 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John Peacock
Date: 2017-05-17 23:47
Anyone here played Strauss's Elektra? I have the happy task of fixing the clarinet section for this - all 8 parts. I know there are 2 Bb, 2 A, 2 bassets, Bass, Eb. But what I'd welcome advice on is the 4 normal clarinets: are these to be viewed as Clarinets 1-4, with 1/2 on Bb and 3/4 on A, or is 1st A a more important part than 2nd Bb (or indeed than 1st Bb??). It's just a question of how to allocate the strongest players (accepting that probably there are enough notes that everyone has to be pretty strong).
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2017-05-18 00:33
1st and 2nd B-flat have most of the important stuff to play and the two A clarinets have a lot less. So I'd advise putting the 2 strongest players on the 2 B-flat parts.
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Author: genekeyes ★2017
Date: 2017-05-18 02:04
As I remember.........Clar 1 & 2 are in Bb and 3 & 4 are in A. Interestingly though, the set-up in Salome, is the opposite.....1 & 2 in A and 3 & 4 in Bb. I wouldn't call any of the parts easy...........but it's great music.
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2017-05-18 08:21
In April, 1956, Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony presented two concert
performances (no costumes, acting, etc.) to end the season and then recorded
about 70% of that performance for RCA Victor. Inge Borkh was Elektra. The
eight clarinet parts were distributed in this manner: Clark Brody (then principal
in Chicago) Bb I; Extra player: Bb2; Walter Wollwage, (Chicago 2nd regular) A I; Extra player, A II; Jerome Stowell, (Chicago Eb and Associate principal) Eb; George
Weber (Chicago Symphony Bass clarinet) Bass clarinet; Extra Player, basset horn
I; Extra Player, basset horn II. I was to play, as an extra, the second A part, but
ran into a problem with the union as a transfer player. I ended up, very happily,
playing basset horn II on a Robert basset. It was some years later when bassets
were more available from Leblanc, Selmer and Buffet that, I believe, the symphony
purchased Leblanc bassets.
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Author: donald
Date: 2017-05-18 10:05
I played this in an "opera in concert" some years ago as 2nd clarinet, but we didn't do it with 8 clarinets (only 4 or 5, can't remember). Regardless, even the 2nd clarinet parts was pretty darn difficult and required quite a lot of practise time.... it was an amazing experience.
dn
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2017-05-18 20:00
Elektra is a huge orchestra, including a Heckelphone. In the Chicago performances,
the orchestra was on stage, but the singing roles, Electra, Chrysothemis, Clytemnestra, Orestes, Aegisthus were placed on a platform high above the
orchestra at the back of the stage to create the same relationship of the
opera house with singers on stage and orchestra in the pit. I recall talking
with Francis Yeend (Chrysothemis) being concerned at the great volume of
the orchestral writing, but with the raised up singers, all was heard. The
Recognition Scene is an intense and complex view of Strauss displaying
many levels of emotion in the voice and orchestral writing. The Chicago
recording has been reissued on CD and sounds, today as vibrant as it did
those many years ago. Reiner had cut all the music of the servants, but
the drama still made great sense and a powerful statement. Strauss next
wrote Rosenkavalier.
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Author: genekeyes ★2017
Date: 2017-05-18 22:23
During the 1960s I was doing some extra work and subbing with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in NYC. I had the opportunity to play the 3rd and 4th parts to both Salome and Elektra under Carl Boehm. As I remember (it was 50 some years ago) the 1st part was always played by the Principal (Herb Blayman), second part by the second player ( Ben Armato) and the 3rd and 4th parts were covered by myself and John Grande (the Met Librarian and a fine clarinetist). The Associate Principal covered the Eb part (Roger Hiller) and Sidney Kyle was the Bass player. The Basset Horn parts were covered by extras. On several occasions (I don't recall why) I covered the Eb part in Salome and once in Die Frau Ohne Schatten. Very busy books and the hierarchy of the parts pretty well followed the numbering of the part rather than the instrument (A or Bb). They were among of the most memorable experiences of my career.
Post Edited (2017-05-18 22:25)
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