 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Meredith
Date: 1999-03-12 23:06
I have started working on Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. In your opinion, on a scale of 1-10 (one is the easiest, 10 is the hardest) how hard would you say this piece is? Also, what are some of your opinions in general about it??? Thanks.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-03-13 02:36
Meredith wrote:
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I have started working on Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. In your opinion, on a scale of 1-10 (one is the easiest, 10 is the hardest) how hard would you say this piece is? Also, what are some of your opinions in general about it???
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Technical: 5
Musicality: 10
This is one of the top pieces in the clarinet repertoire. Anyone playing it is instantly compared to [name your favorite performer], mostly to the player's detriment.
It is a required piece for just about any college audition, at least undergrad, and is <b>much</b> harder to play well than the technical requirements would lead you to believe.
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Author: Ray Swing
Date: 1999-03-13 15:59
Mozart Op. 107, K.622 (W1668) (in B flat for a B flat clarinet, arranged by Simeon Bellison)
So you may judge my opinion on the degree of difficulty for me, I consider myself a good Amateur with 3-4K hours playing time. I would rate the Mozart at a 6 or 7 level technically and an 8/9 Musically. There are two areas which give me some degree of difficulty. These are smoothly tonguing certain sections in the Rondo as all the pros do which are shown as slurred in the version I use and maintaining good breath control in a couple of sections. Musically, of course it is excellent, being both a pleasure to play and listen to. However, I personally rate the Weber #2, Op. 74 (W1709) over the Mozart in both categories.
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Author: ted
Date: 1999-03-13 23:34
The Mozart concerto is arguably the best concerto for any wind instrument. If it is the best clarinet concerto, the two Weber concerti would be a close second in my opinion.
Technically It's about a seven when only considering the pieces I've played. I've found Weber's concerto #2, Debussy's Premiere Rhapsody, Rossini's Into Theme and Variations to be more difficult each in its own way. There are other pieces that I've seen that I haven't attempted yet that appear to be much harder than the ones I've mentioned: Franceaux's (I probably spelled it wrong)and Neilson's concertos to name two.
Since it is so beautifully written when combined with orchestra, I don't think it's as difficult to play musically as some "lesser" pieces. But so far I see I'm in the minority with that comment.
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Author: Sam
Date: 1999-03-15 21:52
I would have to say that the Mozart Concerto has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of clarinet literature ever written. I would say technically it is at about a 5 or 6 and musicallly a 10.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-03-16 21:33
I haven't played it, and I probably never will. I recently heard it on classical radio. An absolutely wonderful piece. Very artistic. Rated as one of Mozart's very best works. Written specifically for the clarinet. A model for hackers like me to try to follow and dream about for the rest of our lives.
I'm going to search a few discount places to see if I can find a very good CD. Which recordings would you folks recommend?
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-03-17 06:24
How about this technical grading.
1.First movement(6.5)>Last movement(6)>2nd movement(5)
2.First movement needs good 'detache' technique,Third movement needs very semi-staccaoto articulation.The 2nd movement needs very much crescsendo/decrescendo agilty and pitch control of p and f and sostenuto ablity.It needs even change of tone color(change harmonics).
Musically,the 2nd movement is the hardest.Slower the tempo,harder the expression.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-03-17 06:29
Forgot one thing.I do not have A clarinet.But I imagine playing it with A clarinet will be 0.5 point harder,since the tube is longer and needs better air column support.
Playing it on B flat clarinet will make the music duller.
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-03-17 06:31
paul wrote:
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I'm going to search a few discount places to see if I can find a very good CD. Which recordings would you folks recommend?
Practically everyone will recommend the Robert Marcellus recording.
I also like the Sabine Meyer recording on her "Clarinet Connections" cd.
I currently own 7 different recordings of the concerto:
Robert Marcellus
Sabine Meyer
Jaques Lancelot
David Peck
Jost Michals
Alfred Prinz
and David Glazer
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Author: Ray Swing
Date: 1999-03-17 20:53
Daniel, I'd like to hear your opinion as to degree of difficulty of the Mozart and comparison of it to other Concertos you have mentioned from time to time.
Thanks
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-03-22 18:41
As far as Technical difficulty, i would give it between a 4 and a 5.5, depending on the tempos taken. If i were rating it compared to JUST concerti, i would probably give it a little higher, like around 5.5-6.0
As far as musicality i'd give it about a 7 or 8.
And for expression, i'd give it a 9 or thereabouts. Almost anyone can be taught to play something musically. But expression is a whole other ball game.
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Author: Leigh-Anne
Date: 1999-11-24 19:59
I have no other difficult solos that i played to compare it to, but i didn't have that many problems with the peice.
The only thing i couldn't do was that 1 part near the end of the 3rd movement. I had to get a different arrangement and play it down an octave. Its the part where there are 16th notes going over the break. whew! Maybe in a few years i'll be able to play it that way!
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