 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2013-01-06 11:36
I'm doing this again in June and looking for hints/tips, I went to my Vol 1 Orchestral Excerpts (compiled Robert McGinnis). This is an International Music Company production which I have found useful in the past.... not on this occasion however... although in the index on p43... p43 in my copy does not exist!!
Anyone out there have the last page with Rach 2 on it?
Indeed anyone know of OTHER books to profer advice about this piece?
The Kalman Bloch books that I have do not include it.. there may be more current volumes.
Thanks... Bob T
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2013-01-06 12:57
Thank you saxmad....
However, It's not the PARTS I want... I have these on my OM CDROM Library..
It's the advice from Orchestral Excerpts books that I desire.
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2013-01-06 13:04
Also, listen to several performances of the adagio movement, including Gigliotti, ..
richard smith
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-01-06 13:37
My favourite recording is by the Russian National Orchestra/Mikhail Pletnev on the Deutsche Grammophon label (catalogue no. 439 888-2)
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2013-01-06 13:47
Check out Peter Hadcock 'The Working Clarinetist'. It's my bible!
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Author: kdk
Date: 2013-01-06 14:41
The solo is also included in Bonade's Orchestral Studies for Clarinet. Neither gives you much that's not in the part except that both begin the solo at mf instead of Rachmaninov's p. Bonade gives breath marks, McGinnis doesn't. So, you'd probably get much more by listening to recordings, as the other responders have suggested.
Breath is, of course, one of the problems you have to solve in this passage (as you know from having already played it), but everyone is physically different and various equipment combinations may make it necessary to breath more or less often. My copy of Bonade's excerpt has his breath suggestions, but Gigliotti crossed some of them out and added some of his own when I went through this solo with him. I heard Morales play this (quite beautifully) a few weeks ago and he breathed in still different places. So there's no final authority to be followed.
If you email me privately, I can send you either or both excerpts if you think they'll be helpful.
Karl
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Author: davyd
Date: 2013-01-06 18:18
Yes, I know orchestral bass clarinet players should be able to transpose. Yes, I know orchestral bass clarinet players should be able to read bass clef. Now that I've gotten that out of the way:
Where can one obtain the bass clarinet part for the Bb instrument in treble clef? Does Lucks sell this part, or does some other publisher sell it?
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2013-01-06 20:13
Ah! thank you everyone for your expert input.
I have played this several times and for the big 3rd movement solo, have taken breaths in different places probably for every performance. My practice score of the solo in the third movement is littered with alterations. It very much depends on the pace that the conductor wishes it, but within reason we can dictate this for "soloist's comfort". One would hope that the MD is an accommodating person (as is the case for me in June). Nevertheless, there is no one way to play any big solo. I have recently, for curiosity, compared recordings, youtubes, styles of playing and particularly, places to breathe... Surprisingly, I have enjoyed all of them for different reasons with no one performance standing out as unfortunate.
I am slowly coming to the conclusion then, that all of the above are to a great extent, influenced by even small variations in tempo. For a long highly emotive solo such as this, keeping it all together is paramount of course, so remaining relaxed and able to maintain composure allows natural breathing, irrespective of small nuances in tempo, as long as these fabulous lines remain without interruption..
Karl... I certainly will thank you.
Morrigan... I have ordered "The Working Clarinetist" thankyou
Davyd... please email me, as I may have some help...but someone from the BB may offer more immediate help.
BobT
Post Edited (2013-01-06 21:37)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-01-07 05:19
For smoothness, how does everyone play the top D in the slow movement?
Do you use the Bb trill key, the throat G# key, left thumb off the thumb tube to keep it all in the upper register, or just use the regular altissimo D fingering and hope it works smoothly enough going into the altissimp register and back?
I suppose a lot depends on the instrument as to which upper register fingering gives the best tuning for the high D. Generally I prefer to use the Bb trill key for smoothness as that's the best tuned high D for me (Selmer Series 9 A) without going into the altissimo register.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2013-01-07 08:30)
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2013-01-07 06:44
I suppose it does depend on the instrument and its ability to pop smoothly into altissimo, but personally I have a G sharp key that tunes wonderfully and always have used that. Additionally, at that point in the solo, we are at our quietest and could be in a rubato groove with the orchestra and audience poised for us. I have heard performances and seen youtubes where that D is played standard altissimo fingering and the note is almost thrown away as the ear "anticipates" the note anyway. I'd still rather have it there in the most controlled way that one can. Again, no "correct" way to play it, as long as the D is given its full value, in my opinion.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-01-07 08:32
It's just one of those great solos where there's absolute licence to 'milk it'!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2013-01-07 11:24
>> It's just one of those great solos where there's absolute licence to 'milk it'!>>
Well, just in case you should be misunderstood, that's not quite the way I would put it.
The most successful performances I've heard, in the sense that they are both satisfying in themselves and contribute meaningfully to the symphony, are ones that embody all of, at least: loneliness, regret, hope and beauty.
You can see that some lingering can easily be a part of that.
But -- I'd say -- self-indulgence on the part of either clarinettist or conductor, can't.
Tony
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-01-07 11:54
Whenever I hear this solo I just have to stop whatever I'm doing and listen to it. Not an easy thing to do when you're driving though.
I wonder why he chose the clarinet for this solo? I'm not complaining - I've often thought what it would've been like had he chosen another instrument (besides the strings) to play it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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