 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2013-02-25 16:41
Hello All!
Last saturday, my fellow band members and I competed at Solo & Ensemble and recieved a Division 1 - Now we're state bound!
Well, for state, we're going to be playing (possibly) - "Suite for Four Clarinets" by Claude Smith.
We're playing "Concert Variations," so I thought I would have all of his crazy time signature changes down by now.
But alas, he fools me again.
In the 2nd to last measure in the third movement - the time signature is as follows: "6/8 + 3/4"
The only thing I could think of was that he is giving us a choice here - a 6/8 triplet feel, or a 3/4 1 te feel.
That's probably completely wrong - but that's the only thing on my mind.
Any help would be appreciated!
I would try to post a picture, but last time I tried it didn't work so..
I will try again if I have time later.
Thanks!
John
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2013-02-25 17:46
It would be really good to see the music in question, but ordinarily the '+' sign would indicate that the whole measure is to be grouped as indicated instead of a more even grouping of subdivisions. In this case, the measure(s) may have 12 eighth notes in it. The usual grouping would be 4 triplets. Instead, it sounds like he's asking for the eighths to be divided 3-3-2-2-2. He isn't really giving you a choice, just making explicit where the main groupings should fall.
Karl
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Author: MartyMagnini
Date: 2013-02-25 18:28
I would have to see the music, but in my experience, the + usually means that it alternates measures - the first measure being 6/8, the second being felt like 3/4, etc.
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Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2013-02-25 22:32
Isn't it just: I like to BE in a Me-Ri-Ca repeated?
(Not that I do, you understand:-)
Tony
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Author: jparrette
Date: 2013-02-26 18:04
Very funny! But I think Mr. Pay hit it on the head. Like this - 123-456/1+2+3+, where the eighth note remains the same.
Claude Smith was a wonderful man, who happened to have lived in the town I grew up in (Raytown, MO). He wrote wonderful music for young bands, and introduced thousands of kids to the concept of mixed meter. Nearly all his works have at least one 7/8 bar thrown in for good measure.
He was a top-notch clinician, composer and conductor, and he passed away far too early.
John Parrette
CLARION MUSICAL SERVICES
john@clarionmusical.com
914-805-3388
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2013-02-26 18:29
>> Isn't it just: I like to BE in a Me-Ri-Ca repeated?
>>
But if that's the rhythm, then why would a composer write it as alternating bars of 6/8 and 3/4? Isn't that an unnecessary complication?
Fwiw, I have the sheet music for "America" (from "West Side Story," with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim). It's in 6/8. The first bar ("I like to be in A-") has six 8th notes. The second bar ("mer-i-ca") has three quarter-notes. All the notes are sung as if they were triplets, with the accents for the 8th notes on the 1 and the 4 and for the quarter notes on the 1. "I like to BE in a-MER-ic-a...." The notation is easy to read.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2013-02-26 19:12)
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2013-02-26 19:58
Attachment: 68 junk.JPG (124k)
I'm sorry guys - maybe I should have specified that the time signature only lasts one measure then moves on to (5/8).
I'm trying to include a picture to help clarify things.
EDIT: Sucess! Horray!
I'm sorry about the poor naming job, I didn't realize it would show it! :P
Post Edited (2013-02-26 19:59)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2013-02-26 20:21
If that's the only bar with that signature, the only thing I can think it might mean is that one or more of the other parts are playing the different grouping - three quarter notes (pairs of eighth notes) - against your grouping in dotted quarters (three eighths in each group). Although with every note accented, it's hard to see what audible difference it makes if you group in threes or twos.
What's going on in the other parts?
Karl
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Author: P4sEnvy
Date: 2013-02-26 20:25
Attachment: score 68.JPG (126k)
Nothing at all in the 3rd & 4th part actually.
The 2nd has three eighth notes at the end of the measure.
I'll attempt to attach a picture of the score if that will clarify.
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2013-02-26 20:47
This is obviously an error by the publisher. The measure should just be in 6/8.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2013-02-27 13:11
Thanks for the picture, P4sEnvy (and please forget everything I wrote above about "America").
rmk54 wrote,
>>This is obviously an error by the publisher. The measure should just be in 6/8.>>
I'll bet you're right. If if the composer had accented the six notes as DAH-dah DAH-dah DAH-dah, then maybe the marking would make some sense, if he wanted to make extra-sure the notes weren't played DAH-dah-dah DAH-dah-dah, as if they were triplets. Even then, he could achieve the same thing with accent marks instead of an oddball notation. But as it is, with all notes accented equally, the 6/8 + 3/4 time signature doesn't contribute anything except confusion.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2013-02-27 13:11)
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