 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: graham
Date: 2006-04-24 11:55
I am not usually given to giving public praise to players but I felt that the concert I attended over the weekend, featuring Frost in the new Aho Concerto should be commented on. I had already heard Frost on a CD of contemporary music and had found that performance to be exceptional so I thought I had to hear him live.
He came to London's Barbican Hall, a less than sympathetic acoustic, and so totally lived up to the favourable CD impression that I can only speak of him as one of the greatest players I am ever likely to have the opportunity to witness. The pure and delicate tone, always coherent at any dynamics, and with exceptional range from ppppp to ff (no more, he is not especially powerful), was used in service of a superb musicality which made great sense of this totally new work. It was very passionate, yet obviously scrupulously thought through. The technical demands were very great but delivered almost perfectly. The stamina required must have been considerable but he maintained the energy levels throughout.
The concerto was very good (if you like modern music) and deserves to be played regularly. However, it was written for Frost and clearly incorporates some unusual techniques of his that other players may not have or choose to master. So it may remain a Frost-only work. Included in the effects were multiphonics, some of which sounded like they used the voice, and tremolos of every variety. He also seems able to produce a muted trumpet tone which was quite fun.
If Martin Frost is visiting your town, then I really do encourage you to go along and see/hear him. I cannot recommend it too much.
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Author: Gobboboy
Date: 2006-04-24 16:23
Thanks Graham
I too was at that concert and totally agree with your comments. He really was outstanding, I'm glad you enjoyed the piece too. I have quite a few friends in the BBCSO and they were telling me the day before the concert that they were all having quite a bit of trouble with the piece, saying that Osmo Vanska was having difficulties with the ever changing time signatures, changing from 1/16 to 3/2 and then back into common time just to confuse everyone! it sounds as if Frost was in command throughout and guided them all (including Vanska) through it!
What a performance though! they nailed it in the end it seems!! Did you notice Richard Hosford on Eb (the 1st part) mimicking the solo line at times in a sort of weird downward gliss mating call !!?!!
Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did anyway, & it's so great to see yet another world premier for our instrument at the Barbican, having seen Kari Krikku and Stoltzman both play new works there in the past year or so. It seems our repertoire is growing quite rapidly!
G
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Author: graham
Date: 2006-04-24 16:38
I certainly noticed the Hosford mimick phrase: one of several entertaining effects which the composer skillfully wove into a telling overall musical structure. I am very glad someone else who uses this board was able to enjoy this performance.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2006-04-25 00:45
Richard Hosford is also an incredible artist as well.
David Dow
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Author: charlie_star_uk
Date: 2006-04-25 15:56
hi!
i was at the concert too!!! it was incredible! and yes.. that concerto is so written for him... his tongueing (double i presume) was so fast.. andthat trumpet sound was unexpected and brilliant.
not a huge sound, esp compared to richard hosford's sound whose solos in that piece and the rach were brilliant. it is amazing how he can make his sound jump out of the texture in his solos so clearly..
charlie
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Author: Gobboboy
Date: 2006-04-25 17:19
Yea I agree Charlie - I'm starting to notice that kind of projection more and more from artists who play on Peter Eaton Clarinets...
I have lessons with Richard and the first thing he asked me was (before I'd gotten it out of the case) 'what instrument do you play on' , he didn't react at all when I told him I play Buffet RC Prestige (he's far too polite!) but Im am starting to get very interested in that sound.
At last years proms I heard Micheal Collins play the Corigliano on his Eaton and that sang all around the Royal Albert Hall almost effortlessly.
My Buffets are only a year old and now I am suffering from 'Want that one!' - not (i might add) do I think i'll sound just like him once i've parted with thousands of pounds!!!) I've just heard quite a few people play on them and like what I hear..
Anyone else have an opinion about Peter Eaton Clarinets for Orchestral work???
G
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2006-04-25 22:32
I too had some lessons with Richard and play on Eaton Elites (previously 1010s), I find these instruments great both in chamber, recital, concerto and orchestral work. I have no problems with blending in a wind section and the intonation is extremely good throughout the whole instrument(s). I play principle with the New professionals Gobboy, why don't you come to the Purcell Rooms and hear me and my colleagues play. It's on May 3rd and includes a world premier and UK premier of two violin pieces (resepectively). Must add that I did a recital at the Fairfield Halls this afternoon and found my Eatons rang round the whole hall. I tell you it's an amazing feeling when you hear yourself like that.
If you come to the concert say hello afterwards.
P.S. The concerto, would love to have heard it but was supporting a friend who played the Mozart Bassoon Concerto, funny thing is she got asked to do that concert but couldn't due to her concerto.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Wodkowski
Date: 2006-04-26 00:02
I also use Eaton clarinets and find them to be fantastic in orchestra.
Richard Hosford inspired me to pursue them, and I have been very happy with the decision to abandon Buffet. He is a fantastic artist, and I feel lucky to have studied with him - he opened my mind to a new world of sound and musicianship.
I use the International model, Peters small bore version of his big bore Elite. In play testing I found little difference between the instruments and opted for the International, Hosford thought I sounded more English on the small bores!
The real test has been freelancing on the job in London - they have not let me down yet. No matter what orchestra I have played with, London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, they blend and give me as much power as the other guys in the section, with lots in reserve.
One valuable thing I learned from Richard:
I always thought that he must play on the most incredible setup becuase me makes such a beautiful sound and achieves such a variety of colours and flexibility. Well I was dead wrong, because whenever I tried his setup it felt awful to me, I didnt understand how he made it work for him. I had an epiphany one day when he played my clarinets and sounded EXACLTY like himself, with all the little inflections and colouring he does. Richard simply just plays and uses his tremendous air control, voicing, and great talent to achieve what he does - your mental sound concept must be true and in the end you will sound and play like yourself, I just had to divorce the setup issues and get on with things. Sure some of my past teachers preached something similar to this, but this example convinced me, its all in the mind and physical approach.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-04-26 07:02
I also play an Eaton International clarinet. At the time I bought it I didn't know much about it, and they only had one in stock (at WW&BW) but I tried it and imediately loved its sound. Even the International model, which is the small bore model, has a bigger bore than the common French clarinets like Buffet, Selmer, etc.
My question for Eaton players is, what pads do you have on your clarinet? Mine came with the dark and soft, spunge-like pads. I also bought from Eaton a set of their leather pads but haven't changed to them yet. Eaton also makes their own pads now but he told me they only have them for new instruments and they can't make them for older ones.
The pads I have I think are transition pads. What I mean is they stopped getting the Superpads for their clarinets, and I think before they started making their own new resonator pads they used these instead of leather. Is it possible changing the pads would also change the sound enough to be able to tell? I like the feel of the leather pads more, since the spunge pads are very soft and feel a little weird but I really don't want anything to change in the sound.
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Author: fuglen
Date: 2006-04-26 10:30
Hello all
How in the world the debate went from Martin Fröst into Eaton clarinet pads is beyond me.:-)
Im looking forward to a concert with Fröst tomorrow here in Copenhagen. He will not be performing the Aho concerto but the program is still very interesting. After the concert with the orchestra he will do a night concert with various pieces for solo clarinet.
Here is the program:
Thursday Concert
Danish Radio Philharmonic
Thursday april 27 at 8 pm
Radiohusets Koncertsal
Dirigent: Ilan Volkov
Soloist: Martin Fröst, clarinet
Per Nørgård: Luna
Carl Nielsen: Klarinetkoncert, opus 57
Béla Bartók: Koncert for orkester
Nightkoncert at 10.30 pm (Solo recital)
"On the Wing"
Martin Fröst, clarinet
Anders Hillborg: Peacock Moment
Olivier Messiaen: Quatour pour le fin de temps,
Abîme des oiseaux
Anders Hillborg: Peacock Tales, for clarinet og tape
Kalevi Aho: Cadenza
Fredrik Högberg: Invisible Duet, "A celestial journey of the spirit", for clarinet og tape.
The concert will be broadcasted directly on Danish Radio program 2.
Im sure this will be a fantastic experience. Eaton clarinet or not.......:-)
www.peterfuglsang.com
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Author: fuglen
Date: 2006-04-26 21:41
I went to hear the rehearsel for tomorrows concert. wow! They ran through Nielsen for a couple of hours while i was there. Fröst is really a wonderful player. I agree with Graham that he doesnt play very loud. It was hard to hear him in the loudest snare drum passages (and I dont think the drummer was overdoing it) His ppp is amazing though.. To Me, he sounded like his choice of reed/mouthpiece, is set up to showcase his incredible tecnique and fast tonging, instead of volume.
But what a player......!
www.peterfuglsang.com
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Author: charlie_star_uk
Date: 2006-04-27 01:13
i might explore the eaton route then...... and maybe pay mr hosford a visit!
sounds interesting.... straying from the well trodden path always sounds interesting!!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2006-05-03 00:31
Thank you for this link! It takes a little hunting but, through the "listen again" feature, this performance is still available "on demand" for the next week.
Go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/listen/index.shtml
On this page, scroll down to "Classical" and where it says:
"If you are looking for a programme please look in the Radio 3 Radio Player"
click on "Radio 3 Radio Player."
On the window that appears, scroll down until you see "Performance on 3," click on "Mon(day)" immediately below.
Then simply wait for the concerto to begin. If you don't want to listen to the first work on the concert, "Blur ...," two clicks on the "5 min" skip button will get you very close to the beginning of the concerto (preceded by brief interviews with the composer and soloist.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: tdinap
Date: 2008-04-20 00:33
I had the privilege of seeing Frost play a lunchtime concert at Wigmore Hall this past Monday. He really did live up to the hype, in my opinion. He played a few Schumann transcriptions, his own "On the Wing" for solo clarinet and CD, and the second Brahms Sonata. The techniques he used in "On the Wing" were simply mind-blowing (call them gimmicky if you want, they're still pretty amazing). He was having some technical issues during the Brahms (water in the keys, and what seemed to be an extremely difficult reed--we were even treated to a squeak!) but still managed to play it very impressively. He played some klezmer for the encore--tons of fun, and chock full of more extended techniques, used quite well in context.
If he ever is in your area, definitely do your best to get there--I'd go again in a heartbeat.
Tom
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2008-04-20 21:46
Next week I'm going to have a new experience with Martin, as a conductor. He will play/conduct the Mozart concerto and conduct our wind section in Mozart's "Gran Partita".
Alphie
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Author: Misiek735
Date: 2020-10-08 18:25
Hello everyone!
I know that this topic finished long time ago, but still I decided to ask for your help.
Did you had a chance to find, or record (audio or video) for your own purposes this live performance of Kalevi's Aho Clarinet concerto? Maybe you had a chance to save this recording which was published for one week in BBC website?
I know that today is already available a fantastic recording of this piece done with Lahti Symphony Orchestra. I am curious to have a chance to listen how this concerto sounded live back in 2006. Reason why I ask is that in 99% I am going to perform this piece as a soloist with the symphony orchestra where I work in the north of Finland. Everything has been already unofficially scheduled and planned, and it is suppose to happen in the 1st half of 2021. Now everything depends on the situation with covid.
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