 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Evan
Date: 2001-04-04 03:16
I am playing webers concertino for an upcoming solo contest, I have already played it for my senior solo in band. The only problem is that I need to cut some parts to make the song around 5 minutes long. It is curently around 9 minutes now. Any suggestions on what is usually cut or what anyone thinks would not be too detrimental to the message the song is sending as a whole would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou
Evan
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-04-04 11:56
Charles Draper had to cut it to get it onto a single cylinder. If you get hold of the Clarinet Classics CD which includes this performance amongst other intereesting historical material, you could give his version a listen and see how you like it.
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Author: DLE
Date: 2001-04-04 14:09
During my "Brilliant" performance of this Concertino, I had to cut the really slow section in the middle (Can't remember what bar numbers) in order to conform to the time limit - it worked, and I came 2nd (Well, you can't win'em all!).
Just thought I'd mention it.
DLE.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-04-04 22:42
Evan -
I had the same problem. I got it down to 5 minutes with the following cuts:
Variation 1 - cut all repeats
Variation 2 - cut all repeats
cut the transition following variation 2
Whatever you do, don't cut the slow, minor key variation. It's essential, both structurally and as a change of mood and your opportunity to show off your tone quality.
The piece is short enough that playing the whole thing shouldn't incur any penalty. It's really out of proportion if you cut it to 5 minutes. Unless they have an alarm that goes off at exactly 5 minutes, I'd do the whole thing.
A couple of years ago, I posted a *very* long analysis and performance notes on the Concertino. Go to http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=14529&t=14450.
Have fun.
Ken Shaw
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Author: J. Exner
Date: 2001-04-04 22:44
Both times I've played the accompaniment for this piece--once for my daughter and once for a friend's daughter--we've cut it for length. It just depends which part you want to leave out. We left the slow part in both times, since it was a contrast, but each clarinetist chose a different part to cut--since you have several variations on the theme, just choose which you'd rather play. Just check to see if the jump to the next section is too "jolting."
If you're playing for a contest, you might want to go ahead and mention that you are making a cut, "for time concerns." When my daughter played it, she didn't say anything, and the first thing the judge said when she finished was, "Why did you leave that out?" So, when I accompanied the next girl, I told her about it, and she did mention it. Both times, the judge was fine with it.
J. Exner
Georgia
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-04-05 04:30
Several posts recently have refered to classical type pieces as "songs." More professionally these are "pieces" or "works" or "concertos" "sonatas" etc. The term "song" refers to a specific type of literature, often following the sonata or ABA (AABA) form. It also is commonly used for "pop" type pieces. (A radio DJ will tell you that no song is ever 9 minutes long. Even the long version of "American Pie" was only 7 minutes.) A small point, but in an interview or class situation these small points can help you to sound knowledgable and more professional.
Pieces are cut to fit all the time and there are practical considerations always. But... something in me seems to say that it is more respectful to the artistic experience of the composer to perform works as written. I am even unhappy with my pastor when he cuts verses from hymns to save time. He never seems to cut his sermons short.
Do read Ken's analysis of the Concertino, It was excellent.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-06 03:21
Actually it is rude and inconsiderate of subsequent performers to exceed the time limit. If every one were to play 10 minutes when the time limit is 5, an 8 hour contest day becomes 16 hours. As a parent, I would have a fit if my daughter ended up having to play at midnight because everyone ran over.
A good judge should be able to tell your abilities from a piece even when there are cuts if those cuts are designed such that you do play the various styles in the piece. Afterall it only takes a single bite to tell if an egg is rotten.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-04-06 14:51
Dee -
This is a variety of the "prisoner's dilemma" -- see http://www.constitution.org/prisdilm.htm -- in which there is a split between what's good for you and what's good for everybody.
A judge can size up an "rotten egg" contestant in a few seconds and can usually appraise a good one in just a few seconds more. But if you were a top player (or the top player's mother), you wouldn't want the judge to stop a performance after 10 seconds, saying "OK, you get a 1." You would want to play the whole thing, to show the work you had put in.
I don't say you should go 10 minutes if the time limit is 5, and if the policy is to penalize a contestant for going over 5 minutes, then you have to take that into account. On the other side, the Concertino is a standard contest piece, and few judges will penalize a 6 minute performance.
It's clearly possible to perform bleeding chunks of the Concertino in 5 minutes. I did it in high school and got a top rating. Still, I wish I had taken a of bit extra time to avoid mutilating it. For the good players, the judges will cut some slack, and long, loooong student recitals come with the territory. I'll bet your daughter would mind the delay less than you do. In your teens, you live on adrenaline.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-06 15:16
Ken Shaw wrote:
>
> ... For the good players, the judges will cut some
> slack, and long, loooong student recitals come with the
> territory. I'll bet your daughter would mind the delay less
> than you do. In your teens, you live on adrenaline.
But we parents are the ones who must provide "taxi" service and drive long after we are tired while the student snoozes in the back seat. Yes it takes more than a few seconds to judge the true ability of good players but if the limit is 5 minutes, they don't need to take 10. I'm certain we can all tell that Sabine Mayer is a great player well within five minutes of starting a piece. If I were a judge, I would stop a player at the end of the time limit *period*. It would impress me far more if the player had made appropriate cuts and was still able to maintain a good musical representation than if they mindlessly expect to play the whole thing and dazzle me with their ability.
Besides that, what guarantee do you have that it is only the good players who will attempt to play the entire thing? Or for that matter maybe you get a day when they are all good, do you expect them to all get the chance to play longer?
Maybe some of the students share the same accompanist. Do you expect the trumpet play to loose his slot because some clarinetist goes over? Or should the duet judge have to wait because the clarinet solos are running an hour behind? The judge that allows players to go over is not only affecting his own session but sessions throughout the contest.
There are good and valid reasons for time limits. They make the events move smoothly. There are too many people adversely affect if time limits are chronically violated.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-06 15:20
Ken Shaw wrote:
>
> ... But if you were a top player (or the top player's
> mother), you wouldn't want the judge to stop a performance
> after 10 seconds, saying "OK, you get a 1." You would want to
> play the whole thing, to show the work you had put in.
> [snip]
> ... For the good players, the judges will cut some
> slack, and long, loooong student recitals come with the
> territory.
Contest is not a recital or performance. If you want to play the whole thing, then plan recitals separately from contest. That's what recitals are for. And the length of a recital can be calculated in advanced by the number of performers appearing and the length of the pieces that they are playing so if you care to take the trouble you can have a good idea of how long the recital will be and prepare accordingly.
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