 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: otakua
Date: 2009-05-18 03:54
Hello. I am a 12th grader auditioning next year for several B.Mus programs and different schools. My first question is probably answered somewhere... because I have read some posts (but its hard to navigate this site...)
The timeless questions regarding Copland Concerto and Poulenc Sonata: editions etc.
Well I have a copy of both and I'm just wondering if you could tell me which versions they are (I know thats a stupid question, but o well) and possibly more about them.
The Copland one SAYS for Clarinet and String Orchestra (with Harp and Piano) but also says Arranged for Clarinet and Piano by the Composer. However, the score is clarinet and piano, but the clarinet part has like... violin and harp cues. so um.. ya what edition/version is this exactly (these are actually from the library) its Boosey and Hawkes btw, and it must be pretty old since the price says 3.75 canadian. It says copyright 1950. And the oldest library date is may 27, 1969
As for the Poulenc Sonata, it is J. & W. Chester, Ltd. library dates it to june 9, 1966. and the copyright is 1963.... which is funny because under his name, the date 1962 is there (did he die then?) Thats about all i can say.
On another note. I plan on doing the Poulenc Sonata, and Im just wondering about people's oppinions on audition pieces. What are good ones and such. I love the Copland but its a bit hard for me. I also have copies of Weber's Concertino and Concerto no. 2. as well as Sonata by Saint Saens, and Solo de Concours by Rabaud. What do you guys think about those pieces? any suggestions for my audition? What should I focus on? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
PS. a TOTALLY unrelated question. At school I also play Eb clarinet and the box says Linton. What brand is that, and how old do you think this rusty thing could be (it looks pretty old, apparently my keyboard teacher played it when he went here)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-05-18 04:07
A suggestion is to take a lesson with the teacher for where you want to attend. That way you really will get a basic idea what he/she is like to work with and how your style of learning fits in. One lesson isn't much, but you can tell a lot with it. Also you can get a feel for what pieces they like to use and hear.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: otakua
Date: 2009-05-18 04:26
ya i was thinking about that, there is a teacher who does the music education program, and thats what i want to do as well, but unfortunatly (i mean this seriously) i live in poverty so its alot for me to pay for one lesson. LOL im trying to get a job right now, but its hard.
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Author: marshall
Date: 2009-05-18 04:44
If you can play the Poulenc sonata cleanly, it's a very good audition piece for an undergraduate program. When I was auditioning for schools, I took a few lessons with Dan Gilbert and he said that he would like to hear that from me.
Saint-Saens is also a good piece. The fourth movement is a VERY good display of technical ability, the first and third are great for phrasing (along with a couple of technical passages in the first), and the second movement is a fantastic display of the understanding of French music.
Personally, I think Weber 2 is at least as tough as Copland (especially the last page of the third movement), but if you can play it well it'd make a fantastic audition piece.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2009-05-18 04:46
Linton is a privately owned woodwind manufacturer in Elkhart, Indiana. For the most part, they are known for double reed instruments, in particular oboes. While they have made professional models, they appear to focus primarily on a student line. I don't know whether they are currently manufacturing bassoons or not.
From around 1960 to 1972, they decided to expand their line to include clarinets. I expect your Eb was made during that period. If you have a Linton clarinet, it should be marked on each section of the instrument as well as the case. AFAIK, Linton never actually manufactured clarinets (or, at least, wood clarinets) though they may have assembled them. The ones I've seen are marked (something like) Paris/USA. The Eb's were actually manufactured for Linton by Malerne, a French company. (The name for a clarinet that bears a different name than its manufacturer's is a "stencil.") I happen to have a "Linton" Eb that I keep as a backup. It's not a bad clarinet -- worth taking care of.
The solo part to your Copland concerto is intended for use either with orchestra or piano. That's the reason for the orchestral instrument cues. The "piano reduction" really refers to the accompaniment, rather than the solo part.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-05-18 06:16
We had a discussion about Poulenc editions a few months ago:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=285364&t=285332
Looks like what you have is the first edition published. There are subsequent 1973, 2000, and 2006 editions. All of them (including the one you have) were published after Poulenc's death (this was the next-to-last piece he wrote before he died).
As far as I know, there is only one *published* edition (w/ piano reduction) of the Copland Concerto, which is the one you have. If you were going to perform this piece with an orchestra, you'd want violin cues, etc., so they are included on the solo part that comes with the piano reduction. (The idea is that you or I will buy the piano reduction version to learn the piece, then if we're going to play it with an orchestra, the orchestra rents the orchestral parts from the publisher.) In fact, if you pull out the piano reduction and look carefully, some of the orchestral tutti sections include an additional line for orchestra parts the piano does not play in the reduction.
If memory serves, this piece (Copland) went out of print for a while, but it's definitely back in print now.
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Author: William
Date: 2009-05-18 14:39
I noticed that you did not include the Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A in the listing of clarinet works you own. Being the premier requirement for most clarinet auditions, I would recommend you add this to your library and start learning it immediantly--expecially the 1st movement. Of the choices you did list, I like the Poulanc Sonata best. It gives you a good chance to "show off" your techical and musical skills and, if done well, will impress any auditioner.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2009-05-18 15:28
The 2006 edition of the Poulenc is only trivially different from the older editions. Some dynamic markings are formally written (in parenthesis); and almost all of them would be subject to your playing interpretation anyway.
The thread cited by mrn seems to have the complete scoop.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2009-05-18 15:37
otakua -
Your audition solos will be important, but much more important will be the basics -- scales and arpeggios. You simply *must* come in prepared to play them accurately and evenly.
Have every possible scale under your fingers, through 7 sharps and flats and in the melodic and harmonic minor, plus arpeggios, 7th chords, diminished 7ths, whole tone scales and the chromatic scale. The 2-page exercise on scales in thirds from the Klose method should be part of your daily routine.
This audition will determine important matters for the rest of your life. Therefore, you should be devoting your very best time -- the first 10-15 minutes of every practice session -- to Part 3 of the Baermann Method, working with a metronome set at a tempo slow enough that you can play an exercise without any error or unevenness. With the extreme keys, this will mean setting the metronome to 40 beats per minute and playing one note per beat to engrave the patterns of finger movement into your muscle memory. See http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=269841&t=269698.
At the audition, accuracy and evenness are much more important than speed. Particularly on scales, play about 10% slower than your best possible speed. If the judge wants it faster he/she will ask for it, and you'll have the advantage of having just played it through.
Similarly in the solo pieces, rhythmic evenness is more important than speed.
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The Copland Concerto was written for Benny Goodman, so you should listen to recordings by players who have both a classical and a jazz background. The first choice is of course Goodman himself. Try to reproduce the very easy, "floating" tone he has at the beginning, and also the slight "swing" effect he uses from time to time, particularly in the cadenza and the slow section in the last movement over the "snap" bass accompaniment. It's difficult to get just the right balance.
Other players with a combined jazz and classical background are Gary Gray, William Blount and Richard Stoltzman, all of whom have made outstanding recordings.
I'd say use the Poulenc edition you have, which is the older version. Almost of the players who have recorded the piece have used it, and you won't go wrong with it. Listen to a recording by a French player -- Boutard on a Nonesuch LP, if you can find it, or Portal http://www.amazon.com/Poulenc-Chamber-Music-Francis/dp/B0000041UL/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1242657484&sr=8-21.
You need to absorb the rather dry, witty French tone production and playing style. The piece is quite difficult to play at the necessary tempo. It doesn't work at all at a slow speed. Frankly, if the Copland is difficult for you, I'd pass on the Poulenc. and play Weber.
I recommend my posting on the Weber Concertino at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=20&i=270&t=259 and Weber #2 at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=2985&t=2883.
Have the Mozart Concerto prepared. You will almost certainly be asked to play at least the opening solo of the first movement.
Get step ahead of other auditioners by preparing the basic orchestral solos, including the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream and the Beethoven 6th. See Mark Nuccio's master class presentation at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=20&i=757&t=757 and, in general, http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=166268&t=166178.
Good luck. Let us know how the audition goes.
Ken Shaw
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Author: otakua
Date: 2009-05-18 16:21
MARSHAL: lol, I have the Weber 2 only because my friend played the Alla Polaca at UofT at our schools "Solo Concert" (I played Eb Clarinet in the band arrangement) And our teacher gave it all to us, as in, he gave each of the clarinets a copy of the whole concerto.
JACK KISSINGER: Ya, my Eb says Linton USA I believe (its at school, i refuse to practice any more for my "Molly On The Shore" test) Thanks for the info.
MRN, BOB PHILLIPS: Thanks for that information, Im just a really curious person ^^
WILLIAM: Thank you for the advice on the Mozart. Actually, I may have the "Adagio" but because it is somewhat "standard" I would like to stay away from it. Most of the schools (I live in Ontario) dont have a set list, for example: University of Toronto (UofT) only says 2 contrasting movements of a Sonata or Concerto, 1 20th century work and like.. 2 contrasting etudes i believe.
KEN SHAW: Yes, indeed I know my scales, 3rds, and arpeggios. I dont own the klose book, but i took it out a few weeks ago and scanned some pages, mainly the mechanical exercises and such. I own the very typical Scales and Arpeggios book by Theaker (i think) as well as the Selected Studies by H. Voxman, I prefere the scales in there. Thank you for the advice about the Baermann Method. I will look for that book. Thanks as well, for the advice for scales in auditions, I think that would come naturally because when I do tests in school, I do them slower (mainly out of nervousness, and fear of getting lower than a 95). I have listened to the Stoltzman recording, I will look for the others. Thanks for all the other advice, but Im going to stick with the Poulenc for now, Copland is hard, but mainly just the cadenza, but honestly I cant really talk about it since I have only played it a few times and havent REALLY worked on it.
Thanks for all the advice and tips and information. You guys are great.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-05-18 17:49
otakua wrote:
> Thanks for all the other advice, but Im going
> to stick with the Poulenc for now, Copland is hard, but mainly
> just the cadenza, but honestly I cant really talk about it
> since I have only played it a few times and havent REALLY
> worked on it.
I learned Poulenc first, then Weber 2, then Copland.
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