 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2010-03-14 01:12
Hi Folks:
I love Paquito and we're friends, having played together more than once. His version of the old Mozart Concert is brilliant and awesome...what's your take on this YouTube clip?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z43lnq9chF4
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
Post Edited (2010-03-14 01:30)
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2010-03-14 01:24
I like it.
I am going to use this version for my next audition esp the part from the 4th horn concerto.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2010-03-14 07:37
Love his playing. Can't really dig what he did to the piece though.
Man, some of those orchestral musicians look BORED! Time to change jobs?
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Author: DougR
Date: 2010-03-14 13:46
Paquito did the same piece, in a somewhat similar fashion, when he was a young lion playing with the Cuban band Irakere, back in the 70s, when they were high-energy, virtuoso-driven Latin band out to conquer the world. Back then he did it on soprano sax, and it's interesting to compare the old "young" Paquito and the recent "older" version. Far as I'm concerned the guy's a national treasure, and on clarinet, he can do what he wants to whomever he wants, including Mr. Mozart.
Link: (you have to scroll ahead to around 4:30, and no, there's no live video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPcjUg894EQ
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Author: DougR
Date: 2010-03-14 13:52
sorry folks, have not yet mastered the art of the "hot" URL link. (hmm, nothing in Baermann about that...)
Post Edited (2010-03-14 13:53)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-03-14 16:04
A wonderfully imaginative interpretation. I smile, imagining my old music master's reaction to it were he still with us. Does anybody know what clarinet he's playing?
Tony F.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-03-14 16:45
Very fine and interesting for clarinetists The violinists didn't much care for it, though. Watch the concertmaster and the bald guy roll their eyes at 3:11 - 3:19.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2010-03-14 16:59
>>The violinists didn't much care for it, though. Watch the concertmaster and the bald guy roll their eyes at 3:11 - 3:19.
>>
I'm curious to know what people think of this behavior. I think it looks unprofessional and downright tacky. If I were a soloist, I think I'd probably fear to do anything but ignore the insult and keep my mouth shut, rather than antagonize musicians already ill-disposed toward me, but if I were the conductor or the producer and somebody behaved that way during a performance, I'd have a word or six to say in private with the offenders and I'd make a general announcement about what constitutes professional behavior to the ensemble as well (without singling anyone out in front of everyone else). If we're part of an ensemble performing in public, then it seems to me that we're supposed to stay in character, not break the fourth wall by taking off the performer hat and putting on the music critic hat in the middle of a piece.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-03-14 19:43
I rather like it.
The funny thing is that I have always thought of the chromatic bassline in this movement as being sort of gospel- or hymn-like. It really didn't take a whole lot for Paquito to give this piece a jazzy gospel sort of flavor. All the basic ingredients of a gospel tune were already there as Mozart wrote it--call and answer, upward-moving chord progressions, chromatic basslines, etc. All that was required, really, was a change of performance context (and a great performer to pull it off, of course).
As Elton John said with regard to songwriting, "When in doubt, write a hymn. If you want a poignant song that will touch people, I mean, there's nothing more poignant sometimes as a hymn." (From "His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John" by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal, p. 133).
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Author: William
Date: 2010-03-15 14:54
I thought that this jazz rendering was a bit "irreverant"--but, at the same time, I was quite impressed by his remarkable clarinet skill. I did send a link of the vid to our local univerisity professor of clarinet who has, in the past, described Paquito as "Amaaaaazing"--she simply responded, "interesting". Thanks, JJM.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-03-15 16:57
William wrote:
Quote:
I thought that this jazz rendering was a bit "irreverant"--but, at the same time, I was quite impressed by his remarkable clarinet skill.
Irreverent? This IS, after all, the same Mozart who wrote "A Musical Joke" (K.522), ostensibly to make fun of his musical contemporaries.
If this was "irreverent," Mozart had it coming to him. 
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2010-03-15 19:55
Sorry, but how to destroy a lovely piece of Mozart music.
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Author: dmfett
Date: 2010-03-19 16:41
Is there music for sale of this arrangement, or is this just made up by him and not in in print...would love to learn this fun arrangement of Mozart's music...
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Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2010-03-19 17:46
I think it is much easier to pull of something like this than to do the mozart concerto as written. The expectations become much different.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-03-19 18:11
If difficulty were the sole measure of the worth of a performance, then we'd be listening to nothing but Nielsen and Corigliano all day long, eh?
Plus, jazz audiences tend to be more (how can I say this diplomatically?) tolerant, open-minded, and receptive to new approaches than classical listeners. I realize this is a gross generalization, but it's what I've observed and experienced as a listener and player of both genres.
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Author: redwine
Date: 2010-03-19 19:06
Hello,
Thanks for pointing this video out!
For everyone that criticizes this, you do have to agree that he sounds great doing it, whether you like it or not.
Really, he has just done what a "jazzer" will do--take a popular tune, improvise to it and make it his own.
Paquito is definitely one of the best jazz clarinetists (and saxophonists) alive today and a living legend.
So, for the musicians in the background, I wonder if people might be misinterpreting their reactions. I will be the first to agree that it looks as if they might be rolling their eyes, but maybe the expressions are instead expressions of amazement or bewilderment as to what he is doing. Like I said, I don't know. I'm certain I've been guilty of sitting on stage while not playing and showing an inappropriate facial gesture or looking bored. If nothing else, the video is good to make you think about how your on-stage demeanor could be interpreted by an audience member (or youtube viewer!).
I look forward to more Paquito being irreverant or reverant, depending upon how one looks at it!
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: DougR
Date: 2010-03-20 14:10
As I pointed out further upthread, Paquito did the Adagio on soprano sax in pretty much the same arrangement when he was with the Cuban band Irakere.
Their first album for Columbia Records is a non-stop dazzle, especially Paquito, Arturo Sandoval (tpt) and Chucho Valdez (piano). Afro-Cuban jazz, funk, salsa, high-energy virtuosic solos, it's all there. Never made it to CD as far as I know, but probably can be found out there on..I don't know...SOME internet auction site or other. (For those of you with facilities to play "vinyl", that is!)
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Author: redwine
Date: 2010-03-20 15:19
Hello,
I do have that Irakere album on cd, so it is (or was available). If anyone wants info about the cd, I'll dig it out and can give id info. Cheers.
P.S. You may want to contact me directly if you want the info, as I only check this forum periodically.
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: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2010-03-20 15:40
I love it!! Who says Mozart has to be "correct" and stodgy, black-tie stuff all the time? I don't think Mozart himself would have had a problem with this - just my opinion.
There are CDs of Paquito and his Trio - I have one of them. At the Kansas City ClarinetFest he was in the audience when Luis Rossi and his quintet played Paquito's compositions. He was gracious enough to say that he thought Luis played it better than it was composed. We also attended the concert on Thursday (?) evening when he played... lots of fun! Hope he's at Austin, Texas this July.
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Author: skennedy
Date: 2010-03-20 16:56
I have never heard Paquito play anything before, but I think his rendition of Mozart's adagio ranks up there with the best musical interpretations of Spike Jones. I am sure Gypsy Rose Lee would recognize the style and immediately launch into an equally artistic physical interpretation of the music.
Word!
Post Edited (2010-03-21 03:23)
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