 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2010-07-12 01:24
My great aunt passed away yesterday, and I'm playing at her funeral service on Thursday. I'd like to play Going Home, the theme from the Largo of the New World Symphony, but I don't have an accompanist and as there is very little time I don't have time to order anything online. Does anyone know of something online that I would be able to play the piece from? I have the English Horn part, and I'd probably be able to piece things together from the score, but I'm really not much of an arranger and I'd like to have something a bit more complete as a solo.
Thanks!
Post Edited (2010-07-12 01:50)
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Author: clariniano
Date: 2010-07-12 01:55
Having played for a few of them, I find a lot of people enjoy the Albinioni Adagio, which an arrangement is in the Paul Harris Music Through Time, book 3. (It's actually on the RCM Grade 4 list here) Meditation from Thais is also good, that's in the Festival Performance Solos, I think volume 2. Spirit Dance from Orpheus is in the Rubank Clarinet Solos, Easy Level.
Why not ask around your family or friends if there is someone who is a good pianist? Maybe they can pay you and the pianist for their time, I know my husband and I usually get $150 for a funeral service.
Meri
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2010-07-12 02:03
Thanks for the suggestion of the Albinoni.
Unfortunately, there aren't any pianists in the family. I'm literally the only musical one- it's kind of a mystery where I got my musical talent!
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-07-12 02:19
If you have the english horn part, the solo pretty much ends itself. I'd just play it from the part. If you have only the score, take it to a copy shop and have the pages enlarged and highlight the english horn part.
You might also play the opening of the slow movement of the Mozart Concerto, and then the final 6 bars to end it. I played the entire movement with piano for my mother's memorial.
Most church choirs will have copies of the Faure Requiem. The Pie Jesu and Libera Me solos work beautifully on clarinet, even without accompaniment.
You're part of the family. People care about your contribution and effort, not perfection. Just stand up and do it.
Ken Shaw
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2010-07-12 02:39
Here's a link I found to the English horn solo: http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/4/4b/IMSLP41075-PMLP08710-Dvorak-Sym9.Oboe.pdf
Even though the English horn is in the key of F, if you want to make things easy, here's what you can do. Just focus on the solo part that starts in bar 7 and continues for the next twelve bars. I'd give the part (exactly as written to a pianist) and transpose the clarinet part up a step (so that you're starting on a D).
Do you know anyone who plays piano, even someone without extensive piano skills? It would be fairly easy for a piano player to improvise a basic chordal accompaniment (with a short intro) on the spot. Any piano player who has a basic knowledge of chords could do it. If you know any music majors who have been through a semester or two of class piano, they could easily do it.
All the best to you and your family at this difficult time.
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Author: awm34
Date: 2010-07-12 03:20
In line with Ken Shaw's suggestion, I also suggest the Adagio of the Mozart Concerto. I played it unaccompanied at services for my sister 2+ years ago and it was well received even though I'm just a fair player at best.
Ken's words about people caring for contribution and effort are right on target.
Alan Messer
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-07-12 04:11
Sometimes simple is best. I think an unaccompanied solo here would be far more effective (particularly in a church's acoustic) than a solo with recorded accompaniment. My recommendation would be that you play the solo unaccompanied off the English horn part. Play from measure 7 through measure 18. If you want to extend it, you can repeat measures 11 through measure 18 or repeat measures 11 through 14 then jump to measure 36 and play measures 36-39. While, as Ken says, the solo ends itself, if you want to close it out like the symphony, you could repeat measure 18 (39) at the end, doubling the time values for each note.
If I were doing it, I would probably put it in an easier key and memorize it/play it by ear. If you do that, I would recommend you not get too high in the clarinet's range (top note no higher than written Bb5).
If you want an accompaniment, you can find midi files of the movement here:
http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/dvorak.html
but you will need music editing software that accepts midi files as input.
Best regards and best of luck,
jnk
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2010-07-12 12:48
Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I think I'm going to go with reading from the english horn part, Pie Jesu from the Faure Requiem, the Mozart, possibly Danny Boy and the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-07-12 15:06
My wife requested that I play the "Irish Tune from County Derry" as her Mom casket was being taken from the church alter and I did it with no accompaniment--more or less, by 'ear'. Many relatives and friends said my clarinet sounded wonderful and the music was quite a *fitting* was to end the funeral service. I think "Going Home" would be equally effective as an unaccompanied solo on your instrument.
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2010-07-12 15:23
Danny Boy, which I mentioned, is essentially the same thing as Irish Tune from County Derry. I'm going to ask my grandfather which one he would prefer.
I played Going Home as a solo with clarinet ensemble several years ago at a funeral, and it was very well received.
Thanks everyone for your kind wishes, as well. The advice about the contribution and effort from Ken Shaw is very helpful; thanks so much.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2010-07-12 20:31
Amazing Grace is appropriate in these kinds of situations. There are so many very calming melodies that are appropriate here. Some of the best are those that people actually recognize and can hum.
Find a basic hymnal from most of the Protestant denominations (or a quick phone call to the local church might get you one). Just play the top melody line in the SATB arrangement (watch the key as some are quite unusual).
HRL
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