soprano, Ms Bartoli. As far as the first rehearsal is concerned, all instructions would normally come from the conductor. The performance would have been much clearer had the clarinetist been heard equally with Ms Bartoli. The Aria is in two sections as are many, the first (Adagio) being equally shared between soprano and clarinet, followed by an Allegro in which the clarinetist plays triplets in harmony with the Soprano and a partial Alberti accompaniment to the allegro conclusion.
Sherman Friedland
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
