 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2022-07-28 22:27
Hi All,
Please check out this pairing of the Barcelona Clarinet Players with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, one of my favorite wind bands.
If you do not care for theatrics, just enjoy the playing. The Coda at 13:15 is the start of some great fireworks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2gXsyFuwws
HRL
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-07-29 00:48
First off Hank let me just say that is some pretty sensitive and very musical playing out of the Lonestar Band ........BRAVO!!!!
Then, how did those guys snag this group from Barcelona?!!? Not a typical clarinet quartet; featuring Eb, Bb, alto and bass. They almost got me to rethink my feelings about the alto clarinet. Almost
Well let me say this again, that is probably the best wind ensemble playing
I've ever heard. And I've heard A LOT!!!!
..................Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2022-07-29 00:55)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-07-29 03:36
I respectfully disagree. Though choreographed, the idea was to visually clue you in to (or rather, augment) what parts were dominant and/or which players were playing figures together.
I recall there are similar presentations by a group from the Netherlands (?) playing in various museum settings.
Why can't performance presentations be fun? The alternative is to have a percentage of your audience fall asleep or worse yet, not even show up.
Lately I have been helping stage performances for major pop concerts. You wouldn't catch Justin Bieber or John Mayer just standing still in the middle of a stark stage for an hour and a half...........not at those ticket prices. And ironically if they did try that, NONE of you would go the next time (though it would save them a LOT of money).
................Paul Aviles
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2022-07-29 06:16
Paul,
You make a very good point with "visually clue you in to (or rather, augment) what parts were dominant and/or which players were playing figures together." I saw those clues (or maybe cues...) but it did not register since it worked so well.
When one "sees" a vocalist, particularly in a stage show, a good part of the presentation involves gestures, movements, and various other devices to include a visual image as well as a musical sensing for the audience.
Or as a conductor friend of mine always says "that's show business."
HRL
PS The LSWO is really an amazing wind ensemble. Great recording and camera work as well. Here's a link to information on the concert this past April where the Barcelona player appeared. https://lswo.com/barcelona-clarinet-players-return-to-dallas-for-a-clinic-and-concert/
Post Edited (2022-07-29 06:53)
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2022-07-29 11:35
Paul Aviles wrote:
> featuring Eb, Bb, alto and bass. They almost got me to rethink my feelings
> about the alto clarinet.
Is it an alto? It seems to extend lower then Eb. Probably the Buffet Basset horn?
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2022-07-29 11:42
I’ve heard a Japanese wind ensemble on YouTube (Tokyo Wind Orchestra, or something like that). Not to diminish LSWO achievements, the Tokyo were far better. I believe there are a few bands like that over there. They may well be pro or semi. Then there’s the massive college bands who do amazing choreography while playing complex pieces. Well worth a look. Interesting how so many play from memory these days.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2022-07-29 15:28
its in poor taste . the music should speak for itself. who wants to see some one waving their clarinet around like a fool !
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2022-07-29 16:33
It’s not an alto, it’s definitely a basset horn. That’s why you like it better than an alto… 🤣🤣
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2022-07-29 17:12
If a music performance can't stand on its sound alone, it fails. Performer movements will not fix it. This one is good listening, thanks for the post.
I almost never watch a performance, either live or on video, because doing so detracts from experiencing the music. The exceptions are when something sounds so good I can't believe my ears.
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Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2022-07-29 21:29
I liked the music but the showmanship reminded me more of the 3 amigos instead of the 3 musketeers.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-07-29 21:44
So Phillip,
You do NOT attend live concerts?
This opens another can of worms. Many of the recordings we have today of the Munich Philharmonic and Sergio Celibidache are recordings of live performances only released after Celibidache's death. He strongly believed that many of the upper partials of notes were perceived by most (whether consciously or not) but they could not be captured by modern recording techniques. That last part is indeed correct, and he felt so strongly about the critical loss of information that he refused to do commercial recordings...period.
Maybe Celibidache took things a bit too far (maybe), but there is no substitute for a live performance. And that means actually being there.
Yes, as a part-time concert stager I can't help thinking that modern pop concerts are the entertainment of the past known as "The Circus," but that doesn't mean they are any less entertaining because of that.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: hans
Date: 2022-07-29 22:31
Wonderful! Thank you very much for posting the link Hank.
Re: the "antics" - I didn't think they were in poor taste, but chacun a son gout I guess. It certainly wasn't boring :-)
Hans
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Author: Chris_C ★2017
Date: 2022-07-29 22:57
The Barcelona Clarinet Players website says Eb/Bb+Bb+basset horn+bass
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Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2022-07-29 23:28
The piece is written for Eb/Bb/Basset Horn/Bass with optional EB/Bb1/Bb2/Bass.
https://www.onavarro.com/web/onlinestore/en/shop/wind_band/the-musketeers-fantasy-for-clarinet-quartet-and-wind-band-en/
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2022-07-30 00:29
Hi Paul. I go to live performances, but I don't do much watching. I either focus my eyes on something inert or shut them. Sometimes I'll watch a performer to get a clue as to how they're doing what they're doing, and often enough some distraction causes me to glance, but for the most part I'm satisfied to simply hear. Sorry I was unclear about that.
Some pop stars use visual representation to make money in addition to vocals - it's part of their technique. Sometimes a piece is so weak as music that the plan essentially becomes to sell it with personal gestures and so forth. They're not just selling the music, they're selling their persona to people seeking that kind of thing.
I won't deny there's aspects of this in other genres like classical, but it's usually much less emphasized and, given the music and the audience for it, much less necessary.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-07-30 01:12
Thanks for the extra clarification Phillip. I'm caught up in conductor technique (though the juice is in the rehearsals) so I watch wth wild abandon, but I appreciate where you're coming from....a purely aural experience.
Today's pop experience is robo spots, lasers, confetti canons, video walls, and other optional elements such as pyrotechnics and drones. They are big, over the top shows. Who doesn't want to be "blown away?"
Classical groups have been looking for acceptable ways to 'pump up' the experience such as doing more concerts with popular artists, accompanying movies with heavy orchestral scores, or performing concerts of arranged music from video games. I'd much rather have a bit more exuberance on stage from our standard classical performers than any of that other stuff, but that's just me.
...................Paul Aviles
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