 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kjeks
Date: 2012-11-20 02:25
Just out of curiosity, what is typical audition material for a second clarinet position? Is it the same as a principal clarinet audition? Is it something completely different? Or is there a little bit of both...
I would imagine that there is a difference, but I don't really see anybody discussing it...
Oh, and is there a difference between the audition material for associate principal and second clarinet? Really though, what is the difference between the two anyway? Doesn't the associate principal usually play second part anyway (along with the Eb part)? Or does he/she play the first part as well...
Actually, is there really any difference in principal auditions and non-principal auditions in terms of the material (besides any other clarinets that the position might require like Eb or bass)?
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-11-20 04:37
Second clarinet auditions consist of the usual principal excerpts, plus, usually, Rhapsodie Espagnol, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, Shost. 10, Fingal's Cave, second part to Midsummer Night's Dream, stuff like that.
In an orchestra that is big enough to have an associate principal, that position is often E flat as well, so, no second excerpts.
There is more difference between what different orchestras are looking for, reflected in the lists, than there is between principal/associate/second lists. Perhaps a principal list might be longer.
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Author: Ron Scholer
Date: 2012-11-20 14:51
Not often, but I've seen 2nd clarinet pieces that are a bit hard, when going back and forth over the breaks, with 3 and 4 sharps and flats.
A list of music is normal for assorted auditions. There shouldn't be any surprises.
BA, MA, MSE, MST
Post Edited (2012-11-21 04:10)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-11-20 16:58
Associate principal plays principal when the principal player doesn't. If the orchestra is large enough to have 3 or 4 clarinetists under full contract, the 2nd clarinet player plays 2nd clarinet. The associate principal only plays first parts and, in most orchestras, Eb if it's needed. He often is also expected to play alto sax. In the Philadelphia Orchestra the 2nd clarinetist (Raoul Querze) usually plays tenor sax if it's needed, but I imagine some orchestras hire outside sax players. The "assistant" 2nd (or 4th) player is usually the bass player.
Karl
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-11-20 20:19
I've never known an orchestra that required a clarinet player to play sax. If they can and want to they will be asked to play if their position can be subed for easily. Our old second player used to play sax and the assistant would then play second. I think all seats in a section require playing first parts at auditions, even a bass audition. When auditioning for second, or bass, sometimes they will ask you to play along with the first player to see how you blend. Because players do rotate at times, the bass player may have to play seconds at times. It is correct, if an orchestra has four players the assistant usually plays Eb and must audition on it. If the orchestra has three players it's usually the second player that plays Eb and will have to prepare first, second and Eb parts. The good news is that orchesrta's always send out lists of what you need to play. Some just give you the pieces and which parts to play while others actually give you the actual passages to play.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2012-11-20 21:13
OK, question to all:
My orchestra is playing Bolero. I'm the principal, the assistant principal actually plays bass parts and the 2nd player just stays on second.
What do you think is a logical way to distribute all the damn clarinet and saxophone parts? I was planning on doing both the Bb and Eb parts as there isn't an assigned Eb player and I'm already playing principal on Symphonie Fantastique.
James Garcia
Bass Clarinet/Clarinet III, Des Moines Symphony Orchestra
Post Edited (2012-11-21 17:03)
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Author: davyd
Date: 2012-11-21 16:18
James: In Bolero, the Eb clarinet solo is the instrument's only entrance in the piece. The part could (at least in theory) be doubled by any of the 3 (1st Bb, 2nd Bb, bass) players, with plenty of time to do the switching.
If for whatever reasons you can't, or don't want to, get additional players for the soprano and tenor saxophone parts: the tenor solo could (again, in theory) be doubled by the bass clarinet player, and the soprano solo (similarly) by either of the Bb players, again with plenty of time to do the switching.
After their solos, the saxophones don't come in again until after the trombone solo, by which time pretty much all the lines are doubled. So if you have to omit the saxophone parts, other than the solos, you wouldn't be missing all that much: some octave doublings and harmony lines, but nothing else soloistic -- provided of course that all the other parts are covered.
I don't know if this counts as "logical". It's based on what's in the score. I've never performed the work in its original form (only in abridged arrangements), and would of course defer to the experts.
Post Edited (2012-11-21 18:26)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-11-24 03:16
Let the second play the Eb part if they can. Have wh ever can play the sax parts play them. They should not be the same players playing the clarinet parts if sax players are available. Many times, we do it with one player doing both sax parts but it's a quick change, they've never missed in my years. The bass comes in right after the second sax solo though it's not an exposed part. As a matter of fact, the bass clarinet part in one of the most boring in the orchestal repertiore. In the Berlioz, the 2nd should play the Eb part too if they can and switch parts with the 1st, who will now play the C part. If the second don't play Eb and you do then just play the parts you both have.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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