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Rossini's Intro. Themes and Variations

Author: Sara
Date: 2001-03-13 02:46

I am about to start this piece with my teacher this Thursday and I was wondering if anybody has any pointers or helpful tips in learning this piece. I've never heard of it, but I talked to some of the people at all state and a lot of them have played it. Is it a popular piece, like the Weber Concertos or the Mozart Concerto? I have little background of the piece at all. is it fairly technicall or mostly flowy and pretty? Thanks a lot!!
Sara

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RE: Rossini's Intro. Themes and Variations

Author: Tim2
Date: 2001-03-13 03:15

I think it is technically demanding. Takes good control of breath and a good tongue.

If you have these, it is very easy to go overboard with this piece of music. The intro part is two pages long and very operatic in style, a recitative, sing it as an opera diva would.

The theme is sort of a jest of who's on the beat, the soloist or the accompanist. It's light hearted and gay and fun to play I think Rosinni is poking fun. The variations follow the tonal structure of the theme but that's about it. This is where the technique is needed (as well as the intro) There is a slower variation before the last variation and the coda at the end. It is the kind of ending where you can go for broke, if you dare.

I have heard a recording of Gervase de Peyer do it in a very straight forward manner. I like that. I also have a recording of Charles Neidich doing it and he really stretches the musical limitations of this piece, schmautzy (sp). My recording of Robert Spring has him playing the end to the high C above high G.

It's really a good piece to have in your arsenal. You will learn lots from it. Enjoy learning it. Listen to what your teacher says about it. Good luck.

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RE: Rossini's Intro. Themes and Variations

Author: Mark Charette, Webmaster
Date: 2001-03-13 03:21

Search for "rossini shaw", on the BBoard to get two fine postings on the Rossini by Ken Shaw.

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RE: Rossini's Intro. Themes and Variations

Author: Gene Wie
Date: 2001-03-13 09:10

Have to pull a quick quote from Ken Shaw's post:

"Listen to The Barber of Seville (there's a great recording on Naxos), and then to Toscanini's recordings of Rossini overtures. Find out how Rossini's phrases work and where he wants you to play "operatically."

So speaking of playing "operatically," we may think that Neidich stretching the musical limitations of this piece, particular in the extremes of sound he creates on his instrument. However, this seems to me to be appropriate to a piece that is much like a solo opera aria.

Operas are not happy little fairly tales where everyone lives happily ever after (a few are). Operas are full of scenes comic and tragic, and entertained audiences with subjects on everything from the romantic to the downright scandalous.

So the IT&V should reflect some of that "roller coaster" emotional expression. =)

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RE: Rossini's Intro. Themes and Variations

Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-03-13 17:52

Sara -

The Rossini is great. It's full of flower, pretty stuff, mixed with technical, showoffy stuff. You need to be able to move back and forth from one to the other.

It's a theme and variations. As Mark says, I've written a couple of things about this subject. The place to start is my piece on the Weber Concertino, which is also a theme and variations. Click on this link:

http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=14529&t=14450.

Then go to the material on the Rossini specifically:

http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=16785&t=16779

and

http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=5371&t=5334.

Rossini was primarily a composer of opera. This means that you have to use a special "operatic" style of playing -- *much* bigger gestures and emotions than you're used to doing. I discuss this in the material on the Weber Concertino and also at:

http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=2553&t=2536.

The Rossini is one of the great fun pieces. You get to be virtuosic, beautiful, sweet and funny all at the same time.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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RE: Michel Arignon of Paris Concervatoir

Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-03-14 04:07

He plays this on a CD. You needs brighter tone.
I do not think this tune demands higher technique. Italian sound, bright as
the sun, is the key. IMHO.

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