Author: GBK
Date: 2002-09-15 21:58
In 1990, I had this very discussion with the late Jerry Pierce (past President ICA, columnist: "Pierce's Potpourri", noted clarinet historian, etc...) and he wrote me a long letter (which I treasure) on April 17, 1990 with his thoughts on the different Poulenc editions.
According to Pierce, the story goes something like this:
A number of years ago, Georgina Dobree of London was researching the Poulenc and came across the various drafts that he had made for the work. Anyway, she decided that some of the notes were "wrong" and convinced Chester to reprint the work with the changes.
Chester followed through with what Georgina claimed were the final wishes in the final drafts of Poulenc. The changes are really quite minor (a few different notes in the first and third movements), but Chester probably saw an opportunity to gain a few more sales in a later (different) edition.
Whichever edition you play, it really doesn't matter. As Jerry said: "it is all Poulenc - at one time or another".
Since Poulenc is not here to tell us which he would prefer, it is to the performer's discetion as to which sounds more pleasing. Both are well within the scope of the original artist.
My preference? I think whichever edition you learn first (it's only a difference of a few notes) is the one that "sticks in your ear" and the one that sounds more correct to you. Isn't it funny how the mind works?
Oh, by the way, I learned the 1963 version first...GBK
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
