 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-20 20:03
Hey-in your opinon, what pieces do you think would make up an awesome clarinet recital? (only a half hour of music?)
Thanks for the input in advance
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-20 20:35
Hi, C713 !
Tell us the selections you play best so maybe some of us can comment on that. Otherwise, you or your teacher, your best friend or...(?) are best able to determine what you should play. You know better than anyone else your abilities, the setting (audience), your accompanist(?), other performers etc. When is the recital scheduled?
- ron b -
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-20 22:23
The recital is in November-the choices? Weber Concerto #1or 2, Grand Duo, Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, Poulenc Sonata, Hindemith Sonata, Copland Sonata for Violin (transcribed for clarinet), Spohr Concerto #1(or 2-4), Brahms Sonatas 1&2, Mozart Concerto, Bernstein Sonata, Stravinksky 3 Pieces, Bax Sonata for Clarinet, Schumann Fantasy Pieces, 3 Romances-Schumann, Weber Concertino, Saint-Saens Sonata, Osborne Rhapsody, Copland Concerto, Five Bagatelles by Finzi, Finzi Concerto-see I have many options-pretty much it's left up to me-I have played most of these pieces, some I haven't (Stravinsky, Bax, Bernstein) but since it's only June I have time to really learn the part-and I love learning new music-I just asked for opinions to see what everyone thought would be a great recital-my accompanist should be able to handle whatever I throw at him!  as long as he gets the music before November! I was going to save the Brahms Sonatas for my junior and senior recital (I'm a lowly sophomore)-I am a very indecisive person and there isn't a piece written for clarinet that I don't like or don't want to play-so that's kind of a problem in choosing music for a recital because I want to play it all and the audience would probably be sooo sick of clarinet music! jk thanks!
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-06-20 23:03
Two comments.
First, you really need to put in some contemporary music. The pieces you list are 100 times familiar to clarinetists, and you simply have to do something to challenge yourself and your audience, which, after all, will be made up of musicians. Even something like Martino's A Set for Clarinet has become highly familiar. You need at least one such piece to be credible.
Second, you need to vary the texture. Except for the Weber Quintet and the Stravinsky 3 Pieces, everything you list is for clarinet and piano. Recruit a singer and do Shepherd on the Rock or the Spohr 6 German Songs. If you're more ambitious, try Ned Rorem's Ariel. There's lots of great stuff for clarinet and percussion. Get in touch with Michele Gingras and get some recommendations for Klezmer music. Add a bass to the string quartet, have your teacher help you find a basset horn, and do a movement from Rolla's Concerto for Basset Horn. Then you can get a clarinetist friend and do one of the Mendelssohn Concert Pieces, too. Do the Abyss of the Birds movement from Messaien's Quartet for the End of Time on bass clarinet. Rent the tape and do (uggh!) Reich's New York Counterpoint.
The world of the clarinet is much, much larger than what you're thinking about. Seize the opportunity. Get the world talking and noticing what you're doing. Of course you should play Weber and Poulenc and Copland, too, but that's only the start. This is your first and best opportunity to separate yourself from the pack.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Keil
Date: 2001-06-21 02:48
It sounds to me that Ken is really adamate about taking clarinetistry to the next level. Me personally, i love the standards but too me i think something that shows off the many textures and personalities the clarinet can encompass is a great program. Try something like the Osborne, demonstrating the Rhapsodical nature of the clarinet, then go into say Stravinsky showing off the technical and somewhat comical nature of the clarinet, then you could end with something more traditional like Weber's 2nd mvt. 3... that's alot of fun... gotta love the Polacca... definetly messian is a great piece... gosh, those pianissimo entrances are killer... i digress, newayzzz try to vary the type of material that's played so that the audience isn't bored nor are you... anything too mundane can cause a nervous breakdown (not really) newayzzz... hey... how about trying Suttermeister's Cappriccio for A clarinet! That's a GREAT piece! Weber's Quintet is some wonderful work, i think the 4th movement would be a great finishing piece or the Polacca like i mentioned before, something flashy yet musical, leave them gasping and waiting for more!!
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Author: susannah
Date: 2001-06-21 06:19
I don't know whether I'm recommending this, but I recently did WEber Grand Duo with the Pulenc Sonata which worked out well. I would not reccomend doing a concerto if it is to be done with piano; it just doesn't sit as well
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-22 00:00
Thanks again for your help! I like the idea of "taking clarinetistry to the next level"-and I definitely don't want to do "just ANOTHER clarinet recital"--I want it to be fun and exciting and as memorable as a clarinet recital can be!!!!! So I'll see what I come up with and I'll let you know what I decide!
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Author: col
Date: 2001-06-22 11:31
just a word of warning - make sure you pick your recital program with your teacher. I disagree with the idea of moving away from the standard pieces. You are still young so there is plenty of time for contemporary music, when your musicality and technique have reached the next level - the martino set for clarinet is a very hard work . You also have to realise that a good exciting recital is created by a good exciting and under control performance. My biggest turnoff when attending a recital is when the performer chooses music which is beyond them just to make this amazing program ( this happens alot with students ) .
Best of luck
col
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2001-06-22 13:09
Depends on whether you want an all finger recital. Try a Stamitz concerto which are very accesssible technically but allow scope for invention in ornamentation and cadenzas and something by Darius Milhaud for a little it of kitsch like the Duo Sonata the possibilities are endless.
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