 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mankan
Date: 2007-04-19 21:17
Tonight I heard, and saw, Martin Fröst in the concert hall of Örebro in Sweden. It was an amazing and spectacular musicial experience. Martin played a newly written concert for clarinet by swedish composer Sven David Sandström, "Marche Funebre", with the soloist both playing and doing recital of a poem by Gunnar Ekelöf. He also performed a DVD-video-duet with himself projected in the background on the stage.
Fantastic.
If you havent visited Martin Frösts officicial homepage, you should. There are some amazing videos.
http://www.martinfrost.se/home.asp
Magnus Börjesson
Örebro, Sweden
mankan
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-04-19 21:43
I am generally old school in my preferences towards style - my favorite is Harold Wright, for example.
I will say, Martin Frost is truly a unique talent and in a few years will probably reach legendary status for his contribution to 21st century clarinetistry. He seperates himself from a pack of other technically well-trained clarinetists of his generation, by his unique perspective on art as a whole. He attempts to unite music, dance, comedy and all arts into a cohesive framework - suceeding sometimes - sometimes not, but he is always interesting and leaves you waiting for what he will do next!
We need more of him in the states.
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2007-04-19 23:36
Yeah but have you heard his Copland? Unconventional in places, and not in the good way.
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Author: energia eolica
Date: 2007-04-20 02:12
Morrigan, who cares? You hear one recording and dismiss him? And on the grounds of being unconventional? Please, do record this in the future so we can know how it should sound.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2007-04-20 03:16
Here goes another vote for Martin Frost. His recording of standard repertoire, I especially like his latest Brahms recording, are all commendable, and his unique ability to dance, act and play at the same time make for some fantastic performances. I hope to see him live one day
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-04-20 04:34
Quote:
Yeah but have you heard his Copland? Unconventional in places, and not in the good way.
Martin Frost contributions extend way beyond the recording of traditional rep. I haven't heard Mr. Frost perform standard rep outside of the Mozart, so I have no working knowledge of his Copland or Brahms. But the truth is, there are many highly trained clarinetists out there who can and do perform the Copland and Brahms - why do we need more of that?
Now - find me another clarinetist who can play God knows what while doing back crossovers on quad-wheelers. Of course, Mr. Frost long term contributions will be based on works commissioned by him or on his behalf. I'm more interested in what Mr. Frost does better than anyone else instead of his recordings of rep everyone else has already recorded.
Post Edited (2007-04-20 04:36)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-04-20 06:11
I've never heard of Martin Frost until I accidently saw him on YouTube. The little that I heard from him was great, and I thought he was very high level musicain and had interesting ideas.
"Yeah but have you heard his Copland? Unconventional in places, and not in the good way."
This is good for learning if you can explain to yourself specifically what you liked and didn't like and learn, even more globally (i.e. for any music) the ideas of why you thought it was bad, but I don't think this makes other things he has made worth any less. I think it is good that at least some people are doing more experimental things and trying to create new music and ideas.
"But the truth is, there are many highly trained clarinetists out there who can and do perform the Copland and Brahms - why do we need more of that?"
I can understand this, but who is "we"? I mean, musicians don't play one thing or another because "we" need them to. Every person chooses what to play and what music to make, mostly because of their own personality. Some players like and feel better staying in tradition. Some players want to perform for an audience and to play with others but are not interested at all in actually creating their own music. Some have music iceas of their own they are trying to create, which sometimes will be very experimental. Etc. etc. Just different approaches by people with different personalities and ideas. So IMO "we" don't need more or less of one thing or the other, but take whatever you want from whoever you want.
Personaly when I see a comment like Morrigan's I prefer more specific explaination about what was wrong with it.
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Author: kev182
Date: 2007-04-21 12:00
I found out about Martin Frost by stumbling upon a link in youtube as well. But I'm glad I did. His Mozart quintet and Concerto and amazing! Schumann played incredibly passionately.
The only thing I really don't like is his Poulenc sonata. It's ridiculous and funny, you guys should check it out.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2007-04-21 15:12
kev182,
I am currently listening to his recording of Poulenc sonata, from his CD French Beauties and Swedish Beasts, and I can't seem to hear what you find so funny about it. There is nothing outrageous about it, his tempo for the last movement is fast but it sounds within the piece's character.
Can you be a little more explicit about your criticicm?
-Sylvain
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2007-08-26 22:11
He is amazing. You always hear something new when listening to him playing the standard repetorie and I specially like his newly released version of the Nielsen concerto. Very cool withouth any disgrace towards the orginal style. And what a fantastic staccato he has. He is always looking forward and never stays in the same place. He might not be my very favourite clarinetists but as a musician he's always moving forward.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2007-08-26 22:47
I also highly enjoy some recordings of Martin Frost, especially in newer works such as the Aho Concerto, which is an amazing performance of a fine work, one wherein extended techniques emphasize musical ideas well. For me, it was that performance that was the best part of the cd, not the Nielsen Concerto, which itself was excellent technically and not a bad interpretation - though I think it (the Nielsen) could be made still more powerful emotionally.
Another cd showing Frost playing modern works in great style is titled Close Ups. There's some really wild things there, and he has great control over his instrument, as evidenced by numerous incredible wails (which I wish I knew how to do) and solid multiphonics. He also seems to have a fast single-tongue staccato and a well developed double-tongue, though I think that which is being used is often audible.
However, a recording I heard of a radio broadcast containing a Brahms sonata rubbed me mildly the wrong way in terms of musical choices. I'm all for varied interpretations if the illuminate something about the music for me, but some spur of the moment choices, such as often occur in good performances, don't come out so well, especially when played back. Worse, sometimes performers do something just to be different, without considering how well it fits into the work and the setting.
I became suspicious of Frost's motives (or possible lack of) after a second hearing, especially some of his varying of dynamics & accents in answering phrases, or of altering articulations - in some cases these seemed to me to undercut the strengths of the passages they were used in.
However, please understand this critique as a flea criticizing a giant. Martin Frost is the most interesting young clarinettist I've been hearing, and I'd love to play anything 1/10th as well as he does.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2007-08-27 00:14
There are plenty of Clarinetists who don't play Copland well - you have to have a good clue of Jazz to play it well. No comment on Frost as I haven't heard him play, but in general the Copland can be played like a technical exercise without a bit of soulfullness.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-08-27 03:04
Quote:
There are plenty of Clarinetists who don't play Copland well - you have to have a good clue of Jazz to play it well. No comment on Frost as I haven't heard him play, but in general the Copland can be played like a technical exercise without a bit of soulfullness.
I'm of the school of thought that while the Copland Concerto is certainly influenced by jazz, it is not jazz.
I have heard more Clarinetists who play it too free (for my liking) than play it too straight. Actually, my two peeves with most clarinetist who play it are 1.) The first section is played way too slow and 2.) The cadenza is played way too fast without much regard for phrasing and thought behind why Copland placed those accents where he did.
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Author: redwine
Date: 2007-08-27 13:38
Hello,
I have a Copland concerto part that has Copland's notes in the margins (my teacher performed it several times with Copland conducting). In a couple of places, he writes "jazz!", in other parts, he writes "straight". As Duke Ellington said "there are only two kind of music; good and bad". Who cares if there is jazz or if there is not jazz in a piece of music?: the Copland Concerto is great music!
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2007-08-27 18:00
Frost leaves me a bit cold...alot of great technique but at times at the expense of tone.
I have listened to alot of clarinet players but find him to be a bit lacking in depth of feeling...
However, maybe he is the new flavour of the week.
David Dow
Post Edited (2007-08-27 18:02)
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Author: elmo lewis
Date: 2007-08-29 00:06
Mr. Redwine, could you please specify exactly the places where Copland wanted jazz and straight playing, perhaps in a new thread. Thanks.
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Author: graham
Date: 2007-08-29 12:34
Martin Frost is more than a "flavour of the week". I have two CDs of his (Brahms and Pendereski) and have heard him live twice at different venues, once doing a modern concerto and the other doing modern and classical chamber music. He is one of the great clarinet figures of our times. There is nothing merely "good" about him.
It is true that not everything is brilliant. His Kegelstatt left me fairly cold, but then so do most recordings of that work (e.g. Thurston, Pay, Brymer). What he does well is on an exhalted level.
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Author: Danny Boy
Date: 2007-08-29 19:50
Elmo said:
"Mr. Redwine, could you please specify exactly the places where Copland wanted jazz and straight playing, perhaps in a new thread. Thanks."
Amen and yes please. Is there anyway we can see this part?
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Author: Bill
Date: 2007-09-08 20:41
Just discovered Martin Frost. I have to say he has provided an inspiration I've been lacking the last year or so. His soft palying reminds me of Wright. So expressive. Where have I been not to have known of him?
And, yeah, looks like a movie star.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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