 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bart
Date: 2008-02-27 11:32
Yesterday I went to a concert where Emma Johnson played some fun clarinet repertoire - Weber, Schumann, Debussy, Gershwin etc - but it was a piece by Elgar that stole the show for me - Canto Popolare. I had never heard it before; it was delightful. A quick search on this forum for the piece and Elgar brought up a mix of Elgar-bashing along with some supportive voices for his Enigma Variations and cello concerto etc., but only one hidden-away post mentioned Canto Popolare. It's the only piece Elgar wrote for clarinet and piano. If you haven't heard it or haven't played it - you're missing out - it comes with my warm recommendations.
All the best,
Bart
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2008-02-27 21:14
Ah the Elgar. Lovely little work, written for clarinet or violin. Charles Draper was attached to this piece and I think Elgar wrote it for him and then told the publishers to say it was also for violin to increase sales. It is also one of the handful of viola solos in the orchestral repertoire in In the South (Alassio).
It's a nice tune, published in a modern edition by Lazarus.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-02-28 14:13
Hi, Bart and Pete - On the basis of your comments, I ordered a copy of this Elgar from "Musicnotes.com" for myself and my "better" cl friends. The $6 was fine, but the S&H is $8. !! Will give my opinion in a week. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Bart
Date: 2008-02-28 16:40
You're turning up the pressure now Don, so I've had a quick look for some further info.
This link will give you some of the background:
http://www.clarinet.demon.co.uk/elgar.htm
Emma Johnson played the piece as an encore. She introduced it as "a beatiful song" - and it was. It's always great to hear some "new' good music, some of the impact the tune had on me will come from the surprise element - the performance was over, all the music she played before I was familiar with, and then this piece sounded.
Part of the history seems that Elgar put music to this poem:
To Jane
a love poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley
The keen stars were twinkling,
And the fair moon was rising among them,
Dear Jane.
The guitar was tinkling,
But the notes were not sweet till you sung them
Again.
As the moon's soft splendour
O'er the faint cold starlight of Heaven
Is thrown,
So your voice most tender
To the strings without soul had then given
Its own.
The stars will awaken,
Though the moon sleep a full hour later
To-night;
No leaf will be shaken
Whilst the dews of your melody scatter
Delight.
Though the sound overpowers,
Sing again, with your dear voice revealing
A tone
Of some world far from ours,
Where music and moonlight and feeling
Are one.
Hope you enjoy playing it.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2008-02-28 17:45
I have the part with an interesting forward by Colin Bradbury, i'll post back when I dig it out.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Simon Aldrich
Date: 2008-02-29 15:19
It mentions at http://www.clarinet.demon.co.uk/elgar.htm
that the piece "appeared in numerous instrumental versions...including violin, viola, cello and clarinet".
Has anyone seen the arrangement for cl, vln, vla and vcl?
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Simon Aldrich
Clarinet Faculty - McGill University
Principal Clarinet - Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal
Clarinet - Nouvel Ensemble Moderne
Artistic Director - London Chamber Music Festival
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2008-03-01 23:44
There is no arrangment for clt, vln, vla and vcl. These are the solo instruments Elgar sanctioned for this piece when it went to print. Interestingly enough Draper said it would work better on the A clt. I have the Lazaraus print and it has both Bb an A parts. Any idea what part Emma played?
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Bart
Date: 2008-03-03 08:10
Emma returned to the stage for the encore with only one instrument - no idea whether that was an A or Bb clar.
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