 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2002-03-21 21:08
One vote for Grainger, Molly on the Shore!!
The most inane...
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Author: diane
Date: 2002-03-21 22:10
"Christmas Today" (I have repressed all knowledge of the composer's name and I don't have access to the folder for most of another year) - at one point the clarinet section is doing an pianissimo/altissimo rendition of the "Canon in D" (Pachibel) on top of a rock beat and some other (unrecognizeable) melody in the flutes. The section entitled "O Holy Night" bears no resemblance to the famous piece by that name - don't know what it refers to.
This piece is so bad that several members of the band actually offered to pay the director the price of purchasing the piece if we would not play it. The offers were NOT received well, for some reason :-).
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-21 22:21
King Stephen Overture - beethoven (he must have been off his head when he composed it).
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-03-22 03:57
Rite of Spring and Firebird, both Stravinsky. I've tried to warm up to them over many years, but... Its never worked for me. I can appreciate the artistry in the composition and in performances (tehey're difficult) and I would listen to them in lieu of a root canal procedure, but otherwise... !
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2002-03-22 05:01
the Saint Saens clarinet sonata.... (did i spell his name correctly? it's been a long day)
i really really really don't like this piece.
donald
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-22 05:38
John Cage - 4'33"
For those not familiar with it, go have a "listen" ...GBK
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Author: Hi
Date: 2002-03-22 06:36
>>King Stephen Overture - beethoven (he must have been off his head when he composed it).
Hey, I'm playing in that piece now. It's cheesy, I know, but it has some nice clarinet solo's here and there. Don't you think?
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2002-03-22 12:42
Pomp and Circumstance -- When you have to play it for a graduation ceremony every year and keep repeating until everyone is in place and you are playing the bass clarinet part which is almost exclusively plodding quarter notes with almost no rests, it gets pretty tiresome.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-22 12:50
Anything by Acker Bilk.
(Acker Bilk will always show up on the most liked/least liked lists. There's no middle ground I think.)
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-03-22 12:53
I'd go along with Don there. In fact I'd say ANYTHING by Elgar. I know I'm British and supposed to enjoy it, but maybe I've just played too much.
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Author: Danette
Date: 2002-03-22 13:42
I agree with Don. Pomp and Circumstance. After 4 years of playing it in high school I thought I was home free in college.
Boy was I wrong. It got worse. Instead of once a year, it was twice a year. If I never hear that song again . . .
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-03-22 14:02
One of my Most Hated: Pineapple Poll by Arthur Sullivan (and I happen to LIKE Elgar, in general, maybe not the marches but I really like his symphonies).
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Author: Jim S.
Date: 2002-03-22 14:52
For clarinet: ugly, crashy things like Berg's Four Pieces that give no musical pleasure.
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Author: Todd
Date: 2002-03-22 15:15
What about the Canon by Pachabel? UGH! (aka Taco Bell's Cannon)
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-03-22 15:54
First off, I would like to say...this is FUN
I agree with most of you on your choices (although, I must say, even though I hate Pomp and Circumstance, I would murder myself if I had to exist in a world without Elgar's Cello Concerto.), with the exception of the Berg Four Pieces, which I almost put in the Favorites thread. I hated it, too, until I found the right pianist, then suddenly it clicked. (gotta love the flutter tonguing )
Now for the winners of Josh's I Hate This Piece award...
In the Orchestral Clarinet Part category, the winner is: The Firebird Suite
In the Solo with Accompaniment category, the winner is: The Nielsen Concerto
and, finally, in the Unaccompanied Solo category, we have: Stravinsky's Three Pieces.
Thanks for coming, and drive carefully!
Josh
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2002-03-22 15:58
Jez- I like Elgar, but I'm an American who really can't stand the American Salute by Morton Gould. Syncopated nonsense!
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-03-22 16:29
King Stephen is at least OK. It's Consecration of the House that goes on and on and on.
However, nothing's in a class down with Reich's New York Counterpoint. Excruciating.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-03-22 22:16
Its amazing what everyone comes up with as their least favorite piece. I'm not sure of mine yet. The song in Mr Hollands Opus (movie) inspired me play clarinet and it took me a long time to figure out what song it was. It turned out it was called Stranger on the Shore by Acker Bilk. Its not the best piece in the world but I don't think it would be my least favorite piece. Just thought I would add my opinion. Of course its no offense to you Mr. Charette what may be your most disliked piece may be my favorite. (I didn't mean to sound rude or offensive if I did.)
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Author: Katfish
Date: 2002-03-22 22:52
Pieces I hate that I'm supposed to Like.
Clarinet Solo- Both Brahms Sonatas
any Max Reiger Sonata
Band Pieces Lincolnshire Posey
most Alfred Reed pieces
Orchestra Pieces Bolero
I really like Elgar. The first 30 times I played Pomp and Circumstance No.1 was fine. Then it started to be a drag. Try Pomp and Circumstance N0.4. I first heard it in the movie, A Clockwork Orange. I went out and bought a recording of all 4 P$Cs. Number 4 is the best. Also, Ken, New York Counterpoint is on my list of favorite pieces. I would love to play iy sometime.
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Author: John
Date: 2002-03-22 23:08
least favorite unaccompanied clarinet solos:
messian - abyss of the birds
stravinsky - three pieces for clarinet
least favorite band pieces (of crap):
declaration (I forget the "composer")
every single thing by james curnow and other composers like him
the typical "overture to stupidity" or "stupidity overture" for band
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-03-23 00:17
I kinda like American Salute by Gould.
Most of all this is written at high school level, but even when performed professionaly I don't like it.
Orchestral things I hate:
Orpheus in the Underworld (The Can-can comes from it if you don't know.)
Any high school orchestral medley of "The Wizard of Oz"
Venus and Mercury (From the Planets, by Holst)
Band peices:
American Patrol (It's too peppy.)
Washington Post March by Sousa
First Movement of Second Suite in F by Holst
And of course... Pomp and Circumstance.
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Author: willie
Date: 2002-03-23 00:40
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one thats turned off by Pomp and Circumstance. I think it has been over used for graduations. There are other nice and noble sounding pieces that could well be substituted like Procession of the Nobles and the like.
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Author: Cindy
Date: 2002-03-23 01:41
Love to play, hate to hear, Dreadnaught. Insane and incredibly weird beat structure that makes no sence, has no melody, and is really hard to count and do correctly.
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Author: Andrew Mc Ilwrath
Date: 2002-03-23 01:46
Well, I think that the only good Alfred Reed song (for Concert band) is The Hounds Of Spring, everything else isn't as nice. Also, I think that Sousa's King Cotton March is awful too (played that way too much before the Musicfest Regional's competition)
I am yet another one who is turned off by Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance... I never want to have to play that again! Well... until next Commencement - (The Canadian term for graduation were I come from)- when my music teacher pulls it out and says, "Okay folks, its time to play this song 500 times in a row!" Blah!!
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-03-23 02:06
GBK: I am amazed that you would consider John Cage's 4'33" t6o be your least favorite musical selection. I can recall back in olden days I would come home to the beach, put a small glass of bourbon whiskey in my hand, sit back, listen to a tape of Cage's 4'33", and become so relaxed I could almost drift right off. What a pleasant way to let the cares of the day just ease right out of one's soul. That's real music!
I think my least favorite selection is the Vegemite commercial music with which you cursed me ten days, three hours, and forty-seven minutes ago (but who's keeping track), and I have not yet been able to get it out of my mind.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-23 02:18
John...I actually was going to list the Vegemite song, but since my mind went "blank", I thought that 4'33" would be most fitting.
The more I thought about 4'33'' since the posting, the more I may have to now agree with you.
I now feel it just may border on genius...
Thus 4'33" has now been officially retracted.
I second the Vegemite song, but "It's a Small World After All" comes in as a very close second...GBK
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-03-23 02:44
Andrew:
If you have heard Reed's "Russian Christmas Music", I can't believe you say that "The Hounds" is the only good Reed peice for concert band. "Russian" takes my breath away when it's done right!!
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Author: Hi
Date: 2002-03-23 03:21
I would have to agree with GBK and JMcaulay about Cage's 4'33. At first I thought it was rather stupid, but it is something nobody has thought of before him, or wouldn't dare to do anyway. He decided the pieces length by using chance operations. As most of his compositions are "composed" using chance operations.
Keep an open mind :-)
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-03-23 04:34
From this thread it seems pieces suffer from over use. Actually, Pomp and Circumstance has a rather decent long intro that is rarely played, and yes the other Pomp and Circumstances are rather more interesting. (Do I remember right that there are 5 of them?) I do recommend the Walter/ Wendy Carlos version "Pompous Circumstances" which is on the "By Request" alblum, recently
re-released on CD. (Carlos is known for Moog synthiszer recordings including the first ever (I think) electronic classical music alblum "Switched On Bach.") www.wendycarlos.com
Poor Pachebel (Canon in D) and Ravel (Bolero) suffer from Hollywood success. They were both featured in films a bit more than 20 years ago. Bolero was in the movie "10" (1979) (rent it if you are over 18 and haven't seen it, you will never listen to Bolero the same way again, under 18, never mind!) The Canon in D was featured in "Ordinary People." (1980) (A superb picture, you will never watch Mary Tyler Moore the same way again, rent it you are over 13.) As a result both were over performed and over recorded for most of the 1980s. At one time the Canon was said to be the most recorded classical piece ever.
The same thing sort of happened to the Barber "Adigio for Strings" which was featured in "Platoon." (1986) (This was a best picture and for good reason. Rent it if war footage doesn't bother you.)
GBK, as far as I'm concerned you could put all of John Cage on this list.
I'll add Menotti's Epiphany opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" to my list. I find the music rather trite, and the story adds non-biblical material to the story of the Magi. At one point the chorus actually sings a grocery list! (I kid you not, get a recording.) But it was written for Television!
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Author: E. Michael Blake
Date: 2002-03-23 06:59
It's interesting to me that Acker Bilk's "Stranger on the Shore" has come up. It's mentioned in another recent thread as well. I have to admit that it's pretty gushy and precious, especially in the string passages, but in a way I've always been fond of that song, because it was a clarinet instrumental that actually made the pop charts while I was growing up. Listening to it, I actually believed that I wasn't too far removed from being able to play it someday. Now that I'm clarineting again, I may try it (though I'll make sure never to play it in Mark's presence).
I can't add much to the discussion otherwise, because I haven't played the classical repertoire. (I churned out my share of Pomp and Circumstance in my youth, but I can't say as the experience turned me against Elgar forever.) I'll just mention what I hope never to hear again in my life (leaving out vocals): "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White," by Perez Prado; I'll also throw in Ferde Grofe's "Grand Canyon Suite," which we were taught in music appreciation in high school, and which may have been responsible for my generation embracing the likes of Grand Funk Railroad in reaction. As for what I hope never to have to play, probably any clarinet part in the Lawrence Welk songbook.
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Author: Andrew Mc Ilwrath
Date: 2002-03-23 12:37
David:
The thing is, I don't really like that piece (Reed's "Russian Christmas Music")... maybe its because I haven't heard it played well. I just recently found a recording of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra playing it. Maybe I'll like it after hearing them play it.
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Author: Eileen
Date: 2002-03-23 13:29
In college pep band, an arrangement of MacArthur Park was probably the worst piece of dreck ever inflicted upon an arena full of a captive audience. The original song isn't any better.
I did like Russian Christmas Music but every single band I ever played in played it for every single December concert. Hey composers! How about a new Christmas piece for band? You'll find a ready market.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-03-23 14:46
I have heard that all clarinet players are..or will be.. greeted at the Pearly Gates by Acker Bilk and Lawrence Welk and will be assigned chairs based on vibrato tryouts.
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Author: Lindsey Ondrey
Date: 2002-03-23 16:24
I disliked playing 4 Maryland Songs last year in Wind Symphony (as did quite a few people)... I think it was mostly the fact that we felt like we were playing "Oh Christmas Tree" not "O Maryland" when we live in Illinois and toured Indiana and Wisconsin.... our audiences thought the same thing as we did... some even sang O Christmas tree along. It's not so much the piece as it is the concept that accompanied it. :-P
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Author: david
Date: 2002-03-23 16:59
I don't much care for the 5 bagatelles by Finzi
Swan Lake was gorgeous until I had to play all those stupid repeated notes!!!
I just played a piece by Franz Shrecker (prelude to a drama?) that was a real piece of garbage.
Bolero aint too fun.
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Author: Leah
Date: 2002-03-23 18:56
i love the finzi bagatelles but not russian christmas music. that's got my vote for the worst.
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Author: Jacy
Date: 2002-03-23 19:20
John--I second the Curnow comment. My first memory of band was playing Acclamation--I still have that horrid third clarinet part stuck in my head and it's been 2 years!
Other highly annoying band pieces:
Endurance/Timothy Mahr
Ghost Train/Eric Whitacre (IMHO, only sounds decent without all the percussion nonsense in the background)
The Red Tower/DeMeij (our band director went to great lengths and expenses to get the score and parts, we hated it enough to beg her to send it back after sightreading it)
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Author: javier garcia
Date: 2002-03-23 20:15
a part of Pomp and Circunstance I've played Reinecka (spelling?) octec, horrible and annoying. And a septet by Pierné, no sense of melody or music, it seems like some chord's studies.
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2002-03-23 21:59
4' 33" wins the award for being the most ingenious and stupid at the same time. What other piece can claim this?
I used to not like the Berg, 4 Pieces either, until I heard them performed well and realized how powerful they were. (I still don't like PLAYING them, though.)
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Author: Jean Adler
Date: 2002-03-23 23:08
Charles Ives, anything by Ives. He couldn't get anyone to publish his music, and for good reason. Hate it, always will, don't try to convince me otherwise.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2002-03-24 01:47
I've never liked Concertino (Weber)... Give me Baermann!
But, worse yet, is any watered-down popular music.
I particularly disliked playing an orchestral transcription of Holst's 2nd Suite in Eb--Solo violin took the clarinet solo.
Ah, yes, pomp and circumstance. Well, aren't you all glad that it isn't in any exerpt books!?
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Author: rissa
Date: 2002-03-24 03:53
I know I'm a bit late, but I CAN NOT STAND anything by Robert W.Smith...I think I've played just about every single concertband arrangement he has! About three years ago we played the whole "Divine Comedy".....on one concert!! And that was all!! ugh
it all sounds neat to listen to,but all they consist of are: a french horn solo, woodwind ostinatos (sp?), weird percussion, and brass!! arg!
ewwwwy ewwwwey ewwwwey!
Rissa
oh, and something i hate but SHOULD like" "Non Piu di Fiori" from Mozart's "La Clemenza Di Tito"...(please forgive any misspellings, I worked 15 hours today and am a bit tired...I don't even know that I got my least favorite composer's name right! repression!)i dont like this one because of the four runny sections......arpeggios arent the great once you've played a million of them!
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Author: Tim
Date: 2002-03-24 06:35
Clarinet Solo:
Adagio and Tarantella- Cavallini(too cheesy)
Orchestral:
Sensamaya by Revueltas (Clarinet part sucks! Eb part is okay)
Band Music-
Inferno from the Devine Comedy(worst piece of crap I have ever played)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-03-24 13:33
Anything written by Richard (in)Nanes.
Most anything performed by John Russo.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-03-24 15:28
It seems everyone has a wide variety of coverage on pieces that they hate! We've gotten everything from Divine Comedy now to, well, Ghost Train.
Who wants to bet there are a few people out there reading this thinking, "Why in the world is that on this list? I LIKE that!!"
Also, I see a small correlation b/w the peices on the list, and the difficulty (or lack of it) in the clarinet parts. Most of my judgement is based on the sound, unless I happen to be playing it at the time. Oh wait, don't forget the ones so overdone they're pretty much charcoal briquettes for a reed fire now. How many reasons out there are there for deciding what qualifies a "bad" peice?
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-24 22:24
Remember - this is a "what is YOUR least favourite piece" question - I think the King Stephen Overture is a load of turkey poo - but that's MY opinion.
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-24 22:28
GBK wrote - "my mind went BLANK" - hey, give your brain a chance, there, GBK - it was just looking for companionship! (bite me - only joking).
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Author: beejay
Date: 2002-03-25 12:47
1. All Wagner operas except odd moments in Tristan and Isolde. As Rossini said, they have some "bei momenti ma dei terrible mezz'ore."
2. Church of England hymns
3. Rap
3. Bolero.
4. Stranger on the Shore
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Author: SusieQ
Date: 2002-03-25 14:28
My vote is for Bolero, the bass clarinet part is torture (boring) and I will also put in my vote for Pomp and Circumstance, especially if there is a huge graduating class.
SusieQ
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-25 14:56
diz...It's a good thing we are best friends....considering you don't play an R-13.
Beware - I haven't finished trying to convert you over to "our side"...GBK
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Author: lala
Date: 2002-03-26 01:57
Ur... is it OK to say that I actually like Canon in D and Bolero? The former because of a beautiful recording bought in early 80s (and I didn't watch the film!), the latter because I actually played the snare drum part once and it is most easy to loose your head if you don't concentrate on the music, and once you get so involved, it's impossible to get off...
Above all, I never tried the clarinet part of them, and I will keep it that way!
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-26 03:27
Jez - I'm startled to think you hate all of Elgar's music - I never tire of listening to the two symphonies - he certainly wrote very well for all memebers of the orchestra. I consider Elgar one of the 20th Century's supreme "impressionists".
The first symphony - in particular is one of my desert island CDs - even our American cousins have a wonderful recording of this (Baltimore Symphony from memory).
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Author: IHL
Date: 2002-03-26 08:19
I haven't come across any in college or in my clarinet group or anything my tutor has thrown at me yet that I really detest, but in high school:
high school band suites/themes (selections of songs from a movie chopped up and blended together into a single band [banned?] song), especially disney.
Carl Strommen's On The Village Green. Very bad idea to start off a student band song with a solo on clarinet throat tones (G GABb GBbA AGFGA...). I could play it, but the rest of the clarinet section was a year below me and had a lot less control. It was baaaad.
And another Strommen piece, Shivaree. Not that it sounded horrible or was boring or anything, it just didn't make a whole heap of sense.
my #1 most hated one though was a piece called Concerto Extremely Grosso, which was a very poor attempt at being funny. It just sucked.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-26 18:42
Hmmmm? PDQ Bach (alias Peter Schickele, or the other way around ...) has written some exvcellent music over the years.
Some reverent ... most irreverent.
Have you heard anything by Peter Schickele (alias PDQ Bach, or the other way around ...)?
;^)
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-26 21:00
PDQ Bach is one of my all-time favourite composers (?). His concerto for Hoover and orchestra sucks!
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-03-26 21:22
There is no greater musical experience in all the land to equal being a bassoonist in the Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion. *attempts vainly to keep a straight face* (Unless you happen to be a clarinetist with an affinity for Listerine. Those who have played the piece will understand )
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-26 21:41
LOL @ Josh - I also adore PDQ's 1812-esque overture, complete with pop-guns instead of cannons and records. I think I nearly passed out from laughter - maybe it was balloons being burst, not pop-guns, not sure.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2002-03-27 01:43
PDQ Bach is great! I do agree, though, that the "newer" band music is horrid! By the way, I do like "Lincolnshire Posy". It's a wonderful piece. I love everything by Mozart, but some of the symphonies can be very boring for a clarinetist. Too, anything that's watered down and has clarinets dueting with French horns and saxophones, usually spelled "saxaphones" in those programs with those types of (cough/sputter) music, is packaged fruitcake. I love most orchestral music parts and wind quintet parts. They get juicy!
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2002-03-27 16:05
My least favorite piece: "The Ghosts' High Noon" from Ruddigore by Gilbert & Sullivan. You sit for 10 minutes of dialog, then enter with a descending chromatic scale, two octaves+, starting on E above the staff, tongued staccato, 16th notes m=144, fortissimo.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-04-16 02:32
I heard part of a clarinet work by Schickele on the radio once...can't remember exactly what...either a quintet (w/ strings) or a concerto...it was a while ago...and it was GORGEOUS!!!!
As far as least favorite? "Music Makers" by Elgar...add me to the legion of non-fans of Elgar...the poem is awful and the music is trite!
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Author: joeyscl
Date: 2006-11-08 06:41
haha, gotta love good ol' 4' 33".... but I Loathe Pomp and Circumstance
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2006-11-08 07:29
I know I'm going to dislike my first symphonie, but I've to write it first.
But at the moment it would be: Baermann III
I've played this way to many times trough the years.......
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2006-11-08 08:01
Jim E said:
Actually, Pomp and Circumstance has a rather decent long intro that is rarely played
P&C has very good first, third section and coda sections and is frequently played in the UK. The slow bit (sections 2 & 4) just makes no sense on its own. Yes, I like it, but only play it about twice a year, not 500 times a day.
My least favourite pieces: Harry Potter Symphonic Suite - Disjointed
God Save the Queen
<begin rant>
An American-written poncy little waltz that sounds embarrasing (and itself embarrassed) compared to other national anthems. There are other, far more rousing British-written patriotic songs, such as Land of Hope and Glory aka Pomp & Circumstance no.1 - Elgar or Thomas Arne - Rule Brittania. Both are sung with much gusto at the Last Night of the Proms.
<end rant>
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2006-11-08 09:02
Irish music.
(love the country and the horses, but the music.....ugh)
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2006-11-08 09:39
I can't stand it playing Internationalen every 1st of MAY(Worker's bank holiday). We play it with the worker's marchingband and I'm so glad I only have to play it once a year. They have to play it more often since they are sponsored by the trade unions.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-11-08 10:10
Definitely this Chopin piano thing that the guy in the next room in Uni kept bashing out... can't remember the exact name but I still find myself humming it from time to time. Came on the radio a while back and I nearly had a fit. Another case of overuse, I think.
I've warmed to Elgar over the years. Is he somehow abused over in the States?...
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Author: nes
Date: 2006-11-08 11:26
I like 4'33, it's not the worst piece ever by anymeans, its innovative, and effective when performed well.
Pomp and Circumstance I don't like, neither pieces by late schoenberg and late berg
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2006-11-08 12:48
<I've warmed to Elgar over the years. Is he somehow abused over in the States?...>
Only if you consider it abusive to know that for eons, every high school band in the country has played the slow section over and over and over and over and over and over and over again while the most recent graduate crop files in for their commencement exercises. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
For years, that was my only referent for Elgar. Then one night many years ago, after a rip-roaring Halloween party fueled with Cafe Diablo, the Nimrod section of the Enigma Variations came emanating rather spectrally through my radio as I, both wired and drunk, tried to sleep. It was like an acid trip, I imagine (never having tried that, I wouldn't actually know), and I began taking Elgar more seriously.
Susan
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Author: Phat Cat
Date: 2006-11-08 15:41
Re: 4'33", it all depends on the performance. Some take it too fast, others too loud. Still others try to make it a glitzy technique show-off.
The scotch in hand certainly helps.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-11-08 15:41
Anything minimalist. It's not music. You suffocate trying to listen.
Limiting myself to things that actually try to be music, there are two that tie for the worst.
The first was "Ich bin Soldat, Valera" (I'm a Soldier - Hurrah), a truly flabby and awful suite by some German composer. The commander of the West Point Band got it in manuscript and fell in love. We had to play it on every concert. The worst part was that it called for every possible instrument, from Ab clarinet down to Eb and BBb contra, separate trumpet and cornet parts, separate euphonium and baritone parts, Eb, D, C, Bb and A trumpets, every percussion instrument ever imagined, etc., etc., etc., and we had to schlep them along on every trip.
The second was "Sir Galahad," an opera by ancient theory prof who was retiring from the University of Chattanooga and got a concert in his honor. If ever you're in the mood for incompetence and tone deafness, there it was. In the orchestra, we could hardly contain our laughter.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Jhall
Date: 2006-11-08 17:23
1. 4'33" - the snoring keeps waking me up. Too much scotch?
2. It sounds like I'll have to trash my project "Variations on 'Pomp and Circumstance.'"
3. Seriously, the Brahms Sonatas (because I haven't played them enough).
4. Rap probably isn't music.
John, scotch in hand!
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Author: Mark G. Simon
Date: 2006-11-08 17:42
"I've warmed to Elgar over the years. Is he somehow abused over in the States?..."
He just isn't played in the States, other than P & C #1 and Enigma Var., which is our loss, since the symphonies are really wonderful.
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana--Mediocrates (2nd cent. BC)
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Author: Gretchen
Date: 2006-11-08 17:48
I'm not a huge fan of Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring. Gets to be too long and repetitive after a while. And some arrangements out there are HORRIBLE.
I'll have to join the group of haters of Pomp and Circumstance. The only time I didn't mind it was when I was walking to graduate. But even then, I felt such sympathy for the group playing it (and such relief I didn't have to!).
Gretchen
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Author: Grant
Date: 2006-11-08 20:55
"Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head". Check the news abou flooding in Seattle. (I never did like it). Also "Bow Down to Washington" I wouldn't be a true graduate of Washington State University if I didn"t put it on my list.
Peace on Earth and May You always have a reed that PLAYS.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2006-11-08 23:00
Almost anything by Chopin. And there's a folio for clarinet, "60 Divermenti (per Clarinetto)" by Gabucci - bizarre and uninspired etudes.
Bill.
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Author: Max S-D
Date: 2006-11-09 00:24
99.999% of all band music. Especially anything by:
Percy Grainger
Alfred Reed
and, more than anyone else on the planet: James Swearingen.
When I was at California High School All-State band a couple of years ago (yeah, yeah, band geek, I know), Swearingen conducted the middle school honor group, who played three or four of his own compositions. This bothered me for three reasons:
1. It seemed unbelievably egotistical to exclusively program your own music.
2. he introduced the pieces by telling the story behind them and then said, in his most condescending tone "I find it helps to give kids at this age a story so that they can play the piece." These kids sounded REALLY, REALLY GOOD for their age. Their level of musicianship was far beyond what he was giving them credit for. They were not professionals, by any stretch, but they deserved more respect than he was giving them credit for.
3. The pieces were the cheesiest, lamest, most excruciatingly cliche drivel I have ever been subjected to, including one unbelievably awful one called "The Image on the Rock" or something like that featuring a video montage of American flags, amber waves of grain, purple mountain majesties and cute, frolicking white kids. I have nothing against America, but this was not expressing love for the country, this was FAWNING over it.
In case you couldn't tell, I still haven't really gotten over this guy. And I didn't even have to work with him, I just saw him onstage for 30 minutes.
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Author: Tode
Date: 2006-11-09 02:49
Ravel's Bolero get's my vote!
If you've ever played the bass clarinet part, you'd know why. Try playing Do and Sol on beats 1 and 3 for practically the ENTIRE piece?!?!?! Plus, it's just one itsy bitsy melody dragged out for waaaay too long!
~Sarah Todenhoft~
Geaux Tigers!
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Author: ned
Date: 2006-11-09 08:01
Acker bashing seems to be the norm with some correspondents. You will find, however, at least in ''trad'' jazz circles, or New Orleans circles, that his early recordings were of quite some merit. I can't say I'm a particular fan these days though.
I guess because he's not considered a ''legit'' player he's always going to on the outer with the classical fraternity.
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Author: marzi
Date: 2006-11-09 15:17
Chinese dance for this edited Nutcracker suite, in fact maybe the whole total Nutcracker, original or edited!(never played the original) In fact, wait, I do totally dislike the whole thing right now...only 3 concerts to go...i thnk the bassoonist hates it more...
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Author: clarinets1
Date: 2006-11-09 15:43
what?! no one has listed marches of any kind yet? i can't stand playing Sousa marches (or anybody else's marches for that matter) perhaps it's due to the fact that i can't seem to get past a Wind Ensemble concert without having to play one.
I am not a huge fan of Hindemith either. his saxophone sonata was a real trial of endurance for me.
also, maybe this is blasphemous, but i really don't do well playing endless repetitions and permutations of patriotic music. i don't mind the music itself, but i find constantly playing it becomes rather tiresome. how many different versions of Dixie can one person really endure?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-11-09 15:53
Worst of all are - drum roll - medleys. I <expletive deleted> hate medleys. As if to prove that some pieces consist of only six or twelve interesting bars, then - next, please! - another tune is mutilated.
It's an urban legend that the Titanic's band played "nearer my God to Thee" (http://www.snopes.com/history/titanic/lastsong.asp). I bet that ship sank because they played medleys. Grrr. Yech.
--
Ben
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Author: marzi
Date: 2006-11-09 16:05
oh ok, sousa marches when you are playing the first clarinet parts(so i don't) , all edited sousa marches, and all other marches period, and medleys. got me there.
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Author: Tode
Date: 2006-11-09 16:34
Since we're on a medly trip, I'd have to say that I strongly dislike the LSU Rhapsody. It was written by some movie composers 15-20 years ago and is cheese, pure cheese. It includes all of the major songs of LSU like "Hey Fightin' Tigers," "Fight for LSU," and the "Darling of LSU."
Don't get me wrong, I love our pregame music and fight song at football games, but not in a concert band setting. Plus, having to play it at many rehearsals and stupid events (Tigerama-raises money for the athletic foundation, and graduation) makes it that less desirable .
The things we do for the public.
~Sarah Todenhoft~
Geaux Tigers!
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Author: Bnewbs
Date: 2006-11-09 17:44
Sousa marches are consistantly in my least favorite. but the worst yet has to be vistas in Michigan by Daniel McCarthy, its just a percussion piece with odd bits from the rest of the band, and boring to play and to listen too. I am a little bit suprised to see Molly on the Shore (Its just sch a fun piece) and Bolero (which I have not performed but do enjoy) catching flak.
Ben
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Author: BassClarinetGirl
Date: 2006-11-09 21:32
Pomp and Circimstance on the bass clainet really does take the cake!
Other than that, the, uhh... "beloved" Christmas classic Sleigh Ride is fun to play the first rehersal, and then it gets old. Thankfully, we've only played it once so far this year, but my wind ensemble is combining with orchestra to play it for my colleges revered "Christmas Concert".
BCG
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2006-11-10 07:03
my least favorite piece is:
On hearing the first cuckoo in spring, by my least favorite composer:
Delius.
What a terrible piece.
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The Clarinet Pages
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