 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2005-08-24 14:12
Can someone tell me if a bass or Eb clarinet is required in this work?
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-08-24 17:12
The ONLY thing wrong with Sibelius 2 is that it DOESN'T have a bass clarinet part -- otherwise it's one of the all-time finest pieces of music ever written, IMHO. Still moves me every time I hear it.
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-08-24 17:55
After a performance of Brahms 2nd Symphony I ran into Maestro Rostropovich backstage. He asked me why I wasn't onstage and I replied:"Well, there's no bass clarinet in Brahms 2nd."
Slava replied: "Oh my dear friend, dots beeg meestake from Brahms!"
I've played Brahms symphonies with Ormandy and Stokowski, both of whom corrected Brahms "mistake" by fabricating a bass clarinet part for the 3rd and 1st Symphony respectively! I suspect Mahler did the same when he conducted Brahms.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-08-24 18:08
Larry -- that's very interesting! Are there any recordings you're aware of on which the "fabricated" bass clarinet parts are played? That would be well worth a listen. I'm surprised that even conductors of their stature would have the 'temerity' to mess with Brahms' instrumentation.
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-08-24 22:33
Dave--I can't say for sure, but I would venture that any of the Ormandy/Philadelphia recordings would probably have the added bass clarinet part--he was very insistent that it be played!
This tinkering with the original orchestration was not at all uncommon a few years back. I know that Weingartner, Stock, and even Toscanini praticed it; vide Toscanini's Beethoven Ninth--he greatly augmented the horn parts in the scherzo. When I was in the Civic Orchestra in Chicago we performed the Schubert 9th using Stock's parts--he had specially written out parts for the "assistant" clarinets in which they doubled the first and second violins in some of the tutti passages!
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Author: graham
Date: 2005-08-25 07:59
Sibelius only used the bass in his 6th Symphony as far as I am aware. If you look at that part you realise that he didn't really know what to do with it.
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Author: GoatTnder
Date: 2005-08-25 15:39
You know, with a highly confusing piece of music notation software sharing his name, you forget that Sibelius was actually a gifted composer. Thank God for the Symphony #2. Otherwise, we'd forget entirely.
I remember hearing this symphony the first time at about 2 in the morning on the radio while on the phone with a friend. I had to stop the conversation to finish listening, and write down what I'd just heard. The very next day, I went out and bought a recording. Next step is to actually play it...
-Andy Cabrera
a.l.cabrera@gmail.com
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-08-25 21:29
For those who like bass clarinet in symphonic work : did you ever hear Sjostakovitch 7th ? That's a deep bass !! (C# all the way down to start with)
He certainly uses our favourite clarinet wherever he could. Some of it in a fantastic way (e.g. in the great solo with the flute in violin concerto)
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Author: diz
Date: 2005-08-26 00:16
Whilst I agree with all concerned that Symphony No 2 is a fabulous and wonderful work, it's not my favourite one of the 7 - that vote (for me) goes to No 5 - the climax of the 1st movement is one of the most thrilling Sibelius penned.
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-08-26 11:17
Listened to No 2 today, and indeed, quite nice.
No 5 couldn't convince me yet, except for the opening which happens to be the startup of the Sibelius software.
Peter
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