 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Axel
Date: 2020-04-06 01:38
What ist your recent discovery in clarinet literature?
The sonata of Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919-1996), composed in 1945, is mine.
Here are the three movements at youtube, played by Annelien van Wauwe and Lucas Blondeel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7lqktKfM3c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUdUVPBuaVo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjwbcihpvZM
The sonata ist published by peermusic.
Weinberg has also written a clarinet concerto in 1970:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX-LI2bUB28
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Author: gregbaker112@gmail.com
Date: 2020-04-06 03:04
Sonata by Nino Rota 1911-1979 [composer of film scores, including Godfather 2, etc.] Published by Ricordi.
Unique in that it it scored for Clarinet in A. Written in 1945.
https://youtu.be/Wo39L_fL0jY
Greg Baker
gregbaker112@gmail.com
😀 "Hey! I got nothing to do today but smile."
-Paul Simon
Post Edited (2020-04-06 05:49)
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-06 09:12
Axel! It's funny: as soon as I saw the topic, I was going to mention the Weinberg Sonata! You beat me to it. It's a major twentieth century work for clarinet.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-06 09:14
Greg: I like Rota's sonata, but like his clarinet-cello-piano trio even more. Audiences also seem to enjoy it. I've played it in public three times.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Late_returner
Date: 2020-04-06 12:15
Pamela Weston's book Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past is a fascinating account of the early days, only recently read by me though dating from 1971
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-06 15:39
There is a Clarinet Sonatina by Szalowski for clarinet and piano, written in the second part of the 20th century. A very fresh, lyrical piece that certainly deserves playing. I seem to recall that it was recorded by Reginald Kell.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2020-04-06 20:34
Antonio Frioli, an Italian clarinetist and composer, has a set of exercises for free at free-scores.com. They are very useful, but also melodic and to me are very Italian. Here is the link https://www.free-scores.com/sheetmusic?p=aBkmg5XUF9
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
Post Edited (2020-04-07 19:47)
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-04-06 21:47
The English concertos I found and recorded In Nov 19. :-)
Peter Cigleris
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2020-04-07 00:20
Not so recently, but:
Allan Blank
-Diversions for solo clarinet
-Seven Duos for Bb clarinets
B.
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Author: kilo
Date: 2020-04-07 12:35
John Mayer's "Raga Music", 1958 — I've had this around for a while but never played it. Clarinet in A is suggested but it sounds pretty nice on bass, too.
And, while not strictly for clarinet, Yusef Lateef's "Repository of Scales and Melodic Patterns" has pages and pages of different exotic scales and patterns and is a good accompaniment to Mayer's piece.
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Author: JohnP
Date: 2020-04-08 14:41
After a lifetime playing in orchestras and doing very little playing with the piano I now, or did until lockdown, enjoy playing through that repertoire with a friend about one morning a fortnight.
He’s one of those amazing pianists who seems to be able to sight-read anything so the pressure is on to continually find new things. Here are some of them, new to me but maybe not to others.
Several pieces by Michele Mangani
Chausson Andante and Allegro
Rota Sonata
Reinecke, Sonata, Introduction and Allegro, Fantasiestücke.
Ferdinand David Introduction and Variations on a theme of Schubert
Jenner Sonata
Burgmüller Duo
Winding 3 Fantasy pieces
Stanford 3 Intermezzi
Prout Sonata
Tovey Sonata
Then on Imslp some kind souls have provided transpositions of the following which are enjoyable to play. Some of the above are on Imslp too.
Mozart violin sonata K378
Beethoven spring sonata op 24
Beethoven violin sonata op 30 no 1
Schubert violin sonatina op 137 no 1
Also there are two Bach flute sonatas which I have enjoyed playing, two which have disputed authorship, so these days credited to C.P.E rather than J.S. in Eb and G minor. Good transposition practice as are the sonatas of Devienne!
I like the Szalowski too and I need to look up the Weinberg which I don’t know.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can get back to playing together again.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-08 16:22
John, I have never heard nor had ever heard of the Ferdinand David piece and look forward to discovering it, if and when I get through the present crisis. Tovey was a wonderful musicologist, but less interesting as a composer, I have found. Casal's opinion of him: "he knew too much about music to compose good music". Hang on to your pianist!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
Post Edited (2020-04-08 19:16)
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-04-09 12:57
Ruben,
I’ve performed the Tovey in recital and while it has some beautiful moments it’s a little academic. The first movement and scherzo are very nice but the last movement is a little too drawn out.
The David is a good show piece with variations.
You know that I’ve been on a quest for British repertoire at is was in fact the Prout concerto I unearthed back in 2014 that got me on the journey. The sonata is mentioned above and I also have a version of the slow movement from the Sonata which Prout orchestrated in 1884. Probably for Henry Lazarus.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-09 13:51
Peter: I've always wondered why Benjamin Britten never wrote for the clarinet. There's an encomplete clarinet concerto. Why didn't he complete it? Keep up the good work: promoting the discovery of forgotten British pieces.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-04-09 14:15
Ruben: As I understand it the sketches for the concerto commissioned by Goodman where held by the US Government when Britten and Pears went over during the War. It was some time before he got them back and unfortunately he had begun other projects so it got sidelined. I believe they turned up again near his death and he the intention to complete it but nature intervened. The Colin Mathew’s completion which Michael Collins has recorded is okay but to have had it completed by the composer would have been great. I also understand that Gervase tried to get William Walton to write a concerto but of course wasn’t persuasive enough. That would have been good if his viola concerto is anything to go by.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2020-04-11 10:27
I have students working on the Gaubert Fantaisie and and Hahn Sarabande et Thême Varié for a competition. Both new to me.
I know the Gaubert is not that obscure but I'd always stupidly assumed it was an adaptation of his much better known Fantaisie for Flute. Nope. It's a very charming bit of original impressionism, well written for the clarinet. It would serve as good preparation for the Debussy, and in fact I will probably assign as such.
The Hahn is less known and has really grown on me. I didn't think much of it on first hearing for some reason.
Anders
Post Edited (2020-04-11 10:42)
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-11 13:12
Nell: are your familiar with Fantaisie Italienne by Marc Delmas (clarinet and piano)? It's a lovely piece from the same period as those you mentioned.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-12 15:22
Peter: Do you know anything about the three clarinet sonatas by Harold Truscott. I heard an orchestral piece by him today on the Slipped Disc Classical music blog. I had never heard or heard of this lyrical British composer before.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Axel
Date: 2020-04-13 02:04
ruben: I own the CD by label "Marco Polo" with chamber music by Harold Truscott, recorded in 1994. The CD contains the first clarinet sonata with the Hungarian clarinettist Istvan Varga. I'll cite the detailed booklet text by Guy Rickards refering the 1st clarinet sonata:
"The Sonata No. 1 in C major for clarinet an piano was written in the summer of 1959, during a hiatus in the composition of the Eighth Piano Sonata, which was not completed until the following year. The composer provide a typically disarming description of the work:
"There is not a great deal to say about it. There are four movements: an opening sonata movement, Moderato, ma con moto, a very rapid scherzo, Allegro with no trio (it is again a sonata movement); a slow movement, Adagio ma con poco moto, which has two main tunes, both initially stated by the clarinet, the second leading to a clarinet cadenza and the first tune played by the piano alone. While working on the Adagio I happened one day to look through an old music manuscript notebook, most of the contents of which went back to the thirties. My eyes chanced to see an idea which I had at the time noted for possible symphony. I do not think it would ever have worked that way, but it suggested a flow that seemed right and so set off the Allegro finale of this sonata. "
The Firs Clarinet Sonata (two more were to follow, in 1965 an 1966) is without doubt one of Truscott's finest pieces, on a par with the best of his piano sonatas, such as Nos. 6, 8 and 9 which date from this period. There is a power and resource in the writing that few other sonatas for the instruments have achieved, yet the soloist is never overpowered by the at time thickly scored and full-bodied piano part. The music fits the clarinet like a glove - this is one sonata that would not transpose effectively to the viola. The Sonata was first performed in 1960 at a lunch time recital in Huddersfield by Rodney Bass with the composer accompanying."
By the way: Thank you all, for so much marvellous hints to worthful clarinet literature!
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-13 09:20
Axel: Thank you for the information.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-04-15 02:32
Ruben: I was vaguely aware of Harold Truscott and periodically Guy Rickards has prodded me about the three sonatas. I’ve never come across the disc mentioned above by Axel as I was under the impression that the works had never been recorded. Perhaps it’s been deleted? I would be curious to know whether the player managed to get the material from the RCM where it is held.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-04-15 02:40
Edit, found the disc on Apple Music and for sale online
Peter Cigleris
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-15 09:56
Peter: If and when you hear the pieces, please let us know what you think.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2020-04-16 14:45
ruben wrote:
> Nell: are your familiar with Fantaisie Italienne by Marc Delmas
> (clarinet and piano)? It's a lovely piece from the same period
> as those you mentioned.
>
I was not familiar with that piece, but it is another good one! I'm ordering it tonight. I knew his Promenade from the Concert & Contest collection but the Fantaisie Italienne is something far beyond that. Thank you for introducing me to it! I do love French music, but my teachers did not and so there are many gaps in my knowledge.
Anders
Post Edited (2020-04-16 14:47)
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-16 15:11
Dear Nell: it's NEVER played, which is a great pity. Maybe a little the poor man's Première Rhapsodie, but a lovely piece neverthless. I seem to recall the great Cahuzac recorded it (around the time the piece was written).
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-16 20:40
Axel, thank you for this topic which I've learned so much from!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2020-04-17 01:25
In 2014, David Gould (who studied with Cuper) put out a crowdfunded CD called The Forgotten Clarinet that featured, among other things, Delmas' Fantaisie Italienne, Since then, I have heard several performances of the piece. On YouTube alone there are at least 10, including the noteworthy one you mentioned by Louis Cahuzac and a fine recent one by Ricardo Morales (listed just below the Cahuzac performance).
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Louis+Cahuzac+Delmas+Italienne+Fantaisie.
Post Edited (2020-04-17 02:05)
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Author: Axel
Date: 2020-04-19 19:01
nellsonic, if you are interested in French clarinet music, look at the list of works, composed for the annual Solo de Concours at Paris Conservatory. I have copied the list from the post of John J. Moses in 2004:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=143338&t=143338
1897 Premiere Fantaisie Georges Marty (1860-1908)
1898 Introduction and Rondo Charles Widor (1844-1937)
1899 Solo de Concours André Messager (1833-1929)
1900 Fantaisie Augusta Holmes (1857-1903)
1901 Solo de Concours Henri Rabaud (1873-1949)
1902 Solo de Concours Jules Mouquet (1867-1946)
1903 Sarabande et Theme Varie Renaldo Hahn (1874-1947)
1904 Melodie et Scherzetto Arthur Coquard (1846-1910)
1905 Fantaisie Caprice Charles Lefebvre (1843-1917)
1906 Morceau de Concours (w/harp) Paul Veronge de la Nux (1853-1928)
1907 (1899) Messager
1908 (1901) Rabaud
1909 Fantaisie Appasssionata Amedee Reuchsel (1875-1931)
1910 Premiere Rhapsodie Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
1911 Fantaisie Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941)
1912 Pastorale Henri Busser (1872-1973)
1913 Fantaisie Orientale Max D’Ollone (1875-1959)
1914 Cantilene et Danse J. Pennequin
1915 (1901) Rabaud
1916 (1905) Lefebvre WW I 1914-1918
1917 (1905) Lefebvre
1918 (1899) Messager
1919 (1901) Rabaud
1920 (1903) Hahn
1921 Fantaisie Italienne Marc Delmas (1885-1931)
1922 (1888) Recit. et Polonaise (Weber/Rose) 1923 Lamento et Tarentelle Gabriel Grovlez (1879-1944)
1924 Cantegril Henri Busser (1872-1973)
1925 (1901) Rabaud
1926 (1913) D’Ollone
1927 Prelude Valse et Irish Reel Raoul Laparra (1876-1943)
1928 Fantaisie-Impromptu Armand Bournonville (1890-1957)
1929 (1899) Messager
1930 Bucolique Jules Marie Laure Maugue (1869- ?)
1931 Andante-Scherzo Paul Pierne (1874-1952)
1932 Andante et Scherzo Marcel Gennaro (1888- ? )
1933 Eglogue Stan Golestan (1875-1956)
1934 Aragon Henri Busser (1872-1973)
1935 Ballade en Re Mineur Maurice le Boucher (1882-1964)
1936 Fantaisie-Ballet Jules Mazellier (1879-1959)
1937 (1901) Rabaud
1938 Denneriana André Bloch (1873-1960)
1939 Solo de Concours Joseph-Eduard Barat (1882-1963)
1940 Bucolique Paul Pierne (1874-1952)
1941 (1913) D’Ollone WW II
1942 (1911) Gaubert
1943 Recit. et Impromptu Marcel Dautremer (1906-1978 )
1944 Recitatif et Th. Varie Gason Litaize (1909-1991 )
1945 Preambule et Scherzo Henri Martelli (1895-1980 )
1946 Concertstuck Ramond Gallois-Montbrun (1918-1994 )
1947 Humoresque Marcel Mirouze (1906-1957)
1948 Recit et Airs de Ballet Joseph Jongen (1873-1953)
1949 Bucolique Eugene Bozza (1905-1991)
1950 Concertino Janine Rueff (1922-1999 )
1951 Scherzo Georges Hugon (1904-1980 )
1952 Fantaisie Pierre Revel (1901- )
1953 Concerto Henri Tomasi (1901-1971)
1954 Concerto Lyrique Alain Bernaud (1932- )
1955 Fantaisie et Danse en Forme de Gigue Jules Semler-Collery (1902- )
1956 Duo Concertant Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)
1957 Concertino Desire Dondeyne (1921 - )
1958 Variations Victor Serventi (1907- )
1959 (1950) Rueff
1960 Reverdies Rene Bernier (1905- )
1961 Air Tendre et Varie Jean Hubeau (1917-1992 )
1962 Pièce de Concours, op. 56 Rene Challan (1910-1978 )
1963 Sonatine Pierre Sancan (1916- )
1964 Trois Légendes Claude Pascal (1921- )
1965 Dialogues, op. 92 Marcel Mihalovici (1898-1985 )
1966 (1953) Tomasi
1967 Divertimento Dell’Incertezza Tony Aubin (1907-1981 )
1968 Concerto (Finale) Ida Gotkovsky (1933- )
1969 Triptyque Desire Dondeyne (1921- )
1970 Phantasmes Alain Bernaud (1932- )
1971 Capriccio Claude Arrieu (1903-1990 )
1972 Quatre Paysages Italiens Christian Manen (1934- )
1973 Diptyque Michel Merlet (1939- )
1974 Tema con Variazioni Jean Françaix (1912-1997)
1975 Bagatelle Marcel Bitsch (1921- )
1976 Variazioni Janine Rueff (1922-1999 )
1977 Coincidence Pierre Max Dubois (1930-1995 )
1978 Variations et Hommage Alain Margoni (1934- )
1979 Pastorale et Scherzo Jean Aubain (1928- )
1980 Set Figures Magiques Jean-Paul Holstein (1939- )
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-04-20 16:04
Axel: Thank you for this exhaustive, but not exhausting list! How many of these pieces are worth playing? More than one would think, actually. But there's no Ravel, Honegger, Roussel,..some of the really big names that never wrote for this competition.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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The Clarinet Pages
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