 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: eldonclarinet
Date: 2024-09-26 09:28
I am playing clarinet in Handel's messiah with my church and I was wondering if you guys had any advice. This is my first time in an orchestra and I was wondering how different it is from wind band playing. My experience is high school concert and marching band. The music is in my playing level but counting is what I am worried about. I have done the Messiah before in the chorus so the music is familiar to me. the performance is in december.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-09-26 13:07
All I can say is "Clarinets? In Messiah?"
That aside, while you still have to follow the conductor, do bear in mind there are far fewer woodwind players and you need to blend with them and support the principals and if you have any solos, play to the audience member right at the back of the room and not into your music stand. The conductor will (or should) let you know if you're too loud or too quiet at any given point. And don't drown out the choir as that's often easy to do if the choir are singing into their books.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-09-26 16:48
Chris P wrote:
> All I can say is "Clarinets? In Messiah?"
>
Yes, both the Prout (a standard version in the U.S.) edition and Mozart's orchestration include clarinets.
Karl
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-09-26 17:18
Presumably you will be doing rehearsals and if you're already aware of your weak areas, best just work on them...not worry about them. Good thing is you've got plenty of time. Feeling anxious means you care.... and if you care you will be doing your best which is all anyone can be expected to do.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: mozartklar
Date: 2024-09-26 18:54
Mozart's arrangement of Messiah doesn't get enough credit or play-time. It is very well done and the colors of added winds, really brings the work to new heights. If you're playing that version, I am very jealous!
Prepare your parts slowly, find recordings (many good ones on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon/Apple music) and go through with your parts to uncover exposed sections. Use your ears like crazy for blend and tuning. When in doubt, play louder than you think you need to. It's far better for the conductor to tell you to back off than to say, "I can't hear you!"
Goodluck!
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2024-09-26 21:48
In an orchestra you are always a soloist in the sense that you are the only one on a part. Even if your playing second clarinet. No army of clarinets around you. A similar situation in a band would be Eb clarinet.
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Author: eldonclarinet
Date: 2024-09-27 03:24
It is the prout edition. I am playing clarinet 2 but what I am worried about is there are only two rehearsals, aprx 7 hours of rehearsal. Also, I am struggling to find recordings online of just the clarinet parts without the orchestra.
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Author: Slowoldman
Date: 2024-09-27 03:52
You probably won't find recordings of just the clarinet parts. They're part of the background, mostly. It's less "soloistic" than a lot of orchestra playing.
Other than some of the keys involved, the Prout edition is fairly straightforward. The clarinet parts aren't particularly difficult technically or "exposed". Do your slow, methodical practice; use the rehearsals to get used to the conductor and figure out where you fit in. Don't be shy about asking your Clarinet 1 how things are supposed to go.
Then have fun with it!!
Amateur musician, retired physician
Delaware Valley Wind Symphony, clarinet 1
Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, clarinet 2 (sub)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-09-27 05:25
Chris_C wrote:
> Is the part for an A clarinet?
Prout uses Bb clarinet throughout
Mozart uses A, Bb and C depending on the key.
Karl
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-09-27 05:55
eldonclarinet wrote:
> It is the prout edition. I am playing clarinet 2 but what I am
> worried about is there are only two rehearsals, aprx 7 hours of
> rehearsal. Also, I am struggling to find recordings online of
> just the clarinet parts without the orchestra.
I also doubt that you'll find recordings of the two clarinet parts. But the parts aren't that difficult. Listen to a recording on YouTube of a good choir, orchestra and conductor playing the oratorio - even if it isn't the same edition (maybe doesn't have clarinets) - for tempos and overall style. Then go through the part, ignore the really easy stuff, and find the spots that you really need to work on, especially keeping in mind the tempo that you hear on the complete recording. Most of the time you'll be doubling either a chorus part or a vocal part of a duet or trio, so listen in the recording for the music you're playing, not for the clarinet parts (which may not be there).
Think also about pacing yourself through 2 seven hour rehearsals. Go light in your reed choice. When there are enough players playing the same thing, play softer than the written dynamic and occasionally drop out completely just to get some circulation in your facial muscles. High school students are *nearly* indestructible physically (as I remember with some envy), but even their stamina gives out eventually, and the tendency to start biting harder as you get more tired can result in a very sore lip the next day.
Listen to the music - mostly the singers - as you rehearse and perform the piece. It's great music, enjoyable both to play and to hear.
Karl
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