 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: shallow-mo
Date: 2019-01-13 19:29
Anyone else have experience with the second/bass clarinet part to the Walton Viola Concerto? Damn, the bass clarinet parts are tricky and not idiomatic at all. Any suggestions? Particularly with the solo on the top of last page? If this thing isn't on orchestra's audition excerpts lists, it ought to be.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2019-01-14 17:53
It's funny this came up because I've played it a few times and don't recall it being too difficult but I did have an embarrassing story about it to share. It happened my first year in the BSO. At #61 it says "sounding a tone lower" since goes to the bass cleff to the end. Somehow I interpeted it as meaning it's in C bass so I transposed it. The conductor at the time. Peter Hermann Adler, a terrible conductor, didn't notice anything at the rehearsal but at intermission the assistant conductor came up to me and told me I was playing it in the wrong key. I told him what music said and then realized I interrupted it wrong so played it correctly the next time. Adler never knew but i was embarrassed for sure.
One reason it wouldn't be on an audition is it's so repetitive, same measure played over and over again until the last two.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2019-01-15 18:01)
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Author: shallow-mo
Date: 2019-01-18 19:45
Hmmm. My part does not have that "sounding a tone lower" , nor does it go into the bass clef. I'm wondering if you played the version prior to the 1962 revision Walton did.
Yes the solo at the end of movement 3 is repetitive indeed. A little ticklish pinky work going using left hand Ab's and reading all those dam low Fb's.
The part that is really challenging for me, is the first movement with the range concerns...going to Eb above the staff, many times. It's a handful... Especially for a recovering classical saxophonist like me.
Thanks for your funny story. I bet it wasn't funny at the time. :-)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2019-01-19 17:41
This happened to me in my first year, 1963 so yes, it's the orginal part. I still have a copy. I'm happy they republished it making it a bit easier and clearer to read.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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