 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Micaela
Date: 2001-06-12 01:42
I'm leaving for music camp at Hartwick College on July 1 and I need to play a seating audition. It's pretty important, I'm going for four weeks and I don't want to be stuck in a lousy group after blowing my audition. I'm planning on playing the first movement and cadenza of the Copland Concerto, but I think I should be ready to play something else, too. The two pieces I have more or less ready are the second movement of the Finzi Concerto and the Weber Concertino. I'm comfortable with both; I got an A on the Finzi at NYSSMA and the Weber got me into Youth Orchestra (yay!!). Which would be better to play along with the Copland? The Finzi's musical and lyrical but not a total technical vacation. The Weber Concertino, well, everyone knows it and everyone plays it. But I can do a pretty good job with it, I think. Which would be better?
Thanks,
Micaela
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-12 01:48
I don't know if my opinion means anything because I am just a lowly college student and not a pro like lots of people on this board-BUT I would say to play the Weber-the first movement of the Copland is very lyrical-and I think that that would be enough lyrical stuff-even though the cadenza is technical-but I think that they would be able to tell how you play lyrically by just hearing the Copland-then you can show off with the Weber !! Best of luck to you!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2001-06-12 01:51
I vote for the Concertino--its a "show piece," If played well it will impress any judge, and you say that you play it well. Seems like a no-brainer to me. You should not pick an audition piece that tests the very limits of your ability--in other words, pick something that is easier than the most difficult piece you can play. Sounds like the Weber, hands down. Good luck!!!!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jonathan
Date: 2001-06-12 02:59
I absolutely adore the Finzi Concerto and am doing it soon with my con orchestra. Although this is the case I find that it doesn't work nearly as well with piano accompaniment (even on the back of the front cover of the piano part it states that it should only be used as practice for playing with orchestra). This to a certain degree applies to all concertos but especially to this one in my opinion. Although I'm not overly fond of the Weber I think that perhaps it would probably work better for an audition. Also of course it comes down to what you can play best. If you were playing the 3rd movement of Finzi I'd choose that any day over Weber but the 1st and 2nd of Finzi don't work nearly as well with piano. I recently had a discussion with the other clarinet teacher at my con who is one of my teachers for chamber music. I said that I was doing the Spohr 6 German songs for my midyear recital of 40 minutes(its in around a week), and he asked what else was I going to play. I said that I'd be playing the Finzi from mem as a sort of run through for my performance in August and he said that theres no way he would hear it with piano - rather I could get the orchestra performance counted as assessment. Mind you there are so many bad performances of Weber's clarinet music that even when somebody plays it well, I still don't get much out of it. (except the quintet) So you should weigh the two issues up and decide which gives you more chances of showing off all your the good aspects of your playing.
Hope you make the right decision and good luck for your audition,
Jonathan Farquhar
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Micaela
Date: 2001-06-12 23:49
Thanks for your replies. I think I'll play the Weber but bring the Finzi just in case they want to hear it. I played through them both and the Weber is in slightly better shape, anyway.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ClairGirl
Date: 2001-06-20 08:29
Hey!!! You're going to Hartwick too?? Wow it's a small world I guess... Anyway, don't worry about the audition. Whatever piece you choose, you will only need to play a page to a page and a half of it. The sightreading is moderately dificult- my second audition they had us sightread/transpose the Moldau. Last year I used the Weber concertino (also because it got me into youth orch) and the Rondo of Weber's 2nd conc. I had no problem getting into festival band and chamber orchestra, and I also played in Institute Wind Ensemble during my second two weeks. Good luck! I'll see ya there ( :
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
