clarinetfest.2005 tama.tokyo july18m[4 7days^ 24 ms ... · volume 32, number 3 june 2005 about the...

ClarinetFest.2005

TAMA.TOKYO

July18m [4 7days^ 24 ms

Information <www.cl-fest2005.jp/>

Mark Nuccio

Associate Principal Clarinet

Solo Eb

New York Philharmonic

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Since 1825®

www.buffet-crampon.com

Volume 32, Number 3 June 2005

About the Cover...

ClarinetFesU 2005 poster

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Alea Publishing & Recording 17 Alexander's Wind Instrument Center 21 Altieri Instrument Bags 22 Ben Armato 7 Backun Musical Services Inside Back Cover Behn Mouthpieces International 9, 65 BG Franck Bichon 44 Charles Bay 70 Kristin Bertrand Woodwind Repair 75 Bois Ligatures 83 Robert Borbeck 73 Brannen Woodwinds 40 Carmine Campione 22 CASS 74 Clarinet Classics 31 Conn-Selmer. Inc Back Cover Crystal Records 34, 42 The Davie Cane Company 14 Fleming Instrument Repair 60 The Hasty Legacy 44 J. D'Addario — Rico Reeds 46 Jeanne, Inc 23 Jupiter Clarinets 35 LampCraft 9 Last Resort Music 14 Leblanc 2 Luyben Music Co 19 Vincent Marinelli 18 Muncy Winds 87 The Music Group, Inc Inside Front Cover, 88 Naylor's Custom Wind Repair 65 Olivieri Reeds 87 Ongaku Records, Inc 5 Patricola Fratelli SNS 75 Pomarico 72 Bernard Portnoy 86 Quodlibit. Inc 12 Rast Music 87 RedwineJazz 4 Reeds Australia 57 Ridenour Clarinet Products 25 L. Rossi 15 Sayre Woodwinds 37 Tap Music Sales 73 U.S. Army Recruiting Command 43 Van Cott Information Services 51 Wichita Band Instrument Co 37 Woodwindiana, Inc 85 Yamaha Corporation of America 45

Features

CLARINETFEST. 2005: TAMA, TOKYO • JULY 18-JULY 24, 2005 • PARTHENON, TAMA 36

IN MEMORIAM: EMILY BERNSTEIN • ROBERT J. SCHOTT • YUKIO OHASHI 38

THE CLARINET TEACHING OF KEITH STEIN — PART 11: DISCUSSION OF ARTICULATION, CONCLUDED by David Pino 40

DANISH CLARINET MUSIC OF THE 19TH CENTURY: THE CLARINETIST'S INFLUENCE by Michael Thrasher 47

THE ELECTRIC CLARINET, PART II by F. Gerard Errante 52

CARLO PAESSLER (1774-1865): CONCERTOS FOR CLARINET AND ORCHESTRA FOUND IN A MUSIC ARCHIVE IN FRIULI IN NORTHERN ITALY by Nicola Bulfone 58

"FASZINATION KLARINETTE": THE FOURTH GERMAN CLARINET SYMPOSIUM A Report by Bruce Edwards and Nicolai Pfeffer 61

THE "MOZART EFFECT" by Heston L. Wilson, M.I). .66

AMERICAN CHAMBER ENSEMBLE CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY by Naomi Drucker 68

THE CLARINET IN HUNGARY — AN ENDURING LOVE AFFAIR by Paul Globus 71

AN OUTSIDER'S VIEW b\ Katharine Whitelaw 74

Departments

LETTERS 4

MASTER CLASS — The Artie Shaw Clarinet Concerto by Tad Calcara 6

TEACHING CLARINET by Michael Webster 10

AUDIO NOTES by William Nichols 16

CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS 20

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING... by Deborah Check Reeves 24

LETTER FROM THE U.K. by Paul Harris 26

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 26

CLARINETISTS IN UNIFORM by Staff Sergeant Diana Cassar-Uhl 27

QUINTESSENCE — The Wind Informant, No. 27 by Bruce M. Creditor 28

INDUSTRY PROFILES — Luyben Music Company by Kelly Johnson 32

REVIEWS 76

RECITALS AND CONCERTS 84

MUSICAL CHAIRS 85

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by Michael Galvdn 86

June 2005 Page 1

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INTERNATIONAL CLARINET ASSOCIATION

President: Michael Galvdn, School of Music. Ithaca College. Whalen Center for Music. Ithaca. NY 14850-7240. 607/274-3410 (office), 607/274-1727 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]>

Past President: Robert Walzel School of Music, University of Utah, 204 David P. Gardner Hall. 1375 East Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City. UT 84112-0030.801/273-0805 (home). 801/581-6765 (office), 801/581-5683 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]>

President-elect: Lee Livengood, 490 Northmont Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84103, E-mail: <[email protected]> Secretary: Kristina Belisle, School of Music. University of Akron, Akron. OH 44325-1002.330/972-8404 (office).

330/972-6409 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> Treasurer: Diane Barger, School of Music. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 120 Westbook Music Building, Lincoln, NE

68588-0100.402/472-0582 (office), 402/472-8962 (fax). E-mail: <dbargerl @unl.edu> Executive Director: Rose Sperrazx. P.O. Box 5039. Wheaton. IL 60189-5039.630/665-3602 (phone). 630/665-3848 (fax).

E-mail: <[email protected]> Editor/Publisher: James Gillespie. College of Music. University of North Texas. P.O. Box 311367, Demon. TX 76203-1367.

940/565-4096 (office). 940/565-2002 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> Editorial Associates: Lee Gibson, 1226 Kendolph. Denton. TX 76205; Himie Vo.xman, 821 N. Linn. Iowa City. IA 52245 Contributing Editor: Joan Porter. 400 West 43rd, Apt. 41L, New York. NY 10036 Editorial Staff: Joseph Messenger (Editor of Reviews), Department of Music. Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011,

515/294-3143, E-mail: <[email protected]>; William Nichols (Audio Review Editor), School of Music, University of Louisiana at Monroe. Monroe. LA 71209-0250.318/342-1576 (office), 318/342-1599 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]>; Tsuneya Hirai, 11-9 Oidecho. Nishinomiya, 662-0036 Japan; Kalmen Opperman, 17 West 67th Street. #1 D/S. New York. NY 10023; Heston L Wilson, M.D., 1155 Akron Street, San Diego, CA 92106, E-mail: <[email protected]>: Michael Webster. Shepherd School of Music. Rice University, P.O. Box 1892. Houston. TX 77251-1892.713/838-0420 (home), 713/838-0078 (fax), E-mail: <[email protected]>; Bruce Creditor, 11 Fisher Road. Sharon. MA 02067, E-mail: <[email protected]>; Thomas IV. Jacobsen, 3970 Laurel Street. New Orleans. LA 70115, E-mail: <[email protected]>; Ronald Odrich, D.D.S., 4710 Livingston Avenue. Bronx, NY 10471,718/796-5080 (phone), E-mail: <[email protected]>: Deborah Check Reeves, Curator of Education, National Music Museum, University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St.. Vermillion. SD 57069; phone: 605/ 677-5306; fax: 605/677-6995; Museum Web site: <http://www.usd.edu/smm>; Personal Web site: <http://www.usd.edu/-dreeves>; Paul Harris, 15, Mallard Drive, Buckingham, Bucks. MK18 1GJ. U.K.; E-mail: <[email protected]>; Diana Cassar-Uhl, 26 Rose Hill Park. Cornwall. NY 12518

I.C.A. Research Center: SCPA. Performing Aits Library, University of Maryland, 2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. College Park, MD 20742-1630

Research Coordinator and Libran Liaison: Keith Koons. Music Department, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 161354, Orlando, FL 32816-1354.407/823-5116 (phone). E-mail: <[email protected]>

Webmaster: Kevin Jocius, Headed North. Inc. Web Design, 847/7424730 (phone), <http://www.headednoith.com> Historian: Alan Stanek. 1352 East Lewis Street. Pocatello. ID 83201-4865.208/232-1338 (phone). 208/282-4884 (fax),

E-mail:<[email protected]> International Liaisons: Australasia: Floyd Williams. 27 Airlie Rd. Pullenvale. Qld. Australia. (61)7 3374 2392 (phone), E-mail <f.williams@griffith.

edu.au> Europe/Mediterranean: Guido Six, Aitanstraat 3, BE-8670 Oostduinkerke, Belgium, (32) 58 52 33 94 (home), (32) 59 70 70

08 (office), (32) 58 51 02 94 (home fax), (32) 59 51 82 19 (office fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> North America: Luan Mueller. 275 Old Camp Church Road. Carrollton. GA 30117.678/796-2414 (cell). E-mail: <luanclarinet

@bellsouth.net> South America: Marino Calva, Ejido Xalpa # 30 Col. Culhuacan, Mexico D.F. 04420 Coyoacan. (55) 56 95 42 10

(phone/fax), (55) 91 95 85 10 (cell). E-mail: <marinocalva§hotmail.com> National Chairpersons: Argentina: Mariano Frogioni, Bauness 2760 4to. B, CP: 1431. Capital Federal, Argentina Armenia: Alexandr G. Manulnm, Aigestan str. 6 h. 34,Yerevan 375070, Armenia. E-mail: <[email protected]> Australia: Floyd Williams, Queensland Conservatorium, P. O. Box 3428. Brisbane 4001, Australia; 61/7 3875 6235 (office);

61/7 3374 2392 (home); 61/733740347 (fax); E-mail: <[email protected]> Austria: Alfred Prinz. 3712 Tamarron Dr., Bloomington, Indiana 47408, U.S.A. 812/334-2226 Belgium: Guido Six, Aitanstraat 3, B-8670 Oostduinkerke, Belgium, 32/58 52 33 94 (home), 32 59 70 70 08 (office),

Fax 325851 02 94 (home). 32 5951 82 19 (office). E-mail: <guidoix@sixbn)s.com> Brazil: Ricardo Dourado Freire, SHIS QI17 conj. 11 casa 02,71.645-110 Brasflia-DF, Brazil, 5561/248-1436 (phone),

5561/248-2869 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> Canada: Peter Spriggs, The Clarinet Center, P.O. Box 159, Penticton, British Columbia V2A 6J9, Canada, Phone/Fax

250/497-8200. E-mail: <[email protected]> Caribbean: Kathleen Jones, Torrimar. Calle Toledo 14-1, Guaynabo, PR 00966-3105, Phone 787/7824963,

E-mail: <[email protected]> Chile: Luis Rossi, Coquimbo 1033 #1, Santiago centro, Chile, (phone/fax) 562/222-0162, E-mail: <[email protected]> Costa Rica: Alvaro D. Guevara-Duarte, 300 M. Este Fabrica de Hielo, Santa Cmz-Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Central America,

E-mail: <[email protected]> Czech Republic: Stepdn Koutnik, K haji 375/15 165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic, E-mail: <[email protected]> Denmark: J0m Nielsen, Kirkevaenget 10, DK-2500 Valby, Denmark, 45-36 16 69 61 (phone).

E-mail: <[email protected]> Finland: Anna-Maija Joensuu, Finish Clarinet Society, Karipekka Eskelinen, Iso Roobertinkatu 42A 16,00120 Finland,

358-(0)500-446943 (phone). E-mail: <[email protected]> France: Guy Deplus, 37 Square St. Charles. Paris. France 75012, phone 33 (0) 143406540 Germany: Ulrich Mehlhart, Domholzhauser Str. 20, D-61440 Oberursel, Germany, <www.mehlahrt.de> Great Britain: David Campbell, 83, Woodwarde Road, London SE22 8UL. England, 44 (0)20 8693 56% (phone/fax),

E-mail: <[email protected]> Greece: Paula Smith Diamandis, S. Petroula 5. Thermi 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece. E-mail: <[email protected]> Hong Kong: Andrew Simon, 14B Ying Pont Building. 69-71A Peel Street, Hong Kong (011) 852 2987 9603 (phone).

E-mail <[email protected]>, <www.AndrewSimon.net> Hungary: Jozsef Balogh, Becsi u. 88/90.1/31, H-1034 Budapest, Hungary, 36 1 388 6689 (phone/fax),

E-mail:<[email protected]>, <[email protected]> Iceland: Kjartan 'Oskarsson, Tungata 47, IS-101, Reykjavik, Iceland, 354 552 9612 (phone). E-mail: <kjartanl @ismennt.is> Ireland: Tim Hanafin, Orchestral Studies Dept.. DIT, Conservatory of Music, Chatham Row, Dublin 2, Ireland,

353 1 4023577 (fax), 353 1 4023599 (home phone). E-mail: <[email protected]> Israel: Eva Wasserman-Margolis, Weizman 6, Apt. 3, Givatayim, Israel 53236, E-mail: <[email protected]> Italy: Luigi Magistrelli. Via Buonarroti 6,20010 S. Stefano Ticino (Mi), Italy, 39/(0) 2 97 27 01 45 (phone/fax),

E-mail: <[email protected]> Japan: Koichi Hamanaka, Room 403,1-34-2 Komagome, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0003 Japan, 81-3-5976-6057 (phone/fax), E-

mail: <[email protected]>

Korea: 1m Soo Lee, Hanshin 2nd Apt.. 108-302, Chamwondong Suhchoku. Seoul, Korea. (02) 533-6952 (phone). (02) 3476-6952 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]>

Luxembourg: Marcel Lallemang, 11 Rue Michelshof, L-6251 Scheidgen. Luxembourg. E-mail: <[email protected]> Mexico: Luis Humberto Ramos, Calz. Guadalupe I. Ramire No. 505401 Col. San Bemadino. Xochimilco, Mexico D.F.,

16030.6768709 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> Netherlands: Nancy Wierdsma-Braithmite, Arie van de Heuvelstraat 10,3981 CV. Bunnik. Netherlands. E-mail:

<[email protected]> New Zealand: Andrew Uren. 26 Appleyard Crescent. Meadowbank. Auckland 5. New Zealand.

64 9 521 2663 (phone and fax). Noway: Hdkon Stffdle, Fogd Dreyersgt. 21.9008 Tromso. Norway 47/77 68 63 76 (home phone), 47/77 6605 51 (phone,

Tromso College), 47/77 61 88 99 (fax. Tromso College). E-mail: <[email protected]> People's Republic of China: Guang Ri Jin. Music Department. Central National University. No. 27 Bai Shi Qiao Road.

Haidian District. Beijing. People's Republic of China. 86/10-6893-3290 (phone) Peru: Ruben Valenzuela Alejo. Av. Alejandro Bertello 1092, Lima. Peru 01.564-0350 or 564-0360 (phone),

(51-1) 5644123 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> Poland: Krzysztof Klima. os. Wysokie 10/28,31-819 Krakow, Poland. 48 1264808 82 (phone), 48 1264808 82 (fax).

E-mail: <[email protected]> Portugal: Antonio Saiote, Rua 66, N. 125.2 Dto.. 4500 Espinho, Portugal. 351 -2-731 0389 (phone) Slovenia: Jurij Jenko, C. Na Svetje 56 A. 61215 Medvode. Slovenia. Phone 386 61 612 477 South Africa: Edouard L. Miasnikov. P.O. Box 249. Auckland Park. 2006, Johannesburg. South Africa.

(011) 476-6652 (phone/fax) Spain: Jose Thomas-Perez, Rosas de Aravaca, 82 C-l0 28023 Madrid. Spain. 705 4167 (phone) Sweden: Kjell-Inge Stevensson, Erikssund. S-193 00 Sigtuna. Sweden Switzerland: Andreas Ramseier, Alter Markt 6, CH-3400 Burgdorf, Switzerland Taiwan: Chien-Ming. 3F. 33, Lane 120, Hsin-Min Street, Tamsui, Taipei. Taiwan 25103 Thailand: Peter Goldberg. 105/7 Soi Suparat. Paholyotin 14, Phyathai. Bangkok IMOO Thailand

662/616-8332 (phone) or 662/2714256 (fax). E-mail: <[email protected]> Uruguay: Horst G. Prentki. Jose Marti 32921701. Montevideo. Uruguay 11300.00598-2-709 32 01 (phone) Venezuela: Victor Salamanques. Calle Bonpland. Res. Los Arboles. Torrec Apt. C-14D. Colinas de Bello Yonte Caracas

1050. Venezuela. E-mail: <[email protected]>

HONORARY Betty Brocket! (1936-2003) Jack Brymer (1915-2003) Guy Deplus, Paris, France Stanley Drucker, New York, New York Lee Gibson, Denton, Texas Paul Harvey, Twickenham, Middlesex, U.K. Stanley Hasty, Rochester, New York Ramon Kireilis, Denver, Colorado Mitchell Lurie, Los Angeles, California

MEMBERS Alfred Prinz, Bloomington, Indiana Harry Rubin, York, Pennsylvania James Sauers (1921-1988) William O. Smith, Seattle, Washington Ralph Strouf (1926-2002) Himie Voxman, Iowa City, Iowa George Wain (1904-1999) David Weber, New York, New York Pamela Weston, Hothfield, Kent, U.K.

Commercial Advertising / General Advertising Rates

Rates & Specifications The Clarinet is published four times a year and contains at least 48 pages printed offset on 70 lb. gloss stock. Trim size is approximately 8 1/4" x 11". All pages are printed with black ink, with 4,000 to 4.500 copies printed per issue.

Deadlines for Articles, Announcements, Recital Programs, Advertisements, etc.

Sept. 1 for Dec. issue • Dec. 1 for Mar. issue • Mar. 1 for June issue • June 1 for Sept. issue —Advertising Rates —

Size Picas Inches Single Issue (BAV) Color** Outside Cover* 46x60 7-5/8x10 $910 Inside Cover* 46x60 7-5/8x10 $510 $775 Full Page 46x60 7-5/8x10 $380 $625 2/3 Vertical 30x60 5x10 $290 $500 1/2 Horizontal 46x29 7-5/8x4-3/4 $220 $425 1/3 Vertical 14x60 2-3/8x10 $180 $300 1/3 Square 30x29 5x4-3/4 $180 $300 1/6 Horizontal 30x13-1/2 5x2-3/8 $110 $205 1/6 Vertical 14x29 2-3/8x4-3/4 $110 $205 *First request honored.

**A high-quality color proof, which demonstrates approved color, must accompany all color submissions. If not provided, a color proof will be created at additional cost to advertiser.

NOTE: Line screen values for the magazine are 150 for black & white ads and 175 for color. If the poor quality of any ad submitted requires that it be re-typeset, additional charges may be incurred. All new ads must be submitted in an electronic format For more information concerning this procedure, contact Executive Director Rose Sperrazza.

The International Clarinet Association

Membership Fees $25 (U.S. dollars) Student $45 (U.S. dollars) Regular $45 (U.S. dollars) Institutional Payment may be made by check, money order or VISA. Make checks payable to the

International Clarinet Association in U.S. dollars. Please use International Money Order or check drawn on U.S. bank. Send payment to: The International Clarinet Association. Rose Sperrazza, P.O. Box 5039, Wheaton, IL 60189-5039 U.S.A.

© Copyright 2005. INTERNATIONAL CLARINET ASSOCIATION ISSN 0361-5553 All Rights Reserved

Published quarterly by the INTERNATIONAL CLARINET ASSOCIATION Designed and printed by BUCHANAN VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS - Dallas, Texas U.S.A.

Views expressed by the writers and reviewers in The Clamtm not necessarily those of the stall of the journal or of the International Clarinet Association

June 2005 Page 3

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LETTERS

(Letters intended for publication in The Clarinet should be addressed to James Gillespie, Editor, "Letters," The Clarinet, College of Music, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203-1367 or via e-mail: <[email protected]>. Letters may be edited for purposes of clar¬ ity and space.)

I am writing to alert interested clarinet- cello-piano trios to contact me for free samples of some of the 14 works I

have written for that marvelous combina¬ tion. Go to <www.sowash.com>.

Rick Sowash, composer Cincinnati, OH

The announcement of Frederick Fennell's death (page 18, March 2005) was very well reported. His

life's work as a conductor and the inno¬ vator of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble

have left a legacy that will never be for¬ gotten.

As mentioned. Dr. Fennell was appoint¬ ed Conductor Laureate of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra in 1984. Under his direc¬ tion they made many recordings. Among them is Hitoshi Sekiguchi's disc of clarinet concerti (KOCD-4001) which should be of special interest to clarinetists and those who review recordings for The Clarinet. Solo works featured are by Mozart, Rim- sky-Korsakov and Kusida. In addition are two wind orchestrations of the Concert Pieces Nos. 1 and 2, Opp. 113 and 114, by Felix Mendelssohn for clarinet and basset horn.

For a complete listing of the CDs con¬ ducted by Frederick Fennell with the Kosei Wind Orchesra, consult the South¬ ern Music Company Catalog, Tel. 800/ 284-5443.

Harry R. Gee Professor Emeritus Indiana State University

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ClarinetFest® 2006 • August 9-13, 2006 • Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A.

Co-Artistic Directors and Co-Hosts

Joseph Eller D. Ray McCIellan Clarinet Professor Clarinet Professor

University of South Carolina University of Georgia

All interested I.C.A. members wishing to submit performance/presentation proposals should send written and/or recorded applications to:

Joseph Eller Clarinet Professor, School of Music

University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208

E-mail: <[email protected]> Phone: 803-777-4280 FAX: 803-777-6508

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2005

ClarinetFest 2006s will be housed in the Omni Hotel at the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta. More information will follow in subsequent issues of The Clarinet and on the I.C.A. Web site: <www.clarinet.org>. Watch for details regarding the

Conference Clarinet Choir (open for all non-student clarinetists) and the annual I.C.A. Student Clarinet Choir.

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Donald Martino A Set for Clarinet

Olivier Messiaen Abime des oiseaux

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Egon Wellesz Suite for Clarinet Solo

June 2005 Page 5

The Artie Shaw

Clarinet Concerto

by Tad Calcara

Tad Calcara (photo: Brett Colvin)

The Artie Shaw Concerto has in re¬ cent years become a very popular showpiece for clarinetists. Obvi¬

ously a better performance can be achieved if the soloist has a solid background and understanding in jazz. However, many classical "legit" players who are not im¬ provising jazz musicians have had great success with this piece. The key to any performance of this work is to have a thorough understanding of Artie Shaw's approach to the clarinet, as well as famil¬ iarity with some of the basic principals of jazz phrasing.

The most important suggestion for any one attempting this piece is to become acquainted with the art of Artie Shaw. Shaw was a truly gifted musician who channeled his artistic energy into his clar¬ inet as well as his many bands over the years. His impressive gift for improvisa¬ tion flowed over into his compositions and arrangements. Although many of his big

hits are credited to anyone of his fine ar¬ rangers over the years — Shaw played an active role in evolving these pieces. In some cases these hits were actual composi¬ tions by Shaw himself (e.g., "Any Old Time" (1938), "Streamline" (1936), "Sum¬ mit Ridge Road" (1939), etc.). When Artie Shaw was Art Shaw the studio musician one of the places he went to study jazz and composition was Harlem where the great jazz musicians of the late 1920s and early '30s were. One of Shaw's important influ¬ ences was Willie "the Lion" Smith — one of the true masters of the Harlem Stride School of jazz piano.

One can hear Shaw's gift for sponta¬ neous composition in any of his imagina¬ tive improvisational solos. In some cases he truly re-invents a well-known piece to produce something new and original. One of the best examples of this is his half cho¬ rus solo on "Stardust" (Victor Recordings 1940). One is struck by the great ease in which Shaw climbs the clarinet making the altissimo pitches sound like gentle ringing bells instead of the strident notes they potentially can be. It is from this period of Artie Shaw that the Concerto was bom.

Some Background

The work slowly evolved into the piece that we know today from a loose knit of several musical ideas surrounded in the beginning by a rather romantic (but swing¬ ing) introduction — and concluding with a virtuoso cadenza ending on a high concert Bk Between these two outer events one will encounter many fascinating musical expositions from — 12-bar "boogie woogie" blues — a dramatic klezmerish ca¬ denza — a wild romp in which the soloist has the opportunity to pair off with the per¬ cussion for some primal swing — and finally a rousing build to the final cadenza.

The Concerto was featured in the mo¬ vie Second Chorus (1940)' (see page 8). A good bulk of the piece was probably im¬ provised on the spot. Undoubtedly the clar¬ inet/drum duo could very well have been extended in performance. This is an impor¬ tant factor when performing the piece — to create the impression of improvisation. With that in mind it is important to ap¬ proach the piece much like a jazz musician may approach a transcribed solo for study or performance.

Shaw discovered jazz as a young man in the 1920s. In his autobiography, he re¬ counts the great impression when he first

heard Louis Armstrong play in person. He was also impressed by what Bix Beider- beck was doing on his horn. At this same time he discovered many of the great con¬ temporary classical composers of the day: Stravinsky, Ravel, Debussy.

Shaw's interest in classical music must have fed his fascination with the use of strings in jazz. He seemed to be drawn to the infinite variety of timbres that could be achieved by a full string section. Through¬ out his career he always enjoyed having this velvety carpet of sound for his clarinet to float over. One of his earliest successes as a leader and soloist was the day after his 26th birthday in 1936. He was participat¬ ing in one of the first concerts of Swing Music at the Imperial Theater where he was asked to perform. Shaw decided to eschew the typical brass and reeds instru¬ mentation and used a string quartet and rhythm section. This group performed his composition — "Interlude in Bk" The per¬ formance was so successful it not only brought the house down, it stirred such great interest in him that he was forced to form his own band. His choice of instru¬ mentation included the core of a string sec¬ tion with a few brass and reeds. (Listen to "Streamline" and "Cream Puff to hear how great and original the strings sound is incorporated in with this group.)

His next band of 1938 had a straightfor¬ ward big band instrumentation without the strings. (This is the band which recorded "Begin the Beguine.") But his band of 1940 brought back the use of strings. The 1940 band was the one that first performed the Concerto.

In the Beginning

After the rather rude and dissonant crash chords of the full ensemble in the first three measures, the mood immediately relaxes in the main body of the introduc¬ tion. The clarinet line should be played with great ease with an unhurried feel over the lush string chords. A feeling of a straight tempo should not really be felt until the last two measures of the intro (two measures before B) when the full tutti comes back in. (References to rehearsal letters are to the Consolidated Music Pub¬ lishers edition.)

Tempo di Boogie Woogie

It would help when performing this piece to have a jazz pianist who is familiar

Page 6 The Clarinet

with the early styles: stride and boogie- woogie. On his recording Shaw has one of the all-time great jazz piano masters, Johnny Guamieri, covering the keyboard. After four measures of tempo setting by the piano, it is recommended to have one chorus of boogie-woogie piano alone like on the recording (with very light drums and bass). This helps set the tempo and allows the rhythm section an opportunity to set a solid groove before the clarinet comes in with the theme. After the 12 measures of the theme, it is time for the clarinet to cut loose (letter D). Be wild (or at least getting wild).

Underneath the clarinet line are the saxes and other reeds belting out an ag¬ gressive figure (riff). The sax riff should help to egg on the soloist. By the third cho¬ rus at letter E the clarinet should abso¬ lutely achieve wildness. The soloist should have a feel of riding above the orchestra. Do not overdo the lip slurs in the music. Listen to the way Shaw does this — sub¬ tle but noticeable — loose but not soggy — and always swingin'.

During one of the choruses before the first cadenza (letter G) it would be a great idea to open up the form for solos — e.g., actual improvisation. On the recording Shaw is quite generous and has some great solos by sax (Jerry Jerome, I think), trum¬ pet (Billy Butterfield) and trombone (Jack Jenney), before Shaw rips in with a great improvisation built around some fine glis- sandos. If you are not an improviser chal¬ lenge yourself and write out a solo of one or two choruses of B'' blues or try to transcribe what Shaw did (and then try playing it!).

Quasi Klezmer Cadenza

Shaw was a great master at creating moods and portraying emotions through music. His theme song for his band was an evocative and dark work called "Night¬ mare." In this first cadenza the mood chan¬ ges from the bright and light sound of B^ major to the dark and rather brooding five flats of B? minor — recalling the mood of his theme song. Once again the solo needs to never feel in a hurry and give the im¬ pression of being improvised. At one point the clarinet line becomes almost Yiddish like (is there such a thing?) with hints of klezmer-sounding phrases. Shaw does not over do this, but tastefully hints at it.

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June 2005 Page 7

1941 magazine advertisement for Second Chorus. Note reversed photo of Artie Shaw.

Practice With a High Hat

The next section features the clarinet playing an extended duo with the drums. When playing eighth notes with a swing feel one needs to feel the backbeats (beats 2 and 4). Generally these beats are con¬ stantly emphasized by the drummer's high hat operated by the left foot. This is really the heartbeat of a swing band or any jazz group. Using a metronome as your high hat is a great way to work on improving swung eighth notes. Just set the metronome so that the clicks are on beats 2 and 4.

The soloist should have an opportunity to run this section (between letters H and M) with the drummer a couple of times. This will allow the proper interplay needed to pull this section off. There are certain "hits" the drummer should reinforce behind

the clarinet (e.g., between letters K and L). It would also be helpful for the drummer to have a copy of the solo part.

This section is reminiscent of Benny Goodman's duo with Gene Krupa on "Sing Sing Sing." Clarinet and drum duos are not new. There are examples that go back to the '20s, like the Dodds brothers — Johnny the great Creole clarinetist and his brother "Baby" who was one of the famed New Orleans drummers. When Benny Good¬ man played with Ben Pollock's Band in the late 1920s, a clarinet/drum duo be¬ tween Goodman and Pollock was a feature for the band. Shaw, too, played around with the idea as well especially with his 1936 string quartet band.

Careful dynamic phrasing following the contour of the line will bring out the true

drama of this section. After letter K a change of sound and attitude should occur. We are thrust back into B'' minor concert and the mood should be more urgent. As the line begins to descend (around 14 mea¬ sures after letter K) allow the dynamic to ease toward the piano end of the spectrum. Eighteen measures after letter K should begin the slow but dramatic (as well as dynamically and musically) ascent back to B'' major concert (around 19 measures be¬ fore letter L).

When the band returns at letter M the soloist should be ready to add to the mo¬ mentum at letter N. At this point, musical¬ ly it is all about riding the giant crescendoing wave to letter P. The soloist should be on the front edge of this great crest espe¬ cially when the six-measure gliss reaches the high concert F.

That High C

The final cadenza provides a viruostic wrap-up from the previous big build up. Of course this final section is a build up in itself allowing the soloist to really show the full and complete range of the clarinet.

Shaw's approach to the high c was like this: Shaw would usually end his concert appearances with the Concerto. Every night he would finish on that high c. One day a clarinet friend asked, "Are you afraid of missing?" Shaw's reply was simple. He had the person asking the question put his hand on a table. Shaw told him to raise his index finger. Then Shaw asked him if he was afraid of not being able to raise his finger? Confidence — and a good reed.

Just in case, it is a good idea to have a back up. Usually when you gliss up to the high C it will sing out — but sometimes it's stubborn. What comes out instead of a high C is an Pk sounding note (I am speak¬ ing in clarinet key). All one needs to do to save yourself (and face, reputation, job, etc....) is to work your way up note by note up to the high C. A good sequence is: hold onto the failed C that sounds like an A^, then play A natural — then B natural and then finger the C (sounds like the old JELLO advertisement theme). The audi¬ ence will still love it!

The main thing when attempting this piece is for the soloist to saturate his or her ears with the glorious sounds of Artie Shaw's band of 1940. Hearing his ease of phrasing and his melodic approach to swing will give anyone the inspiration to do jus¬ tice with this work.

Page 8 The Clarinet

About the Writer...

Tad Calcara has been principal clar¬ inet of the Utah Symphony since 1999. He previously was a member of the New World Symphony. While a student at the Cleveland Institute of Music, he played sub/extra with the Cleveland Orchestra. At this same time he played principal clarinet with two of the area's regional orchestras. Mr. Calcara began the clarinet after hear¬ ing recordings of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw. His first teacher was his father who did the young clarinetist a great favor by taking him to see the new Artie Shaw Orchestra with Dick Johnson on clarinet (and Mr. Shaw himself conducting). His other teachers included Sue Collado, Leon Russianoff, Charles Russo, David Breeden and Frank Cohen. In addition to playing with the Utah Symphony, Mr. Calcara plays chamber music and also leads his own vintage big band. New Deal Swing.

'The 2004 CD/DVD collection titled Artie Shaw— The Centennial Collection (Bluebird 82876-60092- 2) includes 20 of his biggest hits on the CD and three film clips from two movies, including Artie Shaw Class in Swing and Second Chorus, including the scene with the Concerto for Clarinet. Also included on the DVD is a 2001 interview with Shaw.

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by Michael Webster

Michael Webster

Mining for Minors

Twenty-ninth in a series of articles us¬ ing excerpts from a clarinet method in pro¬ gress by the Associate Professor Clarinet and Ensembles at Rice University's Shep¬ herd School of Music.

It boggles the mind to contemplate the number of possible combinations of the twelve tones in our chromatic

scale, especially across several octaves. Bach passions, Wagner operas and Mahler symphonies aside, the number of available scale and arpeggio patterns stretches to¬ ward the infinite. The advantage is that there are so many possibilities; doing the same old routine time and again needn't ever become a bore. The disadvantage is that making choices can be daunting. Ano¬ ther challenge is to notate those choices efficiently. The project at hand is to

adapt the patterns offered in "Beyond Baermann" (Vol. 32, No. 2, March 2005) to the minor keys. All exercise numbers (1A, IB, 2A, 2B, etc.) refer to the article, so you must have a copy to refer to. Let's go mining for minors and see what we can dig up!

Minor keys are intrinsically more diffi¬ cult than major keys because of the mental and physical gymnastics required to raise and lower the sixth and seventh scale steps properly. The routine is easy to state: For any key signature, the natural minor scale starts a third lower than the major key. For har¬ monic minor, raise the seventh scale step to create a leading tone to the tonic note; for melodic minor, raise the sixth and seventh scale steps ascending and revert to the natu¬ ral minor descending.

In practice, it is sur¬ prisingly tricky. As Artistic Director of the Houston Youth Sym¬ phony, I hear the au¬ ditions of advanced teenagers, who often whip off concertos and major scales with aplomb and then fumble the minor scales. Spend a long time on Exercises 1A and IB (from "Beyond Baermann") in the minor keys before continuing with other patterns, which can be considered to be "advanced intermediate" and should not be addressed until a degree of fluidity, albeit at slower tempos than for the major keys, is assured.

Although the melodic minor form is more important because of its vastly more frequent usage, I recommend starting with the harmonic minor in a given key, followed immediately by the melodic minor. Following the instructions from "Beyond Baermann" there are six ver¬ sions of quadruplets, starting by ascend¬ ing or descending in each of three oc¬ taves, and also the same six versions of triplets. It is good to do all 12 versions at first, the advantage being to keep the brain occupied while gaining the degree of repetition necessary to imprint the fin¬ gering on the neurological system. At this rate, one key per day is enough.

Start with A minor and proceed through the circle of fifths starting with the flat key signatures. Raising the sixth and seventh scale steps cancels flats, but adds sharps (and double sharps!), so the flat key signa¬ tures are considerably easier. The choice of Exercise 1A or IB is less clear-cut than with the major keys, where use of 1A for keys with E natural and IB for keys with Ef1 is regular. In minor keys, the choice of range is influenced by the raising and low¬ ering of the sixth and seventh scale steps. The chart in Example 1 is a handy guide.

Example 1

KEY harm. J J J J mel.J333 3

harm, j J J 3(

mel.

am 1A 1A 1A 1A

dm 1A 1A 1A 1A

gm IB 1A,1B IB 1A

cm IB IB IB IB

fin 1A 1A IB IB

b b m IB IB IB IB

e b m IB IB IB IB

g#m 1A 1A 1A 1A

c#m 1A 1A 1A 1A

f#m 1A 1A IB IB

bm 1A 1A 1A 1A

em IB IB 1A 1A

Example 2 shows some fingerings to watch out for. At the bottom of A minor, be sure to use the left pinky for F natural in the melodic form (see Example 2). G minor is unusual. 1A works well for the melodic form with the lower turn around being G-F#-E-FMj. The downward F# and E are not strictly part of the melodic form, but in practice composers nearly always opt for this turnaround sequence. The triplet ver¬ sion of G harmonic minor requires using exercise IB, meaning that we must turn around on high Ftt. Although difficult, this is as good a time as any to introduce high Ft. Use the normal forked fingering for E^ but curve the finger so that it contacts the key near the rod, allowing the rings to lift when going to Fl Leaving the fork down (see Example 2) raises the pitch of the Ft. Professionals avoid the "normal" fingering for Ftf (see Example 2) whenever possible, due to its flatness of pitch. Approaching from El' introduces the preferred fingering in the easiest possible way. Turning around

Page 10 The Clarinet

on the raised seventh scale step is a bit strange, but one gets accustomed to it easily.

Example 3 is a chart for all of the other patterns, made easier by using only the melodic minor with occasional slight vari¬ ations depending upon where the pattern changes direction. The choice of melodic minor is completely utilitarian, mirroring the actual usage of the great composers.

Compact presentation is much more of an issue for minor scales than for majors. As the patterns become more and more complex, it becomes harder and harder to play them by ear. By the time we get to Exercises 8-11 in a key like G# minor, rais¬ ing the sixth and seventh scale steps by ear is extremely challenging. At some point it may be advisable and/or necessary to keep track by using written music. Space pro¬ hibits doing that in this article, but the dif¬ ficulty of playing all 11 patterns in all keys becomes obvious when you actually try to do it. Allow the intermediate student to be¬ come fully comfortable with the first three or four patterns before moving to the more difficult ones. Expect (but also demand!) slow progress over a period of months and even years. Somewhere during the jour¬ ney, the intermediate student will become advanced, just as the beginner had grad¬ ually become intermediate a couple of years earlier.

The choice of whether to raise the sixth and seventh scale steps at turnaround points is not always clear cut, nor is it cru¬ cial to the success of these exercises. My rule of thumb is to conform with what my ear tells me would be standard practice in the 18th and 19th centuries. Here are some guidelines and samples for each exercise.

Exercises 2A, 2B

In G minor and G# minor, it is valuable to do both outlines 2A and 2B in order to practice raising the sixth and seventh scale steps at the bottom turnaround point. For all keys, we keep the sixth lowered when heading down and the seventh raised when heading up. This is true even in cases like m. 2, where the seventh scale step (F double sharp) is raised as a leading tone even though it doesn't resolve until the next beat.

To save space, examples will show cru¬ cial turnaround points with arrows indicat¬ ing that the same pattern continues diatoni- cally. The number of notes in each ex¬ ercise is divisible by 12, so triplet figures

Example 2

1

<11 M. ± fe: ± ± ±

TR O • •

TR O • o

TR O • •

TR O • o

• o • o 2? 2> 2? _p

Example 3

am 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9A 10A 11A

dm 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9B 10A 11A

gm 2A, 2B 3A, 3B 4A 5A 6A 7 A, 7B 8B 9B 10A 11A

cm 2B 3B 4B SB 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B 11B fm 2A 3A 4A SB 6B 7A 8A 9A 10A 1 IB b b m 2B 3B 4B SB 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B 11B

ebm 2B 3B 4B SB 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B 11B

g#m 2A, 2B 3B 4A 5A 6A 7 A, 7B 8A 9B 10A HA

c#m 2A 3A, 3B 4A SA 6A 7A, 7B 8A 9A 10B 11A

f#m 2A 3A 4A SB 6B 7A 8A 9A 10A 11B

bm 2A 3A 4A SA 6A 7 A, 7B 8A 9A 10A 11A

em 2B 3B 4B SA 6A 7B 8A 9A 10B 11A

work well in 4/4 meter and quadruplets in 3/4 meter. Displacing the beat creates three or four variations. For instance, Example 4 could begin on either Gl, two or four notes before the repeat sign, creating slightly more difficult versions well worth practicing.

Exercises 3A-1&2, 3B-1&2

Exercises 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 8A and 8B need two versions each because the turn¬ around points are a third away from each other. By starting in two different octaves, we cover all possible turnaround points. Sometimes the upper and lower turnarounds influence our choice of A or B. For example, turning around on an upper seventh is a little awkward (but certainly not impossible) in minor, so we will choose 3B for E minor allowing the upper turnaround to be on the tonic.

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3B-2 starts an octave lower, placing the raised sixth and seventh scale steps differently relative to the turning points. Displacing the beat gives four variations of each, starting in 3B-1 on the eighth or tenth note of m. 5 or the eleventh note of m. 6.


Sometimes an exercise can be awkward in one key because the turnaround points are arbitrary, selected to keep the number of notes divisible by twelve. In E minor, 4A-1 would turn around on the seventh scale step, an unlikely occurrence in real music. If one did use 4A-1 for E minor, the top turnaround would sound better with unaltered sixth and seventh scale steps, but I prefer to use 4B-1 and 4B-2. 4B-2 (shown in Example 6) goes up to Fit, which should be practiced both with and without the right fork key: slower speeds with, faster speeds without. Be sure that the fork key is down only for Dit and Ftt, and released for E. Learning this awkward coordination early will reap great dividends later on.

Example 6


Similarly, we choose 5A for G minor and Gl minor to avoid the top turnaround on the seventh scale step. The result is a bottom turnaround on the raised sixth, which sounds fine.

Exercises 6A, 6B

Now it's time to "skip 'n flip" and "slide 'n glide"! The skips in Exercises 6A and 6B create the necessity of sliding and flipping in the more difficult keys, such as B1, minor, shown in Example 8. The relative merits of side G1, versus flipping to the index finger (m. 1) have been discussed in previous editions of Webster's Web. I prefer using side G'' to forked Eh others prefer flipping. In m. 3 the R-R slide cannot be avoided, but the "glide" factor can be improved by greasing the right pinky on the side of the nostril. With more experience, "greasing" gradually becomes unnecessary. M. 8 starts with an unavoidable flip and contin¬ ues with a R-R slide from E> to I>. The E> key noisily snaps closed, but the other alternatives (L-L from Dk to C or R-R from C to E>) are unreliable. It is very valuable to learn to slide from C to £> well. It is much quieter than El,-I>, but can't be accomplished quite as quickly.

Exercises 7A, 7B

Ah! The ubiquitous scale in thirds. Raise the sixth and seventh scale steps going up, lower them going down, and don't forget to practice triplets.

The Clarinet

Example 8

ji^JJUJ^iyrrrrrrr^S

Exercises 8A-1&2,8B-1&2,9A, 9B, 10A, 10B

These are all variations of the scale in thirds requiring no special explanation, but lots of practice! They are difficult.

Exercises 11 A, 11B

In minor keys, the most practical use of the scale in fourths is as an upside-down scale in thirds as demonstrated in Example 9.

He described the accompaniment of movement II of Beethoven's Sixth as hav¬ ing "rocks in the brook" to create the 16th- note motion and said, "Put your arms around the audience." In the first Fantasie- stiick of Schumann, the clarinet an¬ swers the piano F "like an old friend." The high C must be "velvet" and a breath is re¬ commended for "explaining" the El' octave. His humor came forth in this remark to the substantial audience: "What we [perform¬ ers] are thinking, you can hear, but you also can hear what we are not thinking!"

In the Rachmaninoff Second he wanted "to hear the vibration of your heartbeat and soul" and in the Mozart Concerto he wanted "to hear your pleasure." He didn't want to hear fingers! "You don't hear a cat when it walks. Have fingers like a cat." And "we are like a leaf on the flowing wa¬ ter." At one point in the Weber first con¬ certo he perceived, "These are the same notes, but not the same story."

After Mr. Leister had continued on to the University of Florida, we discussed in studio class the many things we had learned:

The difference in tone quality, legato, and intonation between French and Ger¬ man clarinets is significant.

There is a whole different range of ex¬ pression that doesn't include fortissimo as we Americans conceive of it.

Of course there are many other possible patterns, but mastering this group will prepare the intermediate stu¬ dent for more advanced study. One is sure to discover a few gems while mining for minors.

Webster's Web

Karl Leister arrived in Houston on February 28, just in time for me to include a report of his visit. He spent five days at Rice University's Shepherd School of Mu¬ sic, the first stop on a five-university tour of the United States, ably and energetically organized by Mitchell Es- trin of the University of Florida. A more detailed account of his entire tour will appear in the September issue of The Clarinet.

Recently retired from the Berlin Philharmonic, where he held the principal clarinet chair for 34 years, 30 of which coincided with Herbert von Karajan's tenure, Mr. Leister is still in top performing shape and able to tour without the restrictions of his orchestral schedule. We all know that he is a consummate performer, and his master class at the Shepherd School proved that he is a master teacher as well. His English is excellent, even po¬ etic at times, and one student remarked that he found Mr. Leister easier to understand than some native-speak¬ ing teachers he had worked with. I hope I am not included in that category!!

Leister Master Class Participants (front row): Philip Erode rick, Kana Mimaki (pianist), Maiko Sasaki, Hsing-Hui Hsu; (back row): Robert Moeling (pianist), Sergei Vassiliev, Louis DeMartino, Karl Leister, Michael Webster, Brian Viliunas

June 2005 Page 13

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The breath can be used to start tones without the tongue in many more situa¬ tions than we might think.

The Clarinet j

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

The magazine is usually

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August and November.

Delivery time within

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mally 10-14 days, while

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Take Time! Be unapologetic about playing rubato and breathing, but plan your breath assiduously.

Emulate string bowing. Become fluent transposing between Bl"

and A clarinet so that you don't have to change as often and can always play on a warm instrument.

Know your vintages well so that you can spot bargains and stock your wine cel¬ lar before prices go up.

Appreciate a good wine whether it is $200 or $10 per bottle. Enjoy your wine after the concert!

A wise man is Karl Leister and a joy to have spent time with. I'm sure the other four universities gained as much from his visit as we did at the Shepherd School.

To share opinions and feedback, contact Webster's Web: Michael Webster, Associate Professor of Clarinet and En¬ sembles, Rice University, Shepherd School of Music - MS 532, PO Box 1892, Hous¬ ton, TX 77521-1892; Tel: 713-348-3602; Fax: 713-348-5317; e-mail: <mwebster@ rice.edu>; Web site: <http://www.ruf.rice. edu/~mwebster>.

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June 2005 Page 15

by William Nichols

Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time has not been neglect¬ ed by the recording microphone

for the past nearly 50 years since the 1957 release with the composer at the piano, although recent years have yielded but a few new discs. There was a surge of re¬ cording activity in the 1970s, '80s and early '90s of Messiaen's only major cham¬ ber work as the popularity of the piece grew, reaching out to a more general pub¬ lic than most any serious modem work of the genre, and even achieving almost cult status in some music centers and perfor¬ mance venues. I have identified some 45 recordings of Messiaen's Quartet, past and present, and surely have not discovered all of them. It is truly a crowded field. For a listing of then available recordings, the reader is directed to an article by guest columnist Richard Gilbert in the March 1999 issue of The Clarinet, page 23.

At least one of the best and latest efforts is a 2004 release from Ongaku Records (recorded in 2002) which features clar¬ inetist Jonathan Cohler. Mr. Cohler is a Boston-based performer of international stature who has had previous recordings reviewed in this journal, and who is well known to many I.C.A. members through his appearances at ClarinetFest.. His re¬ cordings represent high artistic accom¬ plishment, and the repertoire includes much of the standard literature for the instrument as wellNas some new and some¬ what unknown works. He is also active as a teacher, serving on the faculties of the Longy School of Music and the New Eng¬ land Conservatory.

Jonathan Cohler is joined here by vio¬ linist Ilya Kaler, cellist Andrew Mark and pianist Janice Weber. In addition to the Quartet, Mr. Kaler and Ms. Weber also perform an eight-and-a-half minute early Theme et Variations of Messiaen from 1932, a beautifully played piece previously unknown to this writer, and a piece which,

although not yet in stylistic full bloom, already bears the thumbprint of the com¬ poser to come. The variation structure as form is not easily applicable to the non- progressive nature of Messiaen's harmo¬ ny, however the composer manages to fashion an appealing set of variations. It is interesting to hear what influences are felt in the 24-year-old musician — some De¬ bussy to be sure, but almost completely original Messiaen.

This new Quartet recording is striking in its precision, rhythmic vitality and pres¬ ence, and its ability to capture the compos¬ er's timeless ecstacism. Throughout, the technical skills of these performers are evi¬ dent and the music is executed with ap¬ parent ease. The cleanly realized unison playing, such as in the sixth movement ("Dance of the Fury, for the Seven Trum¬ pets") with its "added value" rhythms is exciting, and the intonation is impeccable, which is true throughout the piece. The recorded balances are fine throughout the disc, although in that unison sixth move¬ ment, a more effective result would have perhaps been achieved by placing the clar¬ inet sound a bit further back into the tex¬ ture of the string sound. Mr. Cohler's tone is bright (in the best sense of the word) as it should be in this piece, even, and beauti¬ fully controlled. His phrasing and breath control in the solo "Abyss" movement is amazing, making the opening two phrases work beautifully as one long phrase (is there circular breathing going on here?). The pacing of this movement is very ef¬ fective. Among the eight versions I have knowledge of, it is the longest "Abyss" on record. Timings for this movement vary wildly, and with two notable exceptions, seem to become longer as decades pass. The shortest is the one by Vacellier at a blistering 5:10 (1957); Rabbai at 6:35 (1972); Stoltzman at 7:40 (1976); this writer (modestly) at 8:20 (1977); Shifrin at 9:01 (1986); and Cohler at 9:29. The ex¬ ceptions to the progression is W. Meyer at 7:42 (1991) and the most notable, the Guy Deplus recording at 9:08 (1963). It is inter¬

esting to note that the Vacellier, Meyer, and Deplus versions are "composer super¬ vised" recordings and differ widely. The performances of Messrs. Shifrin, Deplus and Cohler are in at nine minutes plus, and are the better for it.

Much is made in Mr. Cohler's exten¬ sive program notes regarding timings and an attempt to follow the composer's direc¬ tions. However when all is said here, it is the composer's directions tempered with the performer's perception of the musical character and intent that should result in an effective performance. It does in this in¬ stance. Perhaps I am a victim of early im¬ printing, but I have long held the Deplus recording in high regard, especially in its success in capturing the ethereal nature of much of this piece, and not sounding rushed in the fast sections. This new re¬ cording clicked for this writer from first hearing. In comparing movement timings, both recordings are consistently close, and at a total length of 50 minutes and slightly over, the two are only 15 seconds apart!

This new release was recorded in Me¬ chanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, a venue which is highly regarded in the industry. It offers a reverberant sound- stage, and the sonics here are clear and spacious, displaying excellent resolution, detail, and dynamic range. The production is ONGAKU RECORDS 024-119 and is available through the Web site: <www. ongaku-records.com>. The recording is strongly recommended as a stellar entry into the aforementioned crowded field, and the best 21 st-century release known to this writer. For anyone to thoroughly know the complete array of available choices of Messiaen's famous Quartet would take, well, to the end of time.

As coincidence has it, I have recently received a new disc of American chamber music which presents six quartet pieces for violin, clarinet, cello and piano. The en¬ semble heard here is Antares, whose mem¬ bers are clarinetist Garrick Zoeter, violinist


Vesselin Gellev, cellist Rebecca Patterson, and pianist Eric Huebner. A review of a CD by Antares' previous incarnation, the Elm City Ensemble (founded in 1996), appeared in these pages some five years ago. The quartet has since changed names and personnel (violin and piano), and has become quite an active presence on the concert scene. Antares was the First Prize Winner of the 2002 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, and has found itself the recipient of several other awards, and has secured concert engagements in numerous prestigious venues in North and South America.

This new disc, entitled eclipse, is ter¬ rific. All but one of the six works pro¬ grammed here were written for the ensem¬ ble, that one being the title piece, Eclipse by George Tsontakis. Composed in 1995, it is the oldest and largest piece on the pro¬ gram, and together with the latest piece, Antares (2004) by Carter Pann, accounts for almost 41 minutes of this 66-minute disc. The remaining four works are single- movement pieces from three-and-a-half to nine minutes in length and are: Breakdown Tango (2000) by John Mackey, BUZZ (2001) by James Matheson, SIMAKU (1996) by Kevin Puts, and dodecaphun- phrolic (1997) by Stefan Freund.

Mackey's Breakdown Tango is in its outer sections (ABA) somewhat edgy, and with its hard driving rhythmic ostinato, you know quickly this is not your father's tango. The middle section breaks into a very sultry and (quoting the composer), "sleazy, Klezmer-flavored tango." Look for this piece "at a concert hall near you." Versions for orchestra and wind ensemble appeared in 2002 and 2003 and are proba¬ bly destined for many performances. It is an appealing, and at times wonderfully trashy piece. (I will admit to being a sucker for tangos.) George Tsontakis' Eclipse is a descriptive adventure of a lunar eclipse in four movements designated by the com¬ poser as "Haunting," "Hyperactive," "Ser¬ ene but disturbing," and "Maniacal — Dis¬ tant, Serene." This imaginative work is a significant contribution to this medium's repertoire. It is at times dark, bright, play¬ ful, and a joyous dance. Its use of tremolo in the third movement (perhaps my favor¬ ite) is quite original and amazing. Tsonta¬ kis' scoring is striking to say the least. The mandolin effect defies my ear's analysis — is it prepared piano, or am I way off? The "maniacal" last movement is hard-

edged and very aggressive in the active sections. In the "serene" final section there is even a hint of Messiaen. Eclipse is an engaging listening experience, a colorful piece of darkness and optimism.

BUZZ (.. .'cause it does) perhaps can be described as a neurotic showpiece. It is an under-seven-minute trip in a constant tem¬ po which is characterized by rapid scale patterns, subdued lyrical lines, and periods of relative calm and neurosis. The scale "licks" are indeed very fast, at times har¬ monically biting and always virtuosic. This is an exciting tour-de-force for this group of players. Simaku is quite an appealing piece at first and subsequent hearings, which features a lyrical violin line through¬ out most of the work, accompanied by the infectious bustling trio of instruments. The violin is gradually "infected" by the rhyth¬ mic activity becoming active itself. In the closing minute the texture thins, instrumen¬ tal roles reverse somewhat, and the piece ends quietly, but briskly — a most charm¬ ing, well-conceived, and refreshing work.

The three-and-a-half minute dodeca- phunphrolic of Stefan Freund is not really a 12-tone piece in the Schonbergian sense, but is a "piece with jerky rhythms and

roller coaster-like arpeggios," and "diaton¬ ic scales which uses all 12 tones." The rapid melodic lines wind their way through the 12 tones in angular and interesting pat¬ terns. This is truly a clever, "phun phrolic." Carter Pann's Antares is a six-movement piece in which the first and last movement (a non-literal reprise of the first), surround four movements, each of which showcases the quartet's members. All the members are treated equally in the bookend move¬ ments which are set in an e^ tonality, and which are sensually pretty. The inner move¬ ments bear the featured performer's name. Each of the four movements vary from a fast finger study for the piano; a lyrical and romantic lullaby for the cello; a happy, playful and near zany scale and arpeggio piece in F and A major for the clarinet; to a gypsy-like introduction followed by some¬ thing like a tarantella for the violinist.

This disc has two outstanding qualities which make for a very successful produc¬ tion. The music presented is, without ex¬ ception, appealing, accessible and also well crafted. It is rare to come across a release containing six new works which all inter¬ est this listener. Secondly, the performan¬ ces by Antares are exciting, no-holds-

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barred playing with total commitment. This ensemble is hot!

The recording sonics are good, with plenty of dynamic impact — a strongly recommended listening experience, and a disc which will certainly give ensembles of this instrumentation some very strong repertoire beyond Hindemith and Mes- siaen. The disc is INNOVA 618. Innova is the label supported by the American Composers Forum based in St. Paul, Minnesota. For availability try Web sites: <www.innova.mu> or <www.antares- music.com>.

^ sji ^ 5}:

From Leonarda Productions, Inc. comes a disc entitled 2 Clarinets & Piano (Ori¬ ginal music from Finland, Malta, Israel and points in between). The clarinetists are American born Israeli, Eva Wasserman- Margolis, and Italian Luigi Magistrelli, Professor of Clarinet at the Milan Conser¬ vatory and a well-known name to many I.C.A. members and readers of recording reviews in this journal. They are joined by pianist Claudia Bracco, an active perform¬ er and faculty member of the Como Con¬ servatory in Italy. I am hard put to think of

another recording which offers a complete disc of music for two clarinets and piano — and no Mendelssohn Concert Pieces or II Convegno in sight. As a matter of fact, four of the eight programmed works are recorded here for the first time, and, except for the Camilleri piece, I would be sur¬ prised to find currently available record¬ ings of the remaining pieces. In addition to the countries included in the subtitle above, the points in between include: Ger¬ many, Italy, Latvia, the Czech Republic and The Netherlands.

The music programmed on this 62- minute disc are two song arrangements by Pamela Weston of Mendelssohn: Autumn Song, and From the Hymn of Praise; Ca- vallini: La Bacana\ Lotti Amit-Kalev: Di¬ vertimento»; Crusell: Adagio and Rondo; Sarah Feigin: Fantasia', Charles Camilleri: Divertimento No. 7; Jaroslav Mastalfr: Duo Concertante, Op. 34; and Franz Schweins- berg: Fantasie Brillante et Originale.

Ms. Wasserman-Margolis is an active clarinetist with continuing international appearances, and she is a prominent educa¬ tor in Israel who is on the faculty of the Conservatory of Givatayim and Petach Tikva. At age 23 she was the principal

clarinetist of the Haifa Symphony. She serves as the national chairperson for the I.C.A. in Israel. Regarding this new disc she says: "This recording celebrates clar¬ inet music from the late classic to the mod¬ em era, which is in some cases completely unknown. The recording is meant to glor¬ ify the beauty of colors that two clarinets can exhibit with the piano and its rich ac¬ companiment." Indeed the clarinet voices of Mr. Magistrelli and Ms. Wasserman- Margolis do present the listener with beautiful colors. They make remarkably matched sounds, supple and delicate, which are immediately appealing to this listener in the two opening 19th-century pieces presented here — Mendelssohn and Cavallini. These works are played with a lightness and suaveness which seems com¬ pletely natural and effortless. The Cavallini piece (a premiere recording) is something of a mini drama which moves in character from charming, happy, dark and brooding, to triumphant in its 10-minute journey. Two of the 20th-century pieces, the Amit- Kalev Divertimento and the Feigin Fan¬ tasia, are appealing pieces which exhibit obvious folk/ethnic elements but also some somewhat more structural complexity than simple folk dances or songs. The Fantasy is an ABA — codetta structure which con¬ trasts lyrical melody (A) with haunting folk-like dance in the middle section.

A recording review of some Charles Camilleri (b. 1931) pieces appeared in this journal some years ago. This First Diverti¬ mento is in homage to Manuel de Falla. It is in a straightforward tonal style mostly light in character, fun to play, quite showy, and well scored. The middle movement has a haunting chant-like quality which is most effective. The clarinetists exhibit here sensitive playing with beautiful tones, bal¬ ance, and pure intonation. This, as well as many of the pieces presented here, are surefire recital hits.

The disc is beautifully recorded, and the music also beautifully performed by the three artists. The sound of the disc is quite natural with no post-production processing evident. In addition to notes (English only) and performers' photos and bios, publish¬ ers are indicated (where applicable) and contact information indicated for unpub¬ lished works — thank you Leonarda. This is a lovely recording and an excellent source for some recital repertoire. The disc is LEONARDA CD LE354, available directly from Web site: <www.leonarda.com>.

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June 2005 Page 19

Karl Leister at the

University of Florida

The University of Florida, School of Music recently hosted a one-week residency by internationally ac¬

claimed German clarinetist, Karl Leister. This special event marked the first time in his illustrious career that Mr. Leister has been in residence in North America.

The idea for the residency came from University of Florida clarinet professor, Mitchell Estrin. Professor Estrin and a group of his students attended the 2001 I.C.A. ClarinetFest in New Orleans, where Mr. Leister was a featured performer. An invitation to Mr. Leister to visit the Uni¬ versity of Florida soon followed. The itin¬ erary was carefully planned over a period of two years and included seven different events. The residency was generously funded by a consortium of sponsors which included: The University of Florida Presi¬ dent's Visiting Artist Series, College of Fine Arts Dean Donald McGlothlin, University of Florida Performing Arts, David Way- bright and the University Bands, Martin Fackler and Mrs. Shelley Melvin, Van- doren/Dansr, and Herbert Wurlitzer Wood¬ wind Instrument Makers.

The premiere performance took place on Sunday, March 6, 2005, in the historic University Auditorium on the campus of the University of Florida. Mr. Leister per¬ formed the Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B- minor, opus 115 with the celebrated Leip¬ zig String Quartet. Mr. Leister is specially known for his sublime interpretation of this monumental work and has recorded the quintet six times (most recently with the Leipzig Quartet). The performance was in¬ describably beautiful, with Mr. Leister's gorgeous tone and impeccable phrasing enveloped by the warm and rich timbre of the Leipzigers. An extended standing ova¬ tion from the 400-member audience fol¬ lowed the remarkable performance.

On Monday morning March 7, Leister and Estrin were interviewed live on WUFT-FM, the regional NPR affiliate. They described the week's activities and discussed the many facets of Mr. Leister's distinguished career. Voice of the Arts host, Richard Drake, played several of Mr.

Leister's recordings, including a concerto by Mercadante and a sonata by Brahms. After the broadcast, Mr. Leister and Profes¬ sor Estrin headed off to the School of Mu¬ sic to rehearse for Mr. Leister's solo recital.

Mr. Leister's recital took place on Tues¬ day, March 8, 2005, in the University Au¬ ditorium. Just prior to the recital, Mr. Da¬ vid Gould, representing Vandoren/Dansr, displayed a selection of clarinet mouth¬ pieces, ligatures, and literature in the Friends of Music Room, located in the con¬ cert hall. The program began at 6:00 with an introspective reading of the Schumann Phantasiestiike, opus 73. This was fol¬ lowed by the intriguing When the Wind Turns for clarinet solo (1989) by Ulf All- gulin. Following the performance, Mr. Leis¬ ter told the audience that his purpose for performing this work was to "warm-up the B'' clarinet for the Mendelssohn!" The Mendelssohn Concertpiece No. 2, opus 114 followed, with Mitchell Estrin per¬ forming the second clarinet part alongside Mr. Leister. Many audience members remarked about the incredible blend that was achieved between the performers, despite the obvious difference in instru¬ ment. Mr. Leister performs on a German- system instrument made by Herbert Wur¬ litzer and Mr. Estrin on a French-system instrument made by Buffet Crampon. After intermission, Mr. Leister gave a thoughtful and seamless performance of the Brahms Sonata No. 2 in E* major, opus

120. After a prolonged standing ovation, Mr. Leister presented an encore, a lovely and reflective Romanze by Max Reger. Words are entirely inadequate to describe the consummate artistry displayed by Mr. Leister. His clarinet playing is as close to perfection as humanly possible and his musicianship was inspiring. Absolute beauty of tone, subtle phrasing, and seam¬ less legato are the hallmarks of this re¬ markable performer.

Wednesday, March 8 was a busy day, which began with Mr. Leister rehearsing for his solo appearance with the University of Florida Wind Symphony. The perfor¬ mance took place on Wednesday evening in the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, located on the south¬ western part of the University of Florida campus. Concurrent with Mr. Leister's residency, the University of Florida hosted the American Bandmasters Association 71st Annual Convention. The UF Wind Symphony performed the opening concert of the convention with Mr. Leister as the featured soloist in the Weber Concertino, opus 26. UF Director of Bands, David Waybright, had a new arrangement of the Weber commissioned specially for the occasion. The arrangement, prepared by John Laverty, utilized a "harmonic ensem¬ ble" type of instrumentation and was most effective. Mr. Leister thrilled the audience by performing the original cadenza com¬ posed by Heinrich Baermann. The cadenza

eFSi-jW Karl Leister and Mitchell Estrin performing the Mendelssohn Concertpiece No. 2


Karl Leister with master class performers

was recently rediscovered by the eminent English clarinet scholar, Pamela Weston. The placement of the cadenza is at the conclusion of the Lento, directly before the 6/8 Allegro.

Mr. Leister was honored by the Ameri¬ can Bandmasters Association at their gen¬ eral membership meeting on the morning of March 9. He was introduced to the mem¬ bership by ABA President, Jerry Junkin, offered a few opening remarks, and then fielded questions from the membership. After the meeting he was whisked off to the University Auditorium, where he pre¬ sented two two-hour master classes. The classes featured performances by students of Mitchell Estrin. The performers and their repertoire were as follows: Megan Machnik, Brahms, Sonata No. 2 in E^, opus 120; Jennifer Schundler, Schumann, Phantasiestiicke, opus 73; Kyle Rowan, Mozart, Clarinet Concerto, K. 622; Peter Geldrich, Weber, Concerto No. 1 in F- minor, opus 73; Kira Bokalders, Brahms, Sonata No. 1 in F-minor, opus 120; Jen¬ nifer Burton, Martimi, Sonatina; Jaclyn Surber, Brahms, Sonata No. 2 in E^, opus 120; Heidi Schultheis, Crusell, Concerto No. 2 in F-minor, opus 5.

When the students were finished per¬ forming, Mr. Leister presented Professor Estrin with an autographed copy of his new edition of the Mozart Clarinet Con¬

certo, published by Edizioni "Eufonia." The final portion of the second master class was devoted to a question and answer session with the audience. Mr. Leister ela¬ borated on many of the pedagogical con¬ cepts he had presented during the classes. He also told some interesting and amusing stories, and offered many philosophical pearls of wisdom regarding practicing, per¬ forming, and being a musician. He is truly a master teacher and was an inspiration to all in attendance.

Immediately following the conclusion of the second master class, Mr. Leister displayed a new set (B'' and A) of reform Boehm system clarinets made by Herbert Wurlitzer. All interested players were al¬ lowed to play test the instruments. This

was also time for everyone to take pho¬ tographs and receive an autograph from Mr. Leister.

It was truly an incredible week filled with musical memories that will last a lifetime.

Clarinet and Klezmer

in the Galilee —

An International

Celebration of Jazz,

Clarinet and Klezmer

in Safed, Israel —

August 15-22,2005

Clarinet and Klezmer in the Galilee — An International Celebration of Jazz, Clarinet and Klezmer — has

announced details of its August 15-22, 2005, festival in Safed, Israel. Following last year's success, several of the world's leading classical, jazz and klezmer clar¬ inetists will meet again the historic old city of Safed, considered the spiritual home of klezmer, for a week of performances and master classes.

Performers and teachers scheduled to attend, perform and lead programs include Festival Artistic Director Giora Feidman, international soloist and teacher at New York's Juilliard School Charles Neidich, renowned classical, jazz and klezmer clar¬ inetists Moshe (Moussa) Berlin, Richard Lesser, Eva Wasserman-Margolis, Sarah Elbaz and Orit Orbach, bandoneonist and tango specialist Raul Jauren, Ilan Schul of the Jerusalem Academy of Music, saxo¬ phonist and faculty member of the Jeru¬ salem Music and Dance Academy Guri Agmon and others.

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Master classes will be offered in classi¬ cal and jazz clarinet, and in the klezmer style for all instruments. This festival pro¬ gram is open to all musicians — classical, jazz and klezmer clarinetists and klezmer/jazz musicians in all instruments — age 16 and over. Participants will receive both master classes and individual lessons during the course of the program. Classes will take place in different locations around

Back Issues

of The Clarinet

Back-issue order forms for The Clarinet may now be downloaded from the I.C.A. Web site: <www.clarinet.org>. Copies may also be requested by contacting:

James Gillespie College of Music

University of North Texas P.O. Box 311367

Demon, TX 76203-1367 E-mail: <[email protected]>

the city, including historic synagogues. An organized tour of Safed and environs is also included in the program. Nightly per¬ formances will be held in various locations throughout the city. Students will also per¬ form in the Workshop Finale Concert, which will mark the Opening Night Gala of the 18th annual Klezmer Festival from August 23 to 25.

Clarinet and Klezmer in the Galilee is sponsored by the Culture and Art Admin¬ istration of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, Safed Foundation, Inc., The Ministry of Tourism, The Jeru¬ salem Academy of Music and Dance, "Omanut L'Am" and the American-Israel Culture Fund.

There is information about Clarinet and Klezmer in the Galilee, including a down¬ loadable registration form at chttp:// www.jamesarts.com> and <http://www. safedfound.org.il/>. For more information, please contact Managing Director Hanan Bar-Sela at Tel: +972-52-335-2797, or Michal Beit-Halachmi at Tel: +972-54- 443-2234 or by e-mail at: <barselal@ bezeqint.net>. You can also contact Jeffrey James Arts Consulting at 516-797-9166 or <jamesarts@ worldnet.att.net>.

• Campione

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A graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music, 37 years a clarinetist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, 40 years an Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati, the author. Carmine Campione, has put in writing proven methods, solid concepts, and a successful system of clarinet playing and instruction - "Campione on Clarinet".

Although helpful for all levels of clarinet playing, this book will be especially helpful for serious students, clarinet teachers or university professors, and for aspiring or struggling professionals seeking to find some missing links in the perfecting of their craft.

"Campione on Clarinet" contains many pages of instructional information, techniques, drills, and a detailed method of clarinet instruction using the Rose 40 Studies for Clarinet as its base. This book will answer in simple terms and in a logical fashion many questions regarding:

— the clarinet embouchure — breathing and support — tonguing — — the making of music — how to practice — reeds — and much more !!

"Campione on Clarinet" is truly a must for any individual seeking to enter the world of fine clarinet playing. For less than the price of a professional clarinet lesson, this book may be one of the best investments you can make. To quote Donald Montanaro (Associate Principle of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Instructor of Clarinet at The Curtis Institute of Music), "I found Carmine Campione's book on the clarinet very interesting. It clearly explains the solutions to the many problems encountered in clarinet playing. I feel certain that it will prove useful to students, as well as teachers and professionals. My congratulations on a labor of love well done!"

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June 2005 Page 23

"Historically Speaking " is a feature of The Clarinet offered in response to numer¬ ous inquiries received by the editorial staff about clarinets. Most of the information will be based on sources available at the National Music Museum located on The University of South Dakota campus in Ver- million. Please send your e-mail inquires to Deborah Check Reeves at <dreeves@ usd.edu>.

Q

uestion: What is the "Perfected Wonder System " clarinet?

Answer: The Perfected Wonder System clarinet is a model of clarinet that was pro¬ duced by the C.G. Conn Company of Elk- hart, Indiana. It is an improved Simple System (or improved Albert System) in¬ strument. In an advertisement from the 1910 Conn Musical Truth, the Perfected Wonder System Clarinet is advertised as "Combining the Pupeschi G Sharp Im¬ provements With Other Modem Devices." What does this mean?

In 1997, the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, acquired by way of a generous donation from the late Ro- sario Mazzeo a collection of some 70 clar¬ inets. It is a Conn Perfected Wonder Sys-

msroKicALiy

sfeAKiwg...

by

Deborah

Check Reeves

tem clarinet from this collection upon which the following observations are made. It was made in 1907 or 1908. This clarinet came to Mr. Mazzeo from Duane Anderson who found it in the basement of the music store where he worked. According to Mr. Anderson, "The Conn really caught his [Mazzeo's] eye."

Pupo Pupeschi was an Italian maker who invented a fingering device that would allow for minimal movement of the left- hand little finger. (See "Historically Speak¬ ing" from the June 2002, Vol. 29, No. 3 issue of The Clarinet.) Pupeschi's patent

was issued in America in 1894. Conn in¬ cluded the Pupeschi device on several models of clarinet, including the Perfected Wonder System and the Improved Wonder System. The Pupeschi device affects the bottom joint (see Photo I: Pupeschi De¬ vice). All of the left-hand little finger keys are interconnected so that e/b' or f/c" or fl/ct" can be fingered with the left-hand little finger and slurred to d'/gf" without lifting the left-hand little finger key. In fact, there is NO separate touchpiece for cfVg#", although the touchpiece for e-b' is extend¬ ed so that the extension is in a more nor¬ mal position for ct'/gt". (This whole device is similar to the way the left-hand little fin¬ ger keys work on today's saxophone.)

Specific to the Perfected Wonder Sys¬ tem is an auxiliary a^/e"" key that is operat¬ ed by a two-piece plateau key on the first touchpiece covering the first tonehole on the bottom joint (operated by the right-hand first finger) (see Photo 2: Plateau Key). The bottom joint ring keys on the second and third toneholes depress a pad on the first tonehole. The ring key on the first tonehole, when depressed, closes an extra a^/e''" key on the side of the bottom joint near the right-hand little finger touch- pieces. When the right-hand first finger is

Photo 1: Pupeschi Device

Page 24

Photo 2: Plateau Key

The Clarinet

Photo 3: Right-hand Side Keys

I f*\ Photo 4: Interconnection

lifted the extra a^/e''" key opens, while the rings of the lower toneholes keep the pad closed over the first tonehole. So, for ex¬ ample, to proceed from d^" to d'", finger d^" the regular way and simply lift the right- hand first finger to produce e^". In addition to these special mechanisms, the bottom joint has a patent c#" key, a left-hand little finger alternate key for f/c", and makes use of an articulated gf" device that is activated by any one of the left-hand little finger keys.

The top joint of the Perfected Wonder System has an interesting device. There are four right-hand side keys that are operated with the right-hand first finger (see Photo 3: Right-hand Side Keys). The top two side keys possess some interesting features. Going from e' down through c' to either gf or a' is accomplished very easily. The left- hand notes e' down through c' are fingered normally. Through some interconnections, when the second from top right-hand side key is pressed, gf is produced (see Photo 4: Interconnection). When the top right-hand side key is pressed, then a' is produced. Half and whole step trills are produced in a similar manner. Fingering the throat tones gf through b''' in the normal ways and then pressing the second from top right-hand side key produces half step trills. Pressing the top right-hand side key produces whole step trills.

Learn more about the full line of new ARIOSO clarinets

exclusively designed by Tom Rideiittur at www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com

or write [email protected]

June 2005 Page 25

Letter

From

The U.K.

by Paul Harris

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting up with the composer Alexander Goehr at his house just

outside Cambridge. Harrison Birtwistle, Peter Maxwell-Davies, John Ogden and Sandy Goehr make up the so-called "Man¬ chester Four" — four brilliant students studying together at the Royal Manchester College of Music in the 1940s. Sandy went on, after more studies with Messiaen and Loriod in Paris and a career in teaching, to become highly admired as Professor of Music at Cambridge University for many years, retiring just a few years ago. Those readers who have broad musical tastes will probably know his wonderful Monteverdi Paraphrase for unaccompanied clarinet, but may not be aware of his much earlier Fantasias Op. 3 for Clarinet and Piano. It's a very difficult serial work but well worth study. The first performance was given by his two fellow students, Birt¬ wistle and Ogden, in January 1956 but it was championed by John Davies — my teacher, who, by the way, also taught

Birtwistle. (Did you know Birtwistle was originally a clarinetist!?)

John remembers having help with the work from Erwin Stein, a great teacher and authority on serial composition and perfor¬ mance. If you haven't read his marvellous book Form and Performance, head for your local library! Stein was a little old man at the time, but would dance about the room on his toes, singing and directing the performance. John, and his pianist Else Cross (herself a pupil of Webem), went on to give performances all over Europe as well as the first broadcast performance in May 1958. The three movements last about 10 minutes, don't involve any "mod¬ ern" techniques, and reap many rewards for the performer who is prepared to put in some really hard work (technically, rhyth¬ mically and musically!).

Last weekend I went (taking some friends and pupils) to Berlin for the final event of the tremendously successful Fas- zination Klarinette exhibition. And what an event it was! Karl Leister playing the Mozart and Brahms quintets with the Leip¬ zig Quartet. Karl's playing is quite sublime

— his interpretations at once sophisticated and subtle, his tone uniquely mellifluous and flowing. I had a place of honor on the front row (next to a Mr. Stadler, though I discovered he was not a relation!). The five players followed their performance by returning to the stage and indulging in a question and answer session with the au¬ dience for almost an hour. What a won¬ derful idea — we ought to do this kind of thing more often. My German meant that about 99 percent of it passed me by, but I enjoyed witnessing the enthusiam and real interest shown by this very intelligent and clearly informed gathering. After the event, and a chat with Karl (who was virtu¬ ally going from the concert directly to the U.S. for some master classes), we wan¬ dered around the exhibition picking up many exhibits I seemed to have missed first time around. The first edition of We¬ ber's Quintet for example and a catalogue of instruments once belonging to my teach¬ er's teacher's teacher, Henry Lazarus. We also explored further into the museum to look at other exhibits — perhaps the most extraordinary being a contra-bass saxo¬ phone. Virtually big enough to hide inside! What noises it might produce were fasci¬ nating to imagine!

Berlin was very cold, but we managed to find a friendly taxi driver who gave us a whistle-stop tour of the major attractions! The sun shone briefly between snow show¬ ers, and we had a marvellous day there.

As usual, my letter wouldn't be com¬ plete without some Sir Malcolm Arnold news. I was over there for tea the other day and Anthony (Malcolm's care giver) asked whether I would do a wind octet arrange¬ ment of the terrific music for Hobson 's Choice (that first-rate David Lean film starring Charles Laughton and John Mills). So that's something to look forward to later this year. There is the Overture for Wind Octet, a very effective single move¬ ment written in 1942, and the late Wind Octet, Op. 137 written for the Manchester Camerata Wind Soloists in 1988. The lat¬ ter is not one of Malcolm's greatest works, but nevertheless very much worth a look at. It's yet another medium for which Mal¬ colm has provided some fascinating mu¬ sic. And I am at present in negotiation with a big recording company over mak¬ ing a new CD of all these wind works, so watch this space!

classified advertising

All ads submitted for The Clarinet should be: 1. Typewritten, double-spaced; 2. As concisely worded as possible; 3. Non-commercial in nature and limited to the sale and trade of personally owned instruments, music, accessories, etc.; 4. Submitted to the Editor by the advertising dead¬ lines listed on page 3. Placed by members of the I.C.A. only. Each ad will run only one issue unless the Editor is otherwise advised.

FOR SALE: Set of Selmer bass clarinets, and A. Date from the 1990s. Bl' range to low C; A range to low Ek Necks correctly angled, other modifications. Send SASE to John Snyder, 1731 Laurel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916-1903 USA. $7,000.

WANTED TO BUY: Boehm-system clarinet with plateau (covered) tone holes. Frank Rior- dan, tel. 314/821-7189.


by Staff Sergeant Diana Cassar-Uhl,

United States Military Academy Band

Greetings from West Point! I hope this column finds you well and preparing for an exciting summer.

Here at the U.S.M.A. Band, summer means lots of outdoor concerts at and around West Point. It's my favorite time of year work-wise, as I fondly remember the summer of 1984, when I attended my first concert by the West Point Band. I was about to begin sixth grade, and the evening I spent at the Trophy Point Amphitheatre listening to concert band music inspired me to pursue a career as a military musi¬ cian. Yes, I did know at that young age that this was the life I wanted!

Back in January, many of my fellow special band clarinet players were in¬ volved as musical support for the 55th Presidential Inauguration. Members of the Washington, D.C.-area bands found them¬ selves involved in events from the Inaug¬ ural parade to various Inaugural Balls around the area. Each service was repre¬ sented by a musical unit in the Inaugural Parade: The Army Field Band, The Ma¬ rine Band, The Navy Band, The Air Force Band, and the Coast Guard Band all en¬ dured cold temperatures and a very long day to be a part of the historical event. Even though we are members of the mili¬ tary, we bandspersons are subject to the scrutinizing security measures one might expect for an event that brings us in such close proximity to the President and his family. The U.S.M.A. Band, as part of the celebration of West Point's bicentennial, marched in the inaugural parade in 2001.1 recall feeling surprised to see "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak in line with us at one of the security checkpoints before we lined up for the parade.

My colleagues are having a busy year — one in particular, MU1 Ben Redwine from the United States Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, wrote to fill us in on

his doings! As you may recall from a past edition of this column, Ben and his wife, Leslie, own RedwineJazz, LLC, which, among other things, makes and distributes Gennusa mouthpieces. Ben has been very active as a freelance musician, as well. He was a featured musician in the first annual Annapolis Jazz Jam, produced by bassist Joe Byrd. He continues to perform with his jazz trio, which recently released a full- length compact disc titled Baby Won't You Please Come Home. Additionally, Ben recorded a piece of music he commis¬ sioned from Washington, D.C.-based com¬ poser John Stephens, for string quartet and clarinetist (the clarinetist plays on E^ A, and B? clarinets throughout the avant-garde style composition). He will be performing this work at the Oklahoma Clarinet Sym¬ posium this year.

Ben and Leslie spent some time in Va¬ lencia, Spain, enjoying some vacation time ... if your idea of vacation is performing the Weber Concertino and Schreiner's Im- mer Kleiner with a Spanish concert band, teaching classes in jazz improvisation and mouthpiece-making, and touring the Xile- ma reed factory, that is. He reports, "I have toured other reed factories, and the Xilema reed factory seems unique to me in that they employ five professional clarinetists to handle quality control. In my opinion, this is why the reeds are so good, and so consistent. That, and the fact that the cut of the reeds is so good." In February, Ben tra¬ veled to Cardiff, Wales, to perform a jazz set and present at the annual Single Reed Convention at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, hosted by Leslie Cra¬ ven. The Redwines will also be in atten¬ dance at this year's ClarinetFest in Tokyo.

As if he wasn't keeping busy enough, Ben is also a charter member of the Amer¬ ican Symphonic Clarinet Choir. Founded by I.C.A. member Mike Kelly, the group is

Washington, D.C.'s only professional clar¬ inet choir. Ben adds, "It has been an excit¬ ing year, and the crazy schedule does not look like it will subside any time soon. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Here at West Point, Staff Sergeant Shawn Hemdon, assisted by Staff Sergeant Sam Kaestner, is preparing the first West Point Clarinet Summit, to be held on March 17 and 18, 2006, at the United States Mili¬ tary Academy. The summit will feature three guest artists who were once members of the Academy Band: Larry Combs, from the Chicago Symphony; Stephen Girko, from the Austin Symphony; and clarinet¬ ist/master teacher Kalmen Opperman. Ad¬ ditionally, Professor Jim Pyne, from Ohio State University, will serve as a clinician. A young artists' competition will be held in conjunction with the event. Master clas¬ ses, panel discussions, solo and ensemble recitals featuring the guest artists and mem¬ bers of the West Point Band clarinet sec¬ tion will highlight the weekend, which will conclude with a gala concert event on Sa¬ turday night. Be sure to watch The Clari¬ net for further advertising, or check out the Academy Band's Web site: <http://www. usma.edu/band>. This event will be free and open to the public.

I hope to hear from you in the coming months — I'm open to questions you might have about life as a clarinetist in uniform, and I'm always eager to share your news if you, yourself are a clar¬ inetist in uniform in one of our special/ premier bands. Feel free to send me an e- mail: <[email protected]>.

Even though we are

members of the military,

we bandspersons are subject

to the scrutinizing security

measures one might exjpect

for an event that brings us

in sued cfoseproximity to

the President andhis jam i(y.

June 2005 Page 27

uintessence

The Wind Quintet Informant, No. 27

by Bruce M. Creditor,

Wind Quintet Editor

• Grammy, awarded to Chavez CD • The Dorian Wind Quintet • CDs received • Mel Powell Quintet • Quattro Quadri • Miscellaneous

Kudos to Southwest Chamber Mu¬ sic for their second Grammy® Award in the category of Best

Small Ensemble Performance (with or without Conductor), this time for Volume 2 of The Complete Chamber Works of Carlos Chavez. Of relevance to this col¬ umn is the performance of Chavez's Soli II for wind quintet, a substantial 20-minute, five-movement work. The other chamber music Soli, Soli I for wind quartet (1933 for oboe, clarinet, trumpet, bassoon) and Soli IV for Brass Trio, are part of a cycle that also includes three inventions — for solo piano, for string trio, for solo harp. (Soli III is for solo instruments and orchestra.)

As Jeff von der Schmidt, SWCM's ar¬ tistic director and the conductor of the works on this CD, writes in the notes: "Chavez's philosophical intent in both cycles is to examine the human need for monologue and dialogue. Chavez himself shed light on these relationships: '[these] are the terms of the contradiction: the mon¬ ologue of a first person speaking to him¬ self, enjoying by himself whatever achieve¬ ments are the fruit of his own creative abil¬ ities ... and the dialogue of the creative artist — first person — with his public — second person — from which is derived the intense happiness of having something to say and being able to say it in a way convincing and agreeable to others. I do not hesitate to say, a contradiction more apparent than real that all and every artistic creation has such a double intention.'"

Composed in 1961 for the Philadelphia Wind Quintet (and recorded by them on a long out-of-print Odyssey LP), Soli II is a rigorous and complex work in which Chavez attempts to integrate the worlds of neo-classicism and 12-tone composition through a non-dogmatic use of his own concept of "non-repetition." Mr. Von der Schmidt states that in importance it stands as a "bookend" next to the Schoenberg Wind Quintet. The five movements — Pre- ludio, Rondo, Aria, Sonatina and Finale — give the "soli" spotlight in order to flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet and horn. The per¬ formances on this Cambria CD 8851 (Jim Foschia, clarinet) are committed, forceful and eloquent, and make a great case and challenge to other professional ensembles to take on this monumental work (published by Boosey & Hawkes). A well-deserved award (even though this writer performed on a CD of works by Yehudi Wyner that was nominated in the same category) to Southwest Chamber Music. We eagerly await release of Volume 3.

>{c sjc

The Dorian Wind Quintet

on Repertoire and Sound

I am pleased to present with permission several excerpts from an article by James M. Keller in Chamber Music, which places the active role that the Dorian Wind Quin¬ tet has had in developing new repertoire for the wind quintet over the past almost 45 years, in a historical context, as well as other topics germane to the medium.

The Dorian Wind Quintet reigns as an eminent mainstay among American wind quintets, having been founded in 1961. Although no original members remain since founding bassoonist Jane Taylor re¬ tired in 2002, the group's clarinetist since 1970 Jerry Kirkbride can give experienced insights and is writing a history of the en¬

semble, carrying out interviews with com¬ posers the group has worked with and maintaining a growing database of the ensemble's repertoire since its inception.

"In terms of repertoire," he explains, "the wind quintet faces a situation that is almost the opposite of the string quartet. We do play a lot of 20th-century music, which the string quartet often doesn't... For a wind quintet there is frankly not much great Romantic music. I don't know why. The Romantic composers certainly wrote wonderfully for wind instruments in the orchestra and certainly for the clarinet in chamber settings..."

"Not until the 20th century do we get big-name composers, and then we get a number of terrific pieces: Nielsen, Hinde- mith, Villa-Lobos, and many others... The most popular piece in the Dorian's repertoire is Ibert's Trois pieces breves — 433 times in formal concerts and about 500 times in master classes. Kirkbride comments, "It's not deep, but it's fun and it shows off the possibilities of the quintet so well — as individual instruments, in groupings with the ensemble, and as a full quintet. The whole thing lasts only seven minutes, and the first and third move¬ ments are exciting — just full of notes. In fact, the end of the first movement is so exciting that we tend to flip it with the third. We just came to feel that the piece ended better that way, and that's how we recorded it back in the 1970s. Nobody has ever objected!"

The Dorian also helps address the rep¬ ertoire question by embracing transcrip¬ tions of masterworks by A-list composers. Kirkbride especially endorses the tran¬ scriptions by the legendary Israeli bassoon¬ ist Mordechai Rechtman, who has brought works by such "audience draws" as Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart and Beethoven into the repertoire. "Some people criticize the idea of transcriptions," Kirkbride acknowled¬ ges, "but they can sound great if they're well done, if they really fit the ensemble with sensitivity."

Whether it's true or not, there is a quietly voiced opinion in some chamber music cir¬ cles that the wind quintet is not ultimately a very satisfying combination, which ac¬ counts for the resistance quintets encounter among presenters. [We found the same attitude when trying to book concerts for the Emmanuel Wind Quintet in the 1980s, even though we had just won the Naum-


burg Competition. BMC] Detractors recite a roster of charges: sameness of timbre, limited range of instruments, overriding brightness of sound, inherent lack of blend. Each of these points can be countered logi¬ cally, but in the end they add up to what may be a self-fulfilling spiral of reluctance on the part of presenters and audiences. Kirkbride and his colleagues have heard all the objections and face them philosophi¬ cally. "People come backstage and tell us that they almost didn't come to the concert because they didn't have any prior experi¬ ence of a wind quintet, or they thought the wouldn't like it much... But they were pleasantly surprised: they loved the sound, they loved the repertoire, they heard some really wonderful music by composers they weren't familiar with. They always say how glad they were that they came."

In no small part, that's a tribute to the Dorian Wind Quintet itself, which has spent decades addressing and readdressing the challenges that its particular ensemble presents. "It's a generic mission of ours to blend," Kirkbride says, "to create a singu¬ lar sound with five very diverse instru¬ ments. That's one of the things we work at most. In fact, each instrument in a wind quintet does have its own distinctive sound and the challenge is really quite different from what a string quartet encounters... You have two double reed woodwinds, one single reed, a woodwind with no reed, and one instrument that isn't a woodwind at all — and they operate on rather differ¬ ent acoustic principles. The art of the wind quintet involves really getting into the other person's sound (bold italics by the editor). As you progress in this art, you reach a point where you have two instru¬ ments playing in a way that creates a third singular-instrument sound (e.g., the begin¬ ning of the Harbison Wind Quintet, Ed.) And by the way, let me point out that in a wind quintet the horn player is the hero. When they play in a wind quintet they adopt a style that is completely different from how they play in other contexts."

In the next "Quintessence": how the Dorian Wind Quintet celebrated its 40th anniversary by commissioning a work — Anniversary Variations —from five differ¬ ent composers!

CDs Received

and Reviewed

SOLARIS American Quintets II Kristina Belisle, clarinet (I.C.A. Secretary) Capstone CPS 8723 (2003)

Nikola Resanovi Drones and Nanorhythms (13') (.Drones and Nanorhythms, Quintessence,

Joy Ride) Roger Zahab Doubles Keening 6')

Daniel McCarthy Tales of the Donner Expedition (12') {Westward Ho!, Midwest: Plains and

Valleys, Of Dog Meat and Hide, Children Play, Children Die, The Lake, The Forlorn Hope)

Ralph Turek Three Piece Suite (14') (Scherzo, Free Form, Jazz)

Scott Joplin Solace, Magnetic Rag, Stoptime Rag

Stephen Foster Four Songs

American Quintets II is a collection of works by four composers who are col¬ leagues with the players of Solaris on the faculty of the University of Akron (Ohio) and whose names are probably new to most of us. They offer a range of compo¬ sitional styles and approaches to the wind quintet medium. This collaboration be¬ tween local performers and composers has many models and is to be commended and given high praise. Composition is the lifeline of our music and every opportun¬ ity to support, encourage and commission our composing muses should be given due consideration.

The results, as heard in these virtuosic readings, range from tragic to the comic. I have given the movement indications in the headnote above which give indications of the character and narrative pieces these composers have given us. The program is balanced with three Joplin rags and a suite of four songs by Stephen Foster, all taste¬ fully and imaginatively done.

One sad note, to acknowledge the ac¬ complished performances here by the late bassoonist, Lynette Diers Cohen — wife of Cleveland Orchestra principal clari¬ netist Frank Cohen. A high recommenda¬ tion for this creative program and first- rate performances.

BLUMER, Theodor: Wind Chamber Music, Vol. 2 Schweizer Quintett (1953) 19' Kinderspielzeug, Op. 64 (12') Sextett (Kammersinfonie), Op. 92, 1941

(37)

Moran Woodwind Quintet (Diane Barger, clarinet) Crystal CD755 (2004)

Back in "Quintessence" No. 15 (Febru¬ ary 1995) I asked for a sequel to a record¬ ing of wind music by Theodor Blumer I had reviewed. Thank you Peter Christ and Crystal Records for fulfilling my wish with this release. What a joy — to listen as a performer and as a music lover. Once again the Moran Woodwind Quintet of University Nebraska-Lincoln — and again with funding support by the School of Mu¬ sic and showing great endorsement of its faculty — splendidly brings these substan¬ tial works into our ears, with brilliance, effervescence and sophistication. Excellent and helpful notes by flutist John Bailey illuminate the background and scenarios of

June 2005 Page 29

each of these three challenging yet appeal¬ ing Romantic works of the 20th century, even from mid-century. In particular, the Kinderspielz.eug (Children's Toys), with its evocation of a tranquil domestic scene in a series of miniatures, charms as only this music can.

Thanks to Crystal for listing the dif¬ ferent publisher for each of the works so we can find and perform them. Now — might there be material for a Volume 3 in the offing?

WOODWIND QUINTET ARIART "Cocktail" Joze Kotar, clarinet SAZAS KDPA CD 001

Haydn: Divertimento in & Danzi: Quintet in G minor. Op. 56/2 Farkas, F.: Antic he Danze Ungheresi (12') Agay, D.: Five Easy Pieces (8') Piazzolla, A: Four Seasons in

Buenos Aires (10')

Brief mention of these eminently plea¬ surable performances by the Ariart Quin¬ tet, which was founded in 1996 by mem¬ bers of various Slovenian orchestras. The program is on the light side, with Danzi playing the role of the "heavyweight." The quintet has performed a wide range of rep¬ ertoire, including the Schoenberg Quintet as well as a commitment to works by Slo¬ venian composers. The Piazzolla is espe¬ cially delicious with its depiction of the cycle of seasons in Buenos Aires.

I recently came across a program and performance notes in my fdes of "An Eve¬ ning with Mel Powell" from March 8, 1985, at Cal Arts where the late composer was on the faculty, and at which his Wood¬ wind Quintet of 1985 was premiered. The program note is in the form of a conversa¬ tion with Powell and captures the subtle wit, vibrancy and sophisticated intelli¬ gence of this multi-faceted Pulitzer Prize- winning composer, jazz pianist and ar¬ ranger (with Benny Goodman and others). His music, like his conversation — in the words of Frans van Rossum — "gives im¬ mediate pleasure, yet always challenges the understanding before revealing its true meaning — which in turn reveals new meanings in our great and centuries-long tradition ... that he exemplifies the present

© tjas iy C:

First page of Woodwind Quintet Mel Powell

and exfoliates the past, and thus helps all of us to know better where and how the very roots of life, present and future, are to be found."

With the scene thus set, I share some of the conversation about Powell's Wood¬ wind Quintet:

Anything to be said about this com¬ position?

MP: A marvel of a description is one I'd love to borrow from an author who said not long ago that his latest short story was full of poetic oddities exploring a range of impossibilities. Perfect.

...What else? Remember, I'll be hearing this along

with the audience for the first time... A composer's inner-ear performance is quite a different matter — an ideal photograph of an ideal lamb chop: Platonic nutrition. Later you may eat an actual lamb chop and wish you hadn't — but let's give up on that metaphor...

Is it a difficult work? Difficult to compose, to perform, and to

listen to; otherwise a comprehensive joy. Aside from all that, I'm sure everyone knows that of all our standard chamber music ensembles the woodwind quintet provides the greatest range of normative differentiation with respect to timbral value — is made up of more contrasting tone colors than any other. It's like the Baroque

organ: sharp linear distinction is right there. So of course in that sense an inde¬ pendence of parts is built in... And winds do not hide, sneaking in or out — a clar¬ inet may manage it pretty well but none of the others do; the winds are there, very audible entries. Which means that every¬ thing counts in ways that are somewhat relentless compared to what might be indulged in with either strings or exotica... Is that useful? Or have I merely said that a fine temporal structure displaying a fine assemblage of pitches is a fine thing?

I think it's useful, but you have talked about the particular medium, not about this particular work.

Yes. Well, then, this particular piece is a beautiful piece. Will that do?

We are getting somewhere. I doubt it. That's what every composer

actually believes at first about every new piece. Eventually, gradually, truth emerges.

If you were not the composer, what would you make of the structure as a whole?

The underlying associational maze is not too remote from the music's sounding surface. There are quite pointed contrasts and quite pointed resemblances: an ebb and flow in the continual pattern of trans¬ formation that helps to illuminate the self- referential contour.


Mel Powell's Woodwind Quintet is published by G. Schirmer. It has not yet been recorded.

In a press release by Cutting Edge Concerts in New York City, I noticed a premiere given by the Sylvan Winds of Quatro Quadri (Four Paintings) by the Italian-American composer Davide Zan- noni. Being one who delights in and is intrigued by works based on paintings, I contacted the composer who graciously sent me a score and performance CD as well as reproductions of the four paintings depicted: Piet Mondrian: "Broadway Boo¬ gie Woogie"; Rene Magritte: "Le Chateau des Pyrenees"; Lucien Freud: "Portrait of my Brother"; Edward Hopper: "Night- hawks." Quite a distinguished gallery!

Mr. Zannoni describes his music as encompassing "a variety of styles. A piece can typically mix chromaticism and tonal¬ ity, can be lyrical and then rhythmically very energetic, quiet and meditative and subsequently explode in loud dissonant sections. Often my music is spiced with my first love, jazz. I try to give each piece a strong sense of form and balance."

Though each listener might bring dif¬ ferent expectations to each painting, Mr. Zannoni uses clear colors and timbres, clear textures and his intentions are clear and unambiguous in drawing these musical portraits and capturing the essence of the artworks. He can be reached at <www. davidezannoni.com> for performance ma¬ terials and further information.

Miscellaneous

Imani Winds of New York City won first prize of Chamber Music America/ ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Pro¬ gramming. Two of the group's players are composers as well, and all are active¬ ly involved in shaping programming that mixes African and Latin music with the traditional literature. More on this innov¬ ative group including a CD review in the next "Quintessence."

Also from CMA: Veteran orchestra players, the five musicians of Wild Basin Winds have overcome geographical sepa¬ ration, nightmare scheduling logistics, and the post 9/11 economic slump to create a

stable wind quintet. Now in its seventh season, the ensemble has toured nationally, but more regularly performs in and around Austin, Texas. Chamber Music Austin, with a grant from arts patron John Scanlan, commissioned Donald Grantham to create a work for the quintet, resulting in Wild Basin Music, inspired by the beauty of the local wildlife preserve from which the en¬ semble also takes its name. The WBW received a CMA grant to support residen¬ cies in underserved schools in Austin and nearby farming communities.

Quintet of the Americas continues to amass a remarkable register of premieres. Among them have been Bird Bath for quintet and electronics by Elliott Schwartz, and a new version of Twilight Cranes, a fantasy for narrator and quintet by Jack Gottlieb, based on the Japanese folk tale Yuzuru.

New York University is sponsoring a Summer Institute for Wind Quintet and Woodwind Chamber Music for High School and College Students. The Insti¬ tute is being held June 18-25 and will in¬ volve the Quintet of the Americas as well as other premiere wind performers, teach¬ ers and coaches. Information can be ob¬ tained at <[email protected]> or from Esther Lamneck at <esther.lamneck@ nyu.edu>.

A REPEAT INQUIRY: I am investi¬ gating the works for quintet by Harrison Birtwistle (Refrains and Chorus, Five Dis¬ tances) and Oliver Knussen (Three Fan¬ tasies) and welcome any experiences you may have had with them or other contem¬ porary British works for wind quintet. Please e-mail me at <BruceCred@aol. com>. Many thanks!

CLARINET

CLASSICS

c... the admirable

Clarinet Classics label'

PRESENTS

Period Performance and

Central Clarinet Repertoire

THE EARLY CLARINET FAMILY CC0004 Works by: Danzi, Handel, Graupner and Beethoven Keith Ruddy C clarinet/ D clarinet/alto chalumeau/ 5-keyed B flat clarinet/ basset horn 'No praise can be too high

for this issue, expertly and stylishly played, beautifully recorded and immaculately documented.' musical times

A GRAND DUOccoois Works by: Weber. Stadler, Burgmuller, Danzi and Loewe Colin Lawson 10-keyed B flat clarinet and 8-keyed C clarinet Neal Peres da Costa grand piano (1826)

100 YEARS OF THE SIMPLE-SYSTEM CLARINET CC0044 Music by Lloyd, German, Walthew, Pratt, Somervell, Holbrooke and others Colin Lawson clarinet Francis Pott piano 'The ear is constantly gratified by Colin Lawson's insight into the music and his mastery of the clarinet: American record guide

Also available on Clarinet Classics CONCERTOS BY MERCADANTE CC0042 Saverio Mercadante Concerto in B flat major op.101, Concertone No.1 in F major, Concertone No.2 in F major, Concertone No.3 in F major, Concerto in E flat major op.76 Luigi Magistrelli clarinet Laura Magistrelli clarinet Lario Chamber Orchestra conducted by Pierangelo Gelmini

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June 2005 Page 31

Luyben Music Company

by Kelly Johnson

Annette Luyben of Luyben Music has been a fixture at the exhibit booths during I.C.A. conventions

for years. I called her on a Saturday morn¬ ing at her store where she was kind enough to share her thoughts and experiences as a clarinetist and entrepreneur. For more in¬ formation about Luyben Music please con¬ tact <www.luybenmusic.com> or call (816) 753-7111.

KJ: Tell us the history of Luyben Music. When was it founded'?

AL: My father founded Luyben Music in 1947. But our history goes back to my grandfather who was a clarinetist and one of the founders of the original Kan¬ sas City Philharmonic. At that time he was president of the Musician's Union. He was a theater musician, playing Vaudeville. My dad said that he wasn't a very good clarinet player, although I don't know first-hand since I never knew him. (He died when I was one.) The family, however, had a tradition of music. They played in the Queen's Band in Holland until they came to this country when my grandfather was 10 years old. My dad started playing clar¬ inet when he was 15, and by the time he

IJ Ml llll

was 18 he was playing bass clarinet with the Kansas City Philharmonic. That was in 1934. He continued to play bass clarinet in the Philharmonic, when not studying back east with Bon- ade, until just prior to our entering World War II in 1941. At that point he went into the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., where he played from 1941-1945. My grandfather had died in 1944 and my dad, rather than taking some jobs that were offered to him in New York, came back to Kansas City to take care of his mom. My grand¬ father was a repairman and had a repair shop in his home, so my dad did repair. He was really good at it and he also started teaching a few lessons. That's when my parents rented a building in south Kansas City. We were there for four years. It started as a place where musicians could get together and play jazz or chamber music or whatever and also teach lessons. And it was going so well that they bought our current loca¬ tion in 1951 and we have been here ever since.

KJ: What was your mother's musical in¬ terest?

AL: She had 12 years of piano, believe it or not, but she would never have told you that. She would never claim to be a musician or to know anything about music.

Mil HlflNIIII IINtlll

Page 32

(I to r) Keith Wilcox, Rich Coble, Annette Luyben, Don Shoberg

The Clarinet

KJ: Really?! AL: Absolutely. She did not want to get

into that arena with my dad. That was his thing. But, my dad also didn't mess with the "business" side of the business either. That was her thing. And that was fine. Obviously, I'm not saying he didn't control any of the money be¬ cause he made decisions about that too. Of course, she knew instruments and she learned about composers and pub¬ lishers, but that was all picked up over the years.

KJ: How did the store progress to what it is today?

AL: Kids were coming in to take lessons, and they had to have music, accessories and instruments. They started to buy those things and that's how the business went. Until the mid-'60s, we had a staff of probably 30-some teachers. We would have recitals and put together two or three orchestras and bands with the students who studied here. We would rent a large auditorium and have won¬ derful spring recitals. The clarinet choirs that my dad had were incredible. The city went through a change but my par¬ ents didn't want to leave our location so the business evolved. It's just unbeliev¬ able how things just sort of happen. Everybody went to the suburbs so there weren't kids here to take lessons, but as that happened there was more and more demand for printed music so that be¬ came the new focus — the print busi¬ ness took over.

KJ: I remember your father helping me pick out my very first Buffet R-13 when I was in high school. Do you still sell in¬ struments and accessories?

AL: Yes, but not a lot. We still stock clar¬ inets, and they are basically just ones that I pick out.

KJ: You 're a clarinetist too. Tell us about that.

AL: Well, my father was my teacher. I started when I was five and a half on El' clarinet because I wasn't big enough to play the Bk I finally got a B'' clarinet for Christmas when I was about eight. By then my fingers were big enough to cover the holes.

KJ: Where did you go to college? AL: I went to Kansas University but I did

not major in music, although I played in the band for one year. I have a B.A. de¬ gree in Political Science and Econom-

Annete and Bob Lityben (1981 in Paris)

ics, and I taught American History and Political Science in high school for 15 years.

KJ: When were the Luyben ligatures de¬ veloped?

AL: My dad started working on the Luy¬ ben ligature in the late 1950s. Having been a repairperson, a tinkerer, he could tlx any clarinet and fix it beautifully. He did wonderful work. He was constantly thinking about what he could do to make things easier and better. We have a bevy of things now that have been invented for the clarinet in the past 30 years, but I think prior to that time things were slow in coming. It's not like it is now, where every time we turn around there's a new ligature, a new reed, or a new mouthpiece. Dad thought that there must be something better than the metal ligature that would get out of shape and thus not hold the reed prop¬ erly. And so he tinkered with it and he worked with the people here at Mid¬ west Research to find the material. They experimented with many kinds of mate¬ rials and finally came up with plastic. Of course it is just regular plastic that is used now, but that was not readily available in 1960. Then my father hired an engineering firm to make a drawing of what he wanted to do, and finally the mold was made. And interestingly enough the mold that was used has been used so many times in the last 40-some years that it gave out. We have a com¬ pany here in Kansas City that runs the ligatures for us and finally they just couldn't do any more repairs to the

mold. I had the original drawings and so they used those to make a new mold. And the new mold is even more to the specifications than the old mold due to the use of a computer. We did that about four or five years ago.

KJ: Can you tell a difference in the liga¬ tures?

AL: Oh, I can by looking at them. The new molds are much cleaner. And also, we added a little bit of ridging to the inside of the new ligature. It had been on my dad's original drawings but was not on the original mold. It adds just a little bit of friction so it doesn't slide as easily on the mouthpiece. Everyone was al¬ ways complaining about the ligature sliding off the mouthpiece. We've always said it had to be tightened down enough if you changed mouthpieces from B'' to an A. Now with that ridging on the inside it helps.

KJ: Were they originally clear? AL: Yes, the plastic is clear. When you get

the clear one that is the raw plastic. All we do is add black dye for the black lig¬ ature. There are people who have ar¬ gued with me that they play differently. Once this young student was just read¬ ing me the riot act that the black liga¬ ture just had to be better. After the con¬ versation, Rich (that's Rich Coble, my "better half) looked at me and said, "Why can't we make them red or green or purple?" And that's how we got the colored ligatures. The kids love them and they think they are fun. It still pro¬ vides students with a good product, so it's not just a gimmick. And if it's some¬ thing that helps a student to practice or like his instrument a little bit better, then that's great.

KJ: What makes the Luyben ligature unique?

AL: This was the first alternative to the metal ligature. My dad did a good job of providing a ligature that holds the reed well, but does not crush any of the fiber in the reed. I love the way I can adjust the screws (tighter or looser) to get better response from reeds. I don't play very often and I spend no time on reeds, but I can get most reeds to work just by "playing" with the pressure on the reed! And I have to be honest. I had stopped playing about the time my dad developed the ligature, so I didn't own one. It's true! But I finally made the

decision to come here full time in 1980, and when that decision was made I de¬ cided I had better switch to the Luyben. I put it on the clarinet and went, "Whoa! This really works!"

KJ: I always see you at clarinet conven¬ tions. Tell us how that started.

AL: My folks started going to the early clarinet conventions in the 1970s. They were held at the University of Denver.

KJ: Did they participate as vendors? AL: No, my dad went as a clarinetist. I

think he probably also wanted to talk to people about his ligature because it was still new in the market at that time. Then my mom noticed an interest for the printed copies of the music that was being performed, so she would get a list of the performers and stock up on their music to sell. They did that until 1982, and I started going in 1983. Aside from a few conventions outside the U.S., Luyben Music has attended the I.C. A. conventions for over 30 years.

KJ: That has to be the longest run of any vendor I would imagine.

AL: Well, I think some of the instrument companies came to the early ones too. We also began going to the University of Oklahoma Clarinet Symposiums in 1984, and have been there every year since then.

KJ: That 's such a sen'ice. AL: So many people live in places where

printed music isn't available. Of course now we have computers and you can look at some things on the Internet, but it still isn't like having it in your hand and seeing that piece of music. And I

The Luyben booth in the late 1970s in Denver. Annette Luyben is standing on the left.

June 2005 Page 33

thoroughly enjoy seeing old friends and making new ones every summer. I think my biggest enjoyment comes from meeting people, especially watching young students grow up, and go on to wonderful careers both in and out of music. It's wonderful to be able to do that while running a business.

KJ: You can probably tell some good sto¬ ries too.

AL: Yes, and they would fill volumes! Do you want my favorite moment at all con¬ ventions? It was at the 1987 convention in Seattle. Mitchell Lurie performed the Mozart Quintet with the Philadelphia String Quartet. It was the most beautiful thing that I'd ever heard. It was one of those incredible moments where every¬ body was just at the right place at the right time. And when it was finished, there was not a dry eye in the house. I went back to Mitchell Lurie and I couldn't even talk to him I was crying so hard. It was so incredibly gorgeous. Unfortunately it wasn't recorded.

KJ: Oh no! AL: There have been many incredible per¬

formances at every single conference we've attended, but Mitchell and the

Mozart stands out of all of them as my favorite. I have to say too that I can al¬ ways tell who's played really well by how we sell the music! If somebody plays really well that particular piece of music sells very well!

KJ: What is on the horizon for Luyben music?

AL: First I'm going to clean my desk! Then we hope to provide more music to more people and try to do it even better than we do it now. I think a lot of peo¬ ple don't realize that we are an active retail store with music for all instru¬ ments, as well as band and orchestra instruments, guitars, harps, recorders, etc., plus accessories for all. Many peo¬ ple think that we deal strictly with clar¬ inet, but that is not the case. It is not unusual to have 100 or more people in the store on a Saturday. So clarinet and shipping music is just part of what we do. And of course, we at Luyben Music would not be doing what we are doing now if it were not for the people who work here — especially Don Shoberg, who has been with us for nearly 50 years. He handles all music purchasing while Keith Wilcox handles all of the

mail orders and selection and packing of the music that goes to the confer¬ ences. Many of you have probably seen Julie Chaney if you have visited our booth at a conference. She comes to help Rich and me so others can stay at home and run the store!

KJ: Do you have any closing thoughts you would like to share?

AL: For a number of years I worked only part time in the store (while going to school and then teaching) and finally realized that with dad's health, the busi¬ ness would not continue if Mom didn't get more help. I just had a good reckon¬ ing with myself, and I finally decided that I love it, and I love the people, and it's FUN, really fun. I love seeing the people I grew up with and have known since I was a child, and now I'm watch¬ ing their children grow and have chil¬ dren. There's no other business any place that has as great a percentage of wonderful people as exists in the music industry. I don't have hard facts to back that up, except just what I feel in my own heart. But from what I've seen other places, we don't have all the prob¬ lems that most businesses have, be-

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cause music people are the nicest peo¬ ple. That's really what made me de¬ cide to do this full time, along with my belief in the importance of music in everyone's life and the desire to con¬ tinue what my parents worked so hard to establish.

About the Writer...

Kelly Johnson is assistant professor of music at Arkansas Tech University and principal clarinetist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. She performs with the Etesian Woodwind Quintet and Pinna¬ cle Players, a chamber music group based in Little Rock. Johnson received her M.M. and D.M.A. degrees from Arizona State University and a B.M.E. degree from Cen¬ tral Missouri State University. Her teachers were Robert Spring and Russell Coleman.

Contacts for

The Clarinet:

Send all articles, recital programs, orders for back issues, announcements and any other non-commercial items intended for publication in The Clarinet to:

James Gillespie, Editor/Publisher College of Music, University of North Texas

P.O. Box 311367 Denton, Texas 76203-1367

E-mail:<[email protected]>

Send all printed materials (music, books, etc.) intended for review in The Clarinet to:

Joseph Messenger, Editor of Reviews Department of Music, Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa 50011 E-mail: <[email protected]>

Send all recordings intended for review in The Clarinet to:

William Nichols, Audio Review Editor School of Music, University of Louisiana at Monroe

Monroe, Louisiana 71209-0250 E-mail: <[email protected]>

Send all inquiries about advertising, notices of change of address, inquiries about I.C.A. membership,

missing issues, etc., to:

Rose Sperrazza, Executive Director P.O. Box 5039

Wheaton, Illinois 60189-5039 E-mail: [email protected]

Clarinet Artists Know

About Thumb Pain

First Hand.

The Jupiter thumb rest, although preset to the standard

position, is adjustable up and down to better fit hand size

or finger length.

Jupiter student clarinets feature an adjustable thumb rest with

strap attachment and neck strap.

This addresses a growing concern among teachers and physicians

about problems with hand ailments resulting from students supporting clarinets totally on their thumb.

Just as heightened awareness of cause and effect resulted in bicycle helmet usage becoming standard for youngsters, so too has knowledge of cause and effect resulted in the development of these Jupiter models.

Jupiter's adjustable thumb rest can be raised or lowered to accommodate a player's hand size and finger length, which further reduces strain on the wrist, known to contribute to ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Leading hand surgeons have authored articles on this subject*. Students, not yet fully developed as adults, who practice or play for periods of more than one hour at a time become increasingly vulnerable as they continue on in their musical careers.

11

The jupiter thumb rest features a strap hook eyelet and each instrument comes with an adjustable neck strap.

The neck strap lessens the weight on a student's thumb and promotes correct hand and finger positioning, embouchure and posture.

Let's help young artists avoid medical problems. Recommend beginning clarinetists start on instruments

having adjustable thumb rests and neck straps.

(www.jupitermusic.com

The Clarinet, February/March 1992 The Clarinet, July/August 1998 P.O. Box 90249 • Austin, TX 78709-0249

June 2005 Page 35

Have you planned your summer holiday in Japan? ClarinetFest* 2005 assures to be an unforget¬

table and exciting experience! This is the very first I.C.A. festival in Asia and more than 80 offers were received. The organiz¬ ing committee would like to have as many performers as possible to join the festival, and the SATELLITE RECITALS are set for July 18 and 19. As has been already announced, the official festival begins on July 20, but many fantastic programs are also planned for July 18 and 19. Please pay a visit to the satellite recitals too. The offi¬ cial Web site will assist you in registering: <http.V/www.cl-fest2005.jp/>. Also to extend your hotel stay, please contact with Mr. Ogawa of JTB, <nihonbashi_ PN1141 @syt.jtb.co.jp> fax; +81-3-3273- 2460. SATELLITE RECITALS are free if you register for a five-day pass.

Schedule of Events

(Tentative and

subject to change)

Monday, July 18

11:00. Opening concert (Open Air) Concert Hall 14:00. Clarinet Choir of amateur and

music college students. Recital Hall 13:00. Bag pipe recital 17:00. Mini recitals of youth

ClarinetFest.2005

TAMA,TOKYO

Tuesday, July 19

Recital Hall 13:00. Recitals by Celeste Zewald,

Amy Simon, Stodle Hakon and others 17:00. Talk show by Togame and Umezu 19:00. Klezmer concert by Kazutoki

Umezu and Jozsef Balogh

Wednesday, July 20

Concert Hall 17:00. Alessandro Carbonare recital 19:30. Opening Gala Concert by

Guy Deplus, Philippe Cuper, Eddie Daniels, Jozsef Balogh, Larry Combs and Julie DeRoche

Recital Hall 10:00. Welcome to TAMA concert

by the Tokyo Clarinet Philharmonic Orchestra

July 18-July 24,2005

Parthenon Tama

11:00. Chamber Music by Flanders-Quartet, Webster Trio and Sapphire Trio

13:00. Recital of American composers' works: Eric Mandat and Ani Berberian, Kelly Johnson, Caroline Hartig, William Nichols

14:10. Ian Haystead and Paul Harvey 15:00. Jan Jakub Bokun 15:30. Ulrich Wurlitzer 16:00. Period instruments Eric Hoeprich 18:00. Recital by Tatsuzo Akasaka and

Naoko Kotaniguchi 19:00. Verdehr Trio Lecture room 13:00. Christopher Ayer, Michio Miyagi,

Japanese Harp and Shakuhachi 14:00. John Walker, C. Rose 32 Etudes

Koichi Hamanaka

Page 36

Kazuko Ninomiya

The Clarinet

Masaharu Yamamoto

Schubert Hall at Pamassos TAMA 10:00. Young Artist Competition

Semi-Finals 13:00. High School Competition 18:00. Jan Guns, Seiki Shinohe and

Hiroshi Kamata recital 19:00. Hudson Nogueira, Brazilian music

Thursday, July 21

Concert Hall 19:30. Gala concert by Alessandro

Carbonare, Michel Portal and Louis Scravis

Recital Hall 9:30. Recitals by Ricardo Alves,

Quattuor Ventus, Stephen Fox, Gregory Barrett, Luigi Magistrelli, Eva Wasserman, Dallas Tidwell

13:00. Asian composers' recital: Rikuya Terashima features his premier pieces.

14:00. Asian music by Michael Richard, Min-Ho Yeh, Tod Kerstetter, Tai Bai, Daniel Geeting and Aloke Dasgupta, Timothy Perry

16:00. JSH competition winners (Yoko Fujii, Junko Ohtani, and Mami Kuroiwa); recital of Japanese composers' music.

17:00. Jean-Daniel Bugaj and Philippe Cuper Recital

18:30. Clarinet quintets by Weber and Reger: Yuji Murai and Shuhei Isobe

Lecture room 10:00. Master Class by Michel Arrignon Schubert Hall at Pamassos TAMA 10:00. Young Artist Competition Finals 15:00. Jochen Seggelke lecture and

performance

Friday, July 22

Concert Hall 19:00. Jazz Concert by Buddy DeFranco,

Eddie Daniels, Eiji Kitamura, Eiji Taniguchi, Eiji Hanaoka and Masahiro Takigawa

Recital Hall 9:00. Recitals by Ching Chun Lin,

Hakon St0dle, Vintage Quartet, Frank Sidorfsky

11:00.1.C.A. board members' recital 12:00.1.C.A. award winner recital,

James Gillespie and Marguerite Baker 14:00. Students of Jacques Lancelot:

Koichi Hamanaka, Kazuko Ninomiya, Ayako Ohshima, Yoko Fujii, Tadayoshi Takeda, and Shigeru Ikushima

15:00. Chamber music by Clearly Three, Deborah de Graaff

17:00. Jozsef Balogh recital 18:00. Jan Guns, Antonio Siote and

Guy Deplus recital Lecture room 10:00. Master Class by Charles Neidich 12:30.1.C.A. Business Meeting

Saturday, July 23

Concert Hall 11:00. Clarinet Choirs: Yokohama

Clarinet Ensemble, Holz Ensemble, Tokyo Clarinet Choir, British Clarinet Ensemble

19:00. Clarinet Concertos: Franz Danzi, Aaron Copland and Richard Strauss, Charles Neidich, Wenzel Fuchs and Masaharu Yamamoto, soloists, with the Japan Chamber Orchestra

Recital Hall 9:30. Recitals: Javer Vinasco,

Im Soo Lee, Stephan Siegenthaler, Andrew Simon, West Coast Clarinet Ensemble, Clarivar, La Forza Quartet

13:00. Greetings from Atlanta 14:00. Nathan Williams, Maureen L. Hurd,

Thomas Piercy, Leanne Manning Chan, Robert Spring

16:00. Claude Faucomprez recital 17:00. Recitals: Jonathan Cohler,

John Masserini 18:00. New clarinet made with ceramics Lecture room 10:00. Master Class with Wenzel Fuchs

featuring orchestra study

Sunday, July 24

Concert Hall 14:00. Woodwind band concert 19:00. Final Gala Concert with Michel

Arrignon, P. Messina, Andrew Simon and Wei-leng Chen

Recital Hall 13:00. Clarinet with audiovisuals: MAMI

Trio, Thelema Trio, Brigid Burke, Jean Guy Boisvert, F. Gerard Errante, and Harry Spamaay

Schubert Hall at Parnassos TAMA 10:00. Recitals by Una Voce, Norway

Quartet, Pedora Cervantes Ojeda, Duo Picomell-Jagra, Ensemble Sonorite, Stephan Vermeesh and Ebony Quartet.

12:00. Seiki Shinohe plays Mozart 14:00. Akira Sakata, Yoshiaki Suzuki

and Takeshi Nozaki trio

Additional Information:

<www.cl-fest2005.jp> <cla2005-tky @ umin. ac .jp>

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June 2005 Page 37

Emily Bernstein

Principal Clarinetist with

the Pasadena Symphony

Loses Battle with Cancer

After Emily Bernstein recorded the clarinet solo for the score of the motion picture The Termi¬

nal, director Steven Spielberg — a for¬ mer clarinetist himself — insisted that Bernstein's name appear in the film's end credits, although traditionally individual musicians performing in studio orches¬ tras remain anonymous.

Bernstein considered this experience, which took place in March of 2004 be¬ tween chemotherapy treatments, not only a great honor but an even greater source of comfort.

"The whole experience with The Ter¬ minal has given me so much during a diffi¬ cult time with my health," Bernstein said. "It has been a light in my life."

Bernstein, herself, was a "light" in the musical life of The Pasadena Symphony for 10 years. She first came to the attention of conductor Jorge Mester during rehear¬ sals for Igor Stravinsky's Fairy Kiss in 1994. The work includes a prominent clar¬ inet solo ... and, when the principal clar¬ inetist at the time took ill at the last mo¬ ment, Bernstein stepped in for the final two rehearsals and performance.

A decade later, Mester's respect and re¬ gard for Bernstein have risen even higher.

"When our orchestra manager suggest¬ ed that Emily work with us on Fairy Kiss, he described her as 'a treasure,"' Mester says. "He was absolutely right. Emily was an incredibly gifted musician — an inval¬ uable and irreplaceable member of our or¬ chestra — and a good friend. I will miss her greatly."

As she fought the cancer that ultimately took her life on January 26 [2005], Bern¬ stein approached The Pasadena Symphony about establishing a fund in her name. This fund, she hoped, would enable future gen¬ erations who share her love of classical music to continue to enjoy performances by The Pasadena Symphony — an orches¬ tra Bernstein claimed was "filled with the area's best players."

Bernstein was also principal clarinetist for the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and a member of the acclaimed contemporary music ensemble XTET. As a studio mu¬ sician, she recorded over 500 movie and television scores, including Catch Me if You Can, Pirates of the Caribbean, Sea- biscuit and JAG. Bernstein also served on the faculty of the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles.

But, undoubtedly. The Pasadena Sym¬ phony held a special place in Bernstein's heart. Interviewed recently, she said: "At The Pasadena Symphony... I looked for-

Robert J. Schott,

1924-2005

Robert Julius Schott, 80, Professor Emeritus at Pittsburg State Uni¬ versity and of Pittsburg, Kansas,

died on Thursday, January 13, 2005. He was the first Secretary/Treasurer for the International Clarinet Society from 1973- 1975. Additionally, he was also the first Research Chair for the International Clari¬ net Society 1974-1975.

He was bom on February 20, 1924, in Jefferson City, MO. to Julius and Monta Schott. He graduated from Jefferson City High School. Following high school, he served in World War II in the 98th In¬ fantry Division Band of the United States Army from 1943 to 1946. From 1948 to 1949, he was a member of the National Band of the Air, and then became a mem¬ ber of the Kansas City Philharmonic from 1949 to 1950.

Professor Schott received his Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance in 1949 from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the Master of Music degree in Clarinet Performance in 1954 from the University of Tulsa. From 1949 to 1989 he taught at Kansas State Teachers College now known as Pittsburg State University. After his retirement as Professor Emeritus

ward to every rehearsal and every con¬ cert. .. Playing in such a great orchestra is what I loved to do most."

Adds Tom O'Connor, Acting Execu¬ tive Director of The Pasadena Symphony, "Emily's generosity has ensured that her love for our orchestra will live on. Our sym¬ phony family — musicians, staff, sub¬ scribers and music lovers throughout the Southland — owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude."

To make a contribution to the Emily Bernstein Fund at The Pasadena Sym¬ phony or for more information, call 626. 793.7172, ext. 21. For more information about The Pasadena Symphony, call 626. 793.7172 or visit the orchestra's Web site, <www.pasadenasymphony.org>.

[Excerpt from a press release by The Pasadena Symphony Orchestra. See also "I Wonder Who the Clarinet Player Was? Part IV," The Clarinet, December 2004. Ed.]

Robert J. Schott

at Pittsburg State University he continued teaching at Southwest Missouri State Uni¬ versity (Springfield. MO) and at Missouri Southern State University (Joplin, MO) for several years. His many clarinet, saxo¬ phone and flute graduates are teaching at numerous universities and colleges, in pub¬ lic schools and performing in symphony orchestras and military bands throughout the United States and Canada.

He spread his love of nature by starting the annual Arbor Day program in the Pitts-


burg elementary schools. He was a mem¬ ber of the Audubon Society and the First United Methodist Church and was also ac¬ tive with the Big Brothers Big Sisters As¬ sociation of America.

He married Isa Schott on April 26, 1973, in London, England and she survives at the home. Additional survivors include two daughters, Jennifer Schott of Nash¬ ville, TN; and Julie Rowland of Hollis, NH; a son, Jeffery Scott of Grapevine, TX; a brother, John Schott of Kansas City, MO; a sister, Judy Malraven of Tucson, AZ and two grandsons.

"A Musical Celebration of the Life for Robert Schott" was held at 3:00 p.m. in McCray Auditorium on the campus of Pittsburg State University on Saturday, January 22, 2005, with Rev. Thomas Sims officiating. Amazing Grace was per¬ formed by Steve Wilkerson, alto saxo¬ phone, and Danny Boy for clarinet quartet was performed by Charlie Beard, Marlin Cooper, Betty Jo Laflen, Bob Stahl, clar¬ inets. Keith Lemmons performed the Mozart Quintet in A Major for clarinet and strings, K. 581 and the Poulenc So¬ nata for clarinet and piano. Former student remembrances were from Karen Laskey,

Bob Stahl, Charlie Beard, Marlin Cooper, Betty Jo Laflen, Steve Wilkerson, Keith Lemmons and Dr. Donald McGlothlin. The family suggests expressions of sym¬ pathy be in the form of memorials for the

Yukio Ohashi, 1923-2004

Yukio Ohashi, honorary president of the Japan Clarinet Society (JCS), died of chronic lung dys¬

function December 21, 2004. Bom Janu¬ ary 3, 1923, in Tokyo, he studied clarinet at the Tokyo Music School, the Tokyo Geidai of today. Shortly after the end of WWII, he joined the Japan Symphony Orchestra, today's NHK Symphony Or¬ chestra, as principal. Along with his activi¬ ty as a top symphony player, he was a devoted educator with warmest considera¬ tion for his pupils, raising many leading players of today's Japan including Koichi Hamanaka, current JCS president. Keen to the cause of international solidarity of clar¬ inetists, he supported fervently JCS's host¬ ing of ClarinetFest 2005 TAMA Tokyo. So it is a great pity that he passed only ca. half a year prior to this long-hoped-for memorable event.

Robert J. Schott Woodwind Music Schol¬ arship Fund at the Cecil and Eva Wilkin¬ son Alumni Center, 401 E. Ford Ave, Pitts¬ burg State University, Pittsburg, KS 66762-7517. Phone (620)235-4758.

Yukio Ohashi at the 22nd Annual Meet¬ ing of JCS. April 7, 2001, Tokyo

THE INTERNATIONAL CLARINET ASSOCIATION

Knnounces a vacancy for the position of

mECUJJUWl ®IIME€T©I1

Effective September 1, 2005

Duties: To coordinate and manage all business operations of the association including, but not limited to, membership renewal/develop¬ ment, journal advertising solicitation/collection, ClarinetFest. presentation, Web site management and communication facilitation.

Qualifications: Knowledge and experience in business operations including data management, budget management and contract nego¬ tiation. Outstanding computer skills and experience including spreadsheets, databases and working with Web designers and online transactions. Experience in conference management including registrations, on-site coordination, exhibitor communication/facilitation, conference materials development and promotion. Excellent writing and verbal communication skills. Ability to work independently. Ability to work effectively with a variety of personality types.

Projected salary: $35,000 + possible benefits stipend Other: The successful candidate will report to and work under the supervision of the association board of directors. Candidates will be

expected to provide their own office space, so applications are not restricted according to geographic region. This is a full-time salaried position with work expectations averaging 40 hours per week.

Process: Inquiries, nominations and applications should be made to:

Michael Galvdn, l.C.A. President • Ithaca College, Whalen Center for Music • Ithaca, NY 14850-7240 <[email protected]> • phone: 607-274-3410

Applications should include complete professional vita, a letter of application explaining why applicant is interested in the position including an explanation of qualifications, and a reference list of at least three individuals familiar with the applicant's work.

Screening will begin May 15, 2005, and continue until the position is filled.

For more information please go to our Web site <www.clarinet.org>.

June 2005 Page 39

THE CLARINET TEACHING OF

KEITH STEIN

by David Pino Part 11: Discussion of

Articulation, Concluded

Readers of previous issues of The Clarinet will know that this is the eleventh part of a series of articles

based on materials from which Keith Stein (Professor of Clarinet at Michigan State University from 1934 to 1975) planned to create a how-to book for those who had no access to a clarinet teacher. I have attempt¬ ed to put those materials into prose form, and a little fuller explanation of the cir¬ cumstances surrounding that endeavor is given in Part One in the Volume 29, No. 4 (September 2002) issue of the magazine.

In Part 11 here we will deal with the remainder of Stein's materials related to the subject of articulation.

A New Twist

in Rapid Tonguing

The following tonguing proposals are an outgrowth of a search for greater tongu¬ ing freedom and motility while tonguing. The majority of clarinetists progressively tense up both tongue and jaw as the tongu¬ ing rate increases, and likewise, gradually tighten the same components as they pro¬ ceed with tonguing into the clarion and altissimo registers.

This study was not made in the interest of those very few who, by abundance of talent and favorable temperament, adapt naturally to the demands of clarinet play¬ ing, but for those of that vast majority who actually have or appear to have slower mo¬ tility rates or who, for one reason or anoth¬ er, are not realizing their ultimate threshold in tonguing performance.

It is common knowledge that tongue and jaw are physically interrelated to the extent that any tensed or relaxed state of one similarly affects the other. With this

in mind I zeroed in on a "back door" ap¬ proach to tonguing improvement by first seeking to establish the most advantageous arrangement of the jaw. I took into account that any up-and-down jaw movement is strictly prohibited during tonguing, and further that any conscious attempt to hold the jaw still often causes players to "set" it rigidly when trying to obey that mental command. Thus, I decided first to set the jaw free as an aid to eventual tongue free¬ dom, proceeding in the following manner.

Line the thumb and index finger around the jaw rim. Begin jaw motion (without playing) by releasing the jaw at the tem¬ ples, then alternately swinging it back and forth from side to side with the aid of the fingers. This action did afford greater freedom when I allowed the jaw to con¬ tinue wagging from side to side as I tongued, and it did not, as one might sus¬ pect, throw the embouchure off or cause tonal distortion.

I was suddenly smitten with the idea, while practicing to regain my controls with this added movement, of allowing the tongue to synchronize with the jaw in al¬ ternate side-to-side swings. I repeated the alternate jaw-wagging (again without the clarinet), adding synchronized tongue-tip swings, touching a central spot on the in¬ side edge of the upper front teeth, a loca¬

tion that eventually transferred to a corre¬ sponding spot on the reed with each sweep when playing took place. I made a point to sweep the tongue boldly in a wide swath, bounding alternately in each direction off the teeth. The tongue soon became rough¬ ened with vigorous exercise but I consid¬ ered any discomfort an aid in tongue-con¬ sciousness to help pin-point finer locations between tongue-tip and reed-tip.

Practicing scale segments at various speeds, I learned that the tongue's side- swing action (in concert with synchronized jaw-action) was much easier to do than conventional to-and-fro swinging which usually occurs while tonguing. Equally important, that side-to-side tongue action automatically released any built-up tension acquired after each swing, leaving the tongue completely relaxed for the next stroke ahead, regardless of the speed en¬ countered. The action simulates that of alternate strokes used by a painter brushing in comers except that he operates with up and down strokes instead of horizontal ones. Conventional tonguing, on the other hand, tends to build up tension until a stub- bom, if not a paralyzed, tie-up occurs.

Pushing the new idea further, I discov¬ ered it easier to infiltrate timed spurts of breath with each tongue action (impulsed from breath source at the lungs). In this way breath segments became sharply de¬ fined at both the start and the finish of each staccato tone, requiring only moderate tongue articulation at both ends to achieve neat tonguing. Breath segmentation allows the tongue to make articulation contact at interim moments when the reed is not vi¬ brating. The tongue, relieved of this expen¬ diture of energy, is free to apply energy towards greater speed. Rest assured that these instant, positive breath starts and stops will not cause gushed, bumpy attacks or releases, providing the back throat re¬ mains at normal, relaxed opening.

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What follows are exercises for the development of side-action tonguing.

Subsequent playings are the same, except for mentally changing the 32nd-note figures in the ways given below.

Exercise One

This exercise deals with the use of breath segmentation. Utter the following pitches of the well-known tune "Yankee Doodle" with whispered spurts of breath, or "silent singing." Carefully note that a forward rush of breath starts each pitch and a second forward rush of breath stops the same tone. The breath is then held in sus¬ pension by breath control with no pulling back or throat blockage between tones.

nsuityHJU ii

Strive to keep each cluster of repeated tones extremely quick, clean-cut and positive as the groups are enlarged by each additional tone. In good time jaw movement, though consciously initiated, will narrow its orbit of motion until there is no visible side-movement detectable under closest scrutiny before a mirror. The tongue will also refine its width until it seemingly remains in one position to dance at the reed. However, always be reminded to begin each tongued passage with positive side-to-side action of both jaw and tongue.

Then "sing" it a second time, adding the alternate side-swing tongue action, touching behind the front teeth along with the aspi¬ rate vocalizing. Finally, play the tune on clarinet instead of using the "whispered singing."

Exercise Two

Play the following quarter-notes at a moderate tempo. Next play the same notes at the same tempo, but making them eighth-notes this time, two to a beat. On a third playing, do the same but using 16ths. During a fourth playing, play at topmost speed, whatever that may be, but be sure to do that only once! During this process of four playings, remember that as tongue-speed increases, the dis¬ tance covered by the tongue during its side-to-side movement grows steadily narrower.

^ gf

Exercise Three

The music for this exercise comes from the first eight bars of No. 6 in Reginald KelFs 77 Staccato Studies for Clarinet (used here by permission of the publisher, International Music Company). Credit for the development of this particular application of the exer¬ cise goes to my former student, (the late) Professor Ralph Strouf of the University of Wyoming. The idea is to play the eight bars first as written, but much more slowly than was originally intended by Kell. Play "in 4," giving each eighth- note value a beat, with a metronome set at 72. The object is to incorporate the most vigorously tossed side-stroke tonguing in company with equally positive jaw move¬ ment and breath segmentation.

Further Exercises

The player has a world of materials as a source of further exer¬ cises to develop this technique. Clearly, one can use other exercises in that same Kell book, and of course there are many commonly excerpted orchestral passages to be approached in this same man¬ ner. One of the best comes from the "Scherzo" movement of the Sibelius Symphony No. 1. First set the metronome at 104 and play the passage "in one," with the dotted-half (or the whole measure) receiving the beat. Two more treatments of the passage should fol¬ low. In the first, vary the articulation; play all slurred, then in slurred couplets, then with two notes slurred and two tongued, and finally all tongued. In the second treatment, vary the speeds; leave the metronome at 104 but vary the note-values so that there are slow playings and fast playings. However, do not play at topmost tonguing-speed more than once.

A second usable passage is from another "Scherzo," the famous one from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream. Treat this excerpt in exactly the same way as was described for the Sibelius music above, except that in this case the beat at 104 equals a dotted- quarter rather than a dotted-half.

To use one more example from the orchestral literature, there is the famous tongued passage for the solo clarinet from the last movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 4. Use again the same approach as for the excerpts mentioned above, this time setting the metronome at 120.

Some unexpected fringe benefits emerged from continued prac¬ tice of this new idea. One was that the tongue did not creep back¬ wards while tonguing, a great help in maintaining good back-throat opening. Another was that the tone became noticeably superior to that of conventional tonguing in density, texture and quality, even in the shortest staccato. At present I am unable to account for this

June 2005 Page 41

unless side-action permits more breath to infiltrate between strokes, and possibly the breath flow has freedom to impact more directly upon the reed. And finally, I made a point to test this technique in the high clarion register (and also in the altissimo) for freedom and motility in tonguing where the jaw is particularly apt to tighten up, causing thin tone and limited motility. I was gratified to learn that freedom and ease prevailed to the extent that jaw and tongue remained relaxed.

Students often ask how long they need to continue practicing this system of tongu¬ ing. The answer is that they may practice it indefinitely provided that it benefits them. Include it in the daily preluding routine along with Baermann Part III or any other such vade-mecum work. My belief is that the new and the conventional systems of tonguing eventually merge.

Give the idea a fair trial for yourself and for your students, especially for those ex¬ periencing tonguing difficulty. Rest as¬ sured that any time students spend experi¬ menting with it will not harm their present playing procedure, and may just make tonguing a decided pleasure.

Random, Isolated

Thoughts About

Articulation

1.) Tongue along the floor of the oral cavi¬ ty always. The tip of the tongue comes up to touch the tip of the reed. Keep the mouthpiece and reed imbedded deeply in the cushion of the lower lip.

2.) Secure, flawless attack, or tonal en¬ trance, depends largely upon the upper lip. The entire upper lip area draws downward, curling the red portion in upon itself. Then it draws on down along the mouth corners and past the mouth level. The lower half of the embouchure, on the other hand, should never attempt to assist in the attack; the lower half simply drops to its full ex¬ tension downward while staying re¬ laxed. The red portion of the lower lip lines the teeth-fence up to the eye- teeth, then directs gently upwards. Re¬ membering these basic principles of embouchure will help greatly in secur¬ ing the attack.

3.) One of the great secrets of successful tonguing is to have the tongue forward

in the mouth at all times, with the end tipped upward to the reed-tip.

4.) Some fine clarinetists do not like flutter-tonguing for clarinet, and prefer a "throat growl" to accomplish the same purpose. Flutter-tonguing has been said to be very hard on reeds, also.

This article concludes Stein's materials dealing with tonguing and articulation. Next there will be a couple of installments of these articles that will deal with what Keith Stein originally planned to be a chap¬ ter entitled "Building Technique."

About the Writer...

David Pino is professor of clarinet in the School of Music at Texas State Uni¬ versity-San Marcos. He studied clarinet with Keith Stein for 15 years, and is the author of the book The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing (Scribner's 1980 and Do¬ ver 1998). He has performed and toured with the David Pino Chamber Ensemble (clarinet, strings, and piano), and is a for¬ mer Secretary of the International Clar¬ inet Society.

Clarinet Recordings THE VERDEHR TRIO. (Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, Clarinet). The Making of a Medium Series (Violin, Clarinet, Piano). CD741: Bartok, Contrasts; Hovhaness, Lake Samish; Pasatieri; Mozart; etc. CD742: Rorem, End of Summer; Musgrave, Pierrot; David, Schubertiade; Vanhal; Liszt. CD743: Schuller, A Trio Setting; Averitt; Currier. CD744: Husa, Sonata a tre; Dickinson; Freund; Niblock. CD745: Arutiunian;

Schickele; Sculthorpe; David, Triple Concerto (w/Orchestra). CD746: Diamond, Trio & Violin

Sonata; Sculthorpe, Night Song; Corigliano. CD747: Music by James Niblock.. CD748:Triple Concertos by Ott & Wallace. CD749: Trio w/Orchestra; Skrowaczewski & David. CD940: Trios by Beethoven, Larsen; Druckman; Bolcom; Bruch (no. 6 & 7). CD941: Trios by Menotti & Bruch (no. 4 & 8); Constantinides, Oracle at Delphi; Deak, Lad, a Dog. CD942: music by Chihara, Diamond, Satterwhite, Kramer, Biggs, & Erb. CD943: music by Currier, Tower, Gershwin/Brohn, Welcher, Biggs, & Hoag. CD944: Trios by Erod,; T.C. David (nos. 1, 2, & 3); Einem. CD945: Double Concertos for Clarinet & Violin by Wallace, Constantinides, Niblock.

THE WEBSTER TRIO CD357: World Wide Webster Michael Webster, clarinet; Leone Buyse, flute; Robert Moeling, piano. Delightful transcriptions of the Slavonic & Hungarian Dances by Dvorak & Brahms; Petite Suite by Debussy; & Dances by Louis Moreau Gottschalk

CD356.Tour de France: Michael Webster, Clarinet; Leone Buyse, Flute; Katherine Collier, Piano. Debussy: Afternoon of a Faune, Petite Piece, Premiere Rhapsody, & Syrinx; Saint-Saens: Tarantella; Bizet, Jeux d'enfants; Faure, Dolly Suite. "Delightful; exquisitely played." Fanfare TRIO INDIANA: James Campbell, Eli Eban, Howard Klug, Clarinets (clarinet faculty Indiana University). CD734: Defaye, Pieces D'Audition; Schickele, Dances; Kulesha, Political Implications (with David Shea, clarinet, guest); Kibbe, Ebony Suite; Fox, Time Weaving. CD736: (with Alfred Prinz, Mitchell Lurie, & Min-HoYeh, guests). Prinz, Bloomington Quartet & Trio; Heiden, Clarinet Trio; Uhl, Divertimento; Weill, Pieces from The Threepenny Opera.

MITCHELL LURIE, CLARINET: CD737. Halsey Stevens, Concerto, Clarinet & String Orch.; Lesemann, Sonata for Clarinet & Percussion; Muczynski, Time Pieces for Clarinet & Piano. Lurie was principal in Chicago & Pittsburgh Symphonies, & taught for over 40 years at U.S.C. MICHAEL EDWARDS, Clarinet: CD735. Clarinet Sonatas by Saint-Saens, Ladmirault, & Bjelinski. Martinu Sonatina; Rabaud Solo de Concours. Edwards formerly Montreal Symphony & soloist at Orford & Stratfad Festivals. "Clarinet fanciers will find a treat here." Fanfare LAWRENCE SOBOL, CLARINET: CD808. Hovhaness, Saturn, for Clarinet, Soprano, & Piano. Also Hovhaness Magnificat for Chorus, & Orch. "Saturn is a beguiling hymnal...freshness and vitality." Classic CD Mag. LARRY COMBS: C731 (cassette only) Rochberg, Trio for Clarinet, Horn, & Piano; Schuller, Romantic Sonata for Clarinet, Horn, & Piano; Rosza, Sonatina for Clarinet Solo. Gail Williams, horn; Mary Ann Covert, piano. JAMES CAMPBELL: C732 (cass. only) Reicha & Francaix Quintets, Clarinet & String Quartet, w/ Allegri String Quartet. C331 (cass. only): Poulenc, Jeanjean, Schumann, Berg, etc.

ENSEMBLE ISOLA: Radovan Cavallin, clarinet; Jose Zarzo, horn; Carlos Rivera, cello; Juan Francisco Parra, piano (principals Gran Canaria Philharmonic, Spain). CD771: Trios by Brahms, Reinecke, & Duvernoy. CD772: Czerny, Grande Serenade; Jenner, Trio; Duvernoy, Two Sonatas. "Delightful release...artistry is virtuosic." Gramophone JONATHAN COHLER, CLARINET: CD733. Hindemith, Sonata; Honegger, Sonatina; Francaix, Theme & Variations; Vaughan Williams, 6 Studies English Folksong; Milhaud, Duo Concertant & Caprice; Bozza, Pulcinella; Kupferman, Moonflowers, Baby! WESTWOODWIND QUINTET (David Atkins, clarinet): "Magnficent American group... superlative playing" Gramophone CD601: Hindemith & Nielsen Quintets; Schulhoff Diver¬ tissement. CD750: Barber, Summer Music; Ligeti, Bagatelles; Mathias, Quintet; etc. CD751: Dahl, Allegro & Arioso; Moyse, Quintet; Husa, Serenade; Sapieyevski, Arioso. CD752: Bergsma, Concerto; Rochberg, Dark Wood; Carter, Quintet; Biggs, Scherzo; Plog, Animal Ditties; Schuller, Suite; Schuman, Dances. CD250: Klughardt, Quintet; Berio, Opus No. Zoo; Linn, Quintet; Pillin; Stein, etc. CD647: Sapieyevski, Concerto for Viola & WQ; Plog, Miniatures; Hoist, Terzetto.

CDs $16.95; C (cassette) $10.98; recordings available only in formats FREE CD or cassette with each purchase of three: shown. Add $2.00 per order US shipping; $6. foreign (mention this ad). for each four ordered, omit payment for lowest-priced one.

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The Hasty Legacy

Stanley Hasty Michael Webster Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr

Pedagogical insights from the legendary Stanley Hasty and two of his most gifted students, internationally acclaimed artists Michael Webster and Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr.

Hasty, Webster, and Ludewig-Verdehr share their approaches to technique, interpretation, and many other aspects of clarinet performance on this two-disc DVD.

Includes bonus material: • Biographical anecdotes on all three artists. • Audio recordings featuring Webster and Ludewig-Verdehr.

Available from www.cfa-artists.com or for more information call 765-285-1600.

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Danish Clarinet Music of the 19th (ienturv:

by Michael Thrasher

Clarinetists have forged productive relationships with leading com¬ posers since the early decades of

the 18th century. As early as the 1740s, the flutist Johann Reusch (who also played oboe and clarinet) inspired Johann Mel- chior Molter to compose six concertos for the clarinet.' Karl Stamitz wrote 11 clarinet concertos, most of which were inspired by (or perhaps even written in collaboration with) the Bohemian clarinetist Joseph Beer.2 This trend would continue through¬ out the 19th century, most notably in the relationships between Heinrich Baermann and Weber, Simon Hermstedt and Spohr, and Richard Miihlfeld and Brahms.

Historically, Germany, France and Italy dominated musical developments through¬ out the majority of the Romantic era, and most of the above-mentioned clarinetists and composers belong to this "mainstream" European tradition. However, as the centu¬ ry unfolded, other nations also developed celebrated composers and numerous in¬ strumental virtuosi. For example, in Den¬ mark, a similar collaborative relationship evolved between native Danish composers and a number of specific clarinetists. As in other nations, the qualities and musical aptitudes of these performers would play a significant role in influencing the produc¬ tion of a wide and varied body of literature.

The nation of Denmark enjoys a unique position both culturally and geographically. Thoroughly Scandinavian, Denmark none¬ theless maintained close cultural ties to mainland Europe, and this factor produced a profound influence on Denmark's arts community. For example, during the Ren¬ aissance and Baroque eras, many promi¬ nent composers from England, Germany or Italy held significant musical posts in Denmark (John Dowland, Heinrich Schiitz, and Christoph Willibald Gluck among them). Indeed, until about 1750, compos¬ ers from central or western Europe exerted almost total dominance in Danish musical

circles.3 In the latter 18th century, a more uniquely Danish musical tradition began to appear. Foreign musicians in Copenhagen contributed to this trend4, but the greatest changes came from a new and talented generation of native Danish composers. Many of these composers developed an international reputation, including C.E.F. Weyse (called the "Schubert of Denmark" for his songs) and Friedrich Kuhlau (high¬ ly regarded for his piano and flute works, but also a prolific writer of Danish opera).5

Due to European political unrest in the early decades of the 19th century, formal concerts of instrumental music declined during this period. However, church mu¬ sic enjoyed wide popularity (especially Weyse's cantatas).6 With the end of the Na¬ poleonic wars and a return to relative sta¬ bility, a series of native Danish compos¬ ers boldly promoted the establishment of a Danish Nationalistic movement. This movement first gained momentum under the leadership of J.P.E. Hartmann, and cul¬ minated in the work of Niels Gade (who was also Hartmann's son-in-law).

Generally considered the most impor¬ tant Danish composer of the century, Gade's early works "are decidedly Danish in tone and feeling."7 However, his later composi¬ tions illustrate a more cosmopolitan or in¬ ternational style. Gade studied in Leipzig, and the German Romantic style had a sig¬ nificant impact on his musical development. Gade enjoyed a warm relationship with Mendelssohn in particular, and many of his mature orchestral works bear the marks of Mendelssohn's influence. In many ways, Gade's music demonstrates the fact that Danish composers were clearly seeking a uniquely Danish musical tradi¬ tion, but still found themselves relentless¬ ly drawn to European (and specifically German) Romanticism.

The clarinet appeared in Denmark no later than 1759s, and clarinetists were regu¬ larly employed in the court orchestra from 1774.9 Among the earliest clarinetists in Copenhagen were the Bavarians Joseph

Rauch, Albert Rauch and Philip Wach- telbrenner, and the Bohemian Vincents Wannierzowsky.10 Not until the early 19th century did native Danish clarinetists begin to take leadership roles in Copenhagen's musical activities. Among the more promi¬ nent early Danish players were Jens Krag (who played in the court orchestra from 1802 to 1830) and Peter Christian Peter- sen. Besides being a fine musician, Krag developed a strong reputation as a teacher. Krag's students included Theodor Julius Hombeck (who performed in the orchestra with him for a time) and Petersen's two sons, Crusell and Mozart."

Both Crusell and Mozart Petersen re¬ ceived a thoroughly Danish musical training, studying first with their father and Krag, and later with Johan Braun- stein (a Danish player of German heri¬ tage who played in the court orchestra from 1825-1836). Crusell, the oldest son of Peter Christian, exhibited great talent, performing concerts with his father at an early age. He joined the court orchestra in 1829, only to die suddenly the next year at only 15 years of age.12 However, Crusell's younger brother Mozart went on to be¬ come the premiere Danish clarinetist of the century. He enjoyed a 42-year tenure in the court orchestra (1832-1874), and main¬ tained an active career as a teacher.

Mozart Petersen's skills as a clarinetist won him many admirers. Frits Bendix, a cellist with the court orchestra, character¬ ized him as "altogether the most outstand¬ ing woodwind player that the Royal The¬ ater ever had."13 He maintained close rela¬ tionships with Nationalist Danish compos¬ ers, including J.P.E. Hartmannn, Niels Gade and August Winding. As a teacher, he exerted a strong influence on the next gen¬ eration of Danish clarinetists; among his most prominent students were Laurentius Lassen, J0rgen Mathiason, David Wilhelm Noack and Carl Stockmarr (all of whom played in the court orchestra).14

Carl Skjerne replaced Stockmarr in the orchestra upon the latter's retirement

June 2005 Page 47

in 1886. Although Danish by birth, Skjeme chose to study in Germany under the re¬ nowned clarinetist Richard Miihlfeld. As professor of clarinet at the Royal Danish Academy from 1895-1927, Skjerne un¬ doubtedly propagated this Germanic in¬ fluence among his students, most notably in the playing of his famous student Aage Oxenvad.15

A variety of solo or chamber works for clarinet resulted from the collaborative relationships between native Danish com¬ posers and specific clarinetists. One of the first such pieces was Gade's Fantasistyk- ker. Op. 43 (1864), written for Mozart Pe- tersen. The Danish music historian Kai Aage Bruun cites Schumann's Mdrchen- erzdhlungen for clarinet, viola and piano (1853) as one of the musical models for this work,16 but the piece certainly bears a striking similarity to Schumann's own Fan- tasiestiicke for clarinet and piano (1849). During his years in Germany, Gade and Schumann had become well acquainted, and Schumann praised Gade's music in the Neu Zeitschrift fiir Musik.11 After the mid-1840s, Gade's music bore less re¬ semblance to the ideas of Danish nation¬ alism so evident in his early works, and reflected more of the ideas of German ro¬ manticism as exemplified by Mendels¬ sohn and Schumann.

Gade's Fantasistykker consists of four movements: Andantino con moto, Allegro vivace, Ballade (moderato), and a lively Allegro molto vivace. Like Schumann's Fantasiestiicke, Gade's work features lyri¬ cal, expressive writing for the clarinet. Both works begin with a movement of moderate tempo with long, flowing melod¬ ic lines. Neither work exhibits virtuosic solo technique, but instead rely on thick harmonies to create tension and emotion. In terms of harmonic and formal design, Gade's Fantasistykker follows a rather simple plan: after establishing F major in the opening Andantino, the subsequent movements center on B'' major, G minor, and A^ major. Modulations, when they occur, tend to be short and typically move to closely related keys.

A second set of Danish Phantasiestiicke for clarinet and piano appeared in 1872. Produced by August Winding (1835- 1899), this three-movement work also was dedicated to Mozart Petersen. A prominent student of Gade, Winding was exposed to the Germanic style through studies with

Carl Reinecke in Leipzig. After returning to Copenhagen, he established a career as a teacher at the Copenhagen Conservatory, becoming director of that institution in 1891.18 Winding is best known today for his piano works and his cadenzas for Mo¬ zart's piano concertos.

Reinecke, a friend of both Mendelssohn and Schumann, held to a rather conserva¬ tive musical philosophy, and this influence clearly illustrates itself in Winding's works. Significantly, Reinecke also showed an affinity for the clarinet, producing his own set of Fantasiestiicke for clarinet and piano in 1865. Given that both of Winding's teachers had written such pieces, his inter¬ est in the genre should come as no sur¬ prise. His Phantasiestiicke illustrates the same stylistic features of earlier examples: long, flowing melodic lines; thick harmon¬ ic texture; and solo writing that is more concerned with expressiveness and emo¬ tion rather than virtuosic technical display. However, Winding's work does present a substantially more ambitious harmonic plan than its predecessors. For example, the closing movement features an abrupt modulation from D'' major to A major. Such unusual harmonic progressions can be found in later Danish works as well, par¬ ticularly in the music of Johan Amberg.

Unfortunately, Winding's work re¬ ceived limited performances. Petersen died only two years after the work's comple¬ tion, and he likely never performed the piece. Stephen Bennet of the Clarinet Heritage Society republished the work in 1982, and a subsequent edition appeared in 1988 by Zinneberg Musikverlag (edited by Jost Michaels).

By examining the works of Gade and Winding, a clear picture of Mozart Pe¬ tersen's playing style becomes evident. Highly regarded for his artistry, Petersen most likely did not display the technical wizardry of clarinetists such as Heinrich Baermann or Simon Hermstedt. These works suggest a style more closely resem¬ bling that of Richard Miihlfeld, the Ger¬ man clarinetist renowned for his expres¬ siveness and innate musicality. Later Dan¬ ish clarinetists certainly seemed drawn to that style of playing, exemplified by the fact that Miihlfeld was Carl Skjerne's teacher of choice.

Several other Danish composers opted to use the clarinet as a chamber instrument, including Franz Neruda, Emil Hartmann, and Johan Amberg. Though Czech by birth.

Neruda made significant contributions to Danish musical life, and spent the majority of his adult life in Copenhagen. A cellist with the court orchestra from 1864-1876, Neruda was a prominent figure in Copen¬ hagen's chamber music scene. He served as a founder of the Society for Chamber Music (Kammermusikforeningen) in 1868, and performed frequently with its string quartet.19 After a short time in England (1876-1879), he resumed his career as a chamber musician in Copenhagen, per¬ forming with his own newly formed string quartet. Neruda also served as conductor for the concerts of the Danish Music Soci¬ ety (1891-1915), while concurrently hold¬ ing a similar position in Stockholm.20

Neruda wrote two chamber works that include clarinet: the Sextet, Op. 24, and the Musikalische Mlire hen. Op. 31. The Sextet, completed in May 1871, features the rather unorthodox instrumentation of clarinet, two violins, viola and two cellos. Neruda dedicated the work to Gottfred Matthison- Hansen — not a clarinetist, but rather a Danish composer active in Copenhagen at the same time as Neruda. Matthison-Han- sen was a highly regarded organist, serving as a professor at the Copenhagen Conser¬ vatory from 1867 and performing in sever¬ al of the city's churches. A proponent of contemporary music, he maintained a par¬ ticular affinity for the works of Wagner and Liszt.21 This Sextet, undoubtedly pro¬ duced as a result of Neruda's interest in chamber music, consists of a short 16- measure introduction followed by four movements: Allegro non troppo. Scherzo (Allegro), Andantino and Allegro con fuoco. The piece adheres strictly to the spirit of chamber music, with the clarinet serving more as a member of the ensemble than as a solo voice.22 The manuscript score resides in Det Kongelige Bibliotek in Co¬ penhagen; a modern edition is available from Rosewood Publications, edited by Michael Thrasher.

Neruda's other piece for clarinet is the Musikalische Mdrchen, Op. 31, for clar¬ inet, viola and cello. The manuscript score does not include the date of composition, but it apparently dates from the late 1870s. The piece consists of nine relatively short movements, with thematic material being shared between the first and last move¬ ments in order to provide overall unity. Sev¬ eral movements display a folklike charac¬ ter; this is particularly evident in the fifth


movement, which carries the subtitle Mdh- risches Volkslied (Moravian Folksong). As in the Sextet, the clarinet functions on an equal footing with the viola and cello, rarely dominating the overall texture. The Musikalische Mdrchen were originally published by Wilhelm Hansen; the manu¬ script score also resides in Det Kongelige Bibliotek in Copenhagen. A new modem edition appeared in 2004 (Rosewood Pub¬ lications, edited by Michael Thrasher).

Neruda dedicated this piece to the prom¬ inent Swedish clarinetist Johan Kjellberg (1846-1904). Regarded as the premiere Swedish player of his generation, Kjell¬ berg served in the court orchestra in Stock¬ holm from 1871 to 1892, and taught at Stockholm's Royal Academy of Music from 1886 until his death.23 As Neruda tra¬ veled and performed extensively through¬ out Scandinavia, he most likely came into contact with Kjellberg during one of these concert tours. Although Neruda's life fo¬ cused primarily on Copenhagen, the fact that he was not a native Dane resulted in far less interest in Danish nationalism than is evident in the works of Gade or Hart- mann. Furthermore, the choice of Kjell¬ berg as dedicatee (during a period in which such fine players as Stockmarr, Mathiason and Skjerne were active in Copenhagen) perhaps illustrates a limited loyalty to na¬ tive Danish musicians.

At about the same time as Neruda's clarinet works, Emil Hartmann (1836- 1898) produced his Serenade, Op. 24, for clarinet, cello and piano. The son of J.P.E. Hartmann, Emil was himself a prolific composer whose works include seven symphonies and three concertos, as well as operas, ballets, and various choral works. Emil also collaborated with August Wind¬ ing (who happened to be his brother-in- law) in the 1859 ballet Fjeldstuen. As a performer, Emil served as organist in sev¬ eral Copenhagen churches from 1861 until his death in 1898.24

Dedicated to the Danish clarinetist Carl Stockmarr, the Op. 24 Serenade consists of three movements (some with descriptive titles): Idylle (Andante; Allegro), Romance {Andante) and Rondo-Finale (Allegro). The opening movement, in A major, trav¬ els through an extended passage in the par¬ allel minor before returning to the tonic key. The second movement makes a rather abrupt harmonic shift to F Major (the flat submediant), and a change is requested

from the A clarinet to the instrument. Hartmann again requests the A clarinet in the last movement, which begins in A minor before moving through F major. The movement returns to A minor in a power¬ ful concluding section. A modern edition, edited by Michael Bryant, is available from Rosewood Publications.

The clarinet plays a more prominent role in the overall texture in this Serenade than in the works by Neruda, but the over¬ all style clearly favors lyrical phrasing over technical showmanship. A student of Mo¬ zart Petersen who enjoyed a 38-year tenure in the court orchestra (26 years of which were spent alongside Petersen),25 Stock¬ marr undoubtedly reflected his teacher's sense of expressiveness, artistry and style.

Although more commonly associated with 20-century music, the early works of Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) clearly illustrate Danish romanticism. In terms of clarinet music, Nielsen's Quintet, Op. 43 (1922) and Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57 (1928) hold prominent places in the literature; howev¬ er, Nielsen composed a short work for clarinet and piano that predates the Quintet by almost 40 years. Nielsen's Fantasi- stykke dates from approximately 1883, during a time in which he played signal horn and alto trombone in a regimental band in Odense. The piece is dedicated to Hans Marius Hansen, a young Danish clar¬ inetist assigned to the same band.

The Fantasistykke was written before Nielsen had much systematic training in music; he did not enter the Copenhagen Conservatory until 1884 (where he studied with J.P.E. Hartmann, Gade, and Matthi- son-Hansen, among others). As a result, this short piece (the entire work consists of only 51 measures) follows a very simple binary form. An opening Andante cantabile section in G minor presents a lyrical clarinet melody characterized by a triplet rhythmic motive. A transitory modulation moves briefly to the relative major and back to G minor before a two-measure clarinet cadenza. A 17-measure Allegro agitato in G minor concludes the work. The Danish publishing company Wilhelm Hansen produced a contemporary edition of the work (edited by Torben Schousboe) in 1981.

The clarinet writing in Nielsen's Fanta¬ sistykke reflects a rather elementary ap¬ proach to the instrument, perhaps empha¬ sizing the fact that Hans Marius Hansen

was not a professional clarinetist. None¬ theless, the work's lyrical, expressive, emotional style illustrates a direct link to an earlier style cultivated by composers such as Niels Gade and August Winding, and certainly played a vital role in Niel¬ sen's musical evolution.

Another native Danish composer wrote a trio of clarinet chamber pieces that, al¬ though written in the early years of the 20th century, clearly belong to the 19th- century Danish romantic tradition. Johan Amberg, born 20 October 1846, initially studied singing at the Copenhagen Conser¬ vatory. He apparently had a lovely tenor voice until an illness caused him to lose the ability to sing; he then focused on piano and violin. The permanent staff of Copen¬ hagen's court orchestra was greatly in¬ creased in 1877, and this provided Amberg with an opportunity to join the orchestra as a violinist. He continued in that capacity until 1905, at which time he retired to focus on composition. During this time he played alongside Carl Nielsen (who joined the orchestra as a violinist in 1889), and he most likely played under Nielsen's con¬ ducting as well.

Amberg's earliest clarinet work dates to approximately 1905: the Suite for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano. In three move¬ ments, the inside cover of the Wilhelm Hansen published edition includes the text of a French poem by Jules Bois entitled Seguedille. The first movement, a triple- meter Allegretto in D minor, also bears the title Seguedille, and features a dance-like style. The second movement, entitled De- vant la Cathedrale, opens with an impro¬ visatory piano solo in an almost Impres¬ sionistic style. Sweeping major seventh arpeggios with frequent chromaticism progress until the establishment of an F major tonality. The piece concludes with a Ronde villageoise finale featuring exten¬ sive contrapuntal interplay among the three wind instruments.

Amberg dedicated his Suite to a Count W. Schulin Zeuthen — not a clarinetist, but rather an arts patron from T0ll0se, a small town located in West Zealand (about 80 kilometers west of Copenhagen). Other Danish composers also dedicated works to Zeuthen; for example, Balduin Dahl (1834—1891) dedicated his William Galup for piano to Zeuthen in 1876.

Amberg's other pieces for clarinet dem¬ onstrate a more traditional style. His Trio,

June 2005 Page 49

Op. 11, for clarinet, cello and piano dates to approximately 1910, and is dedicated to the Berlin Trio. The piece features lyrical, flowing melodies against a rich harmonic background, and resembles in many ways other works for this instrumentation of the same era, including Brahms' Trio, Op. 114 and Wilhelm Berger's Trio, Op. 94. The opening movement, an Allegro moderate in major, begins with a lyrical clarinet melody over a gentle, syncopated accom¬ paniment. Several abrupt modulations lead through D major, F# minor, A major, and C major before returning to Ek The second movement, a short but energetic scherzo in a typical ternary form, alternates between F major and El* major. Subtitled Elegie, the third movement opens with a melancholy main theme in G minor with frequent chro¬ maticism. The final Allegro mesto is ener¬ getic and dancelike, but again follows an ambitious harmonic plan, moving from El' major through F major and C major. An extended contrapuntal interlude leads to a poco lento that visits E major before re¬ turning to the opening thematic material in & to conclude.

The members of the Berlin Trio, men¬ tioned by name on Amberg's title page, in¬ clude Ernst Ferrier, Max Zeidler and clar¬ inetist Oskar Schubert (1849-1933). One of the leading German players at the turn of the century, Schubert studied clarinet with August Schubert (no blood relation), and also married August's daughter. He enjoyed a truly international orchestral career, performing with orchestras in Boston, New York, St. Petersburg and Berlin. Schubert served in the orchestra of the Royal Opera in Berlin from 1878- 1903; in 1892, he was named a Royal Chamber musician and accepted a profes¬ sorship at the Berlin Hochshule. During the last decade of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century, Schubert made extensive tours as an orchestral soloist and chamber musician, performing throughout Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia and France.26 He almost certainly visited Copenhagen during this period as well, where he likely came into contact with Johan Amberg.

Amberg's other trio for clarinet is the Fantasiestiicke, Op. 12, for clarinet, viola and piano. Completed in 1912, the piece consists of four movements, each with des¬ criptive titles. A march-like first move¬ ment in D major bears the title Dem An-

denken Robert Schumcmns gewidmet (To the Memory of Robert Schumann). The movement bears similarities to Schu¬ mann's Mdrchenerzdhlungen of 1853, which was written for this same combina¬ tion of instruments. An Andante move¬ ment, entitled Der Tag bricht an (The Day Breaks), features a lyrical, expressive style with frequent chromaticism. Significantly, this movement is written without the use of key signatures. Amberg titled the third movement Mdrchen (Fairy Tale)', the pi¬ ano dominates the texture in this flowing Andante centered on Fi minor. The final movement, Zum Abschied (Goodbye), is an energetic Allegro giusto in D major. The overall work follows the Schumann model of short, descriptive character pieces that evoke a particular atmosphere or mood, albeit with an expanded har¬ monic vocabulary. The very title, Fanta¬ siestiicke, echoes a tradition that extends back at least 60 years.

Amberg dedicated his Fantasiestiicke to the German clarinetist Wilhelm Altenburg. Born 27 April 1835, in Bonn, Altenburg was an amateur player and clarinet enthu¬ siast; he is best known today as the author of one of the earliest books on the clarinet (Die Klarinette, 1904). Between 1892 and 1908, he also authored numerous articles on clarinet design and construction. Al¬ though Amberg's dedication reads "An Herrn Professor W. Altenburg in Wiirz- burg," Altenburg actually taught at a Gym¬ nasium — meaning that he was the equiva¬ lent of a teacher at the high school level, and not a university professor. He came to Wiirzburg on 8 April 1899, likely retiring there. He died in Wiirzburg on 24 No¬ vember 1914.27

Altenburg's primary interests were in acoustics and design; however, in the pref¬ ace to Die Klarinette, he wrote: "In rela¬ tion to the rising standards of musical diffi¬ culty, the indispensable great studies of professor Robert Stark serve as the most suitable model, and their special recogni¬ tion cannot be avoided."28 Despite Alten¬ burg's respect for the eminent German teacher Stark, he most likely did not for¬ mally study with him, due both to his age (Altenburg was 64 upon his relocation to Wiirzburg) and the fact that his name is not on the enrollment lists of the Wiirz¬ burg conservatory.29

Altenburg would at first seem to be an odd dedicatee for Amberg's Fantasie¬ stiicke, but Altenburg's interest in instru¬

ment construction and history did indeed lead him to Copenhagen in 1909-1910. In an article for the Zeitschrift fiir Instrumen- tenbau dated 1 February 1910, Altenburg wrote extensively about the new Museum of Music History in Copenhagen.30 He most likely met Amberg during this visit.

The musical and artistic qualities of performers such as Petersen, Stockmarr, Kjellberg, Schubert and Altenburg played a significant role in the production of Dan¬ ish clarinet music. As in the more famous examples of Brahms, Mozart or Weber, Danish composers drew inspiration from the specific attributes of these musicians, and crafted works to take full advantage of those skills. On another level, this body of literature shows a particular school of composition seeking its own unique voice in the musical world. Although nationalis¬ tic elements are present in these works — best exemplified in the works written for Danish clarinetists — others clearly show the influence of German romanticism. In miniature form, this body of literature illustrates a much larger trend in the devel¬ opment of 19th-century Danish music.

A Summary Listing of

Repertoire (Composer,

Title, Dedicatee, Year)

Niels Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43, for clarinet & piano, Mozart Petersen, 1864

August Winding, Phantasiestiicke, Op. 19, for clarinet & piano, Mozart Petersen, 1872

Franz Neruda, Sextet, Op. 24, for clarinet, two violins, viola, & two cellos, Gott- fred Matthison-Hansen, 1871

Franz Neruda, Musikalische Mdrchen, Op. 31, for clarinet, viola & piano, Johan Kjellberg, late 1870s

Emil Hartmann, Serenade, Op. 24, for clarinet, cello & piano, Carl Stockmarr, late 1870s

Carl Nielsen, Fantasistykke for clarinet & piano, Hans Marius Hansen, 1883

Johan Amberg, Suite for flute, oboe, clar¬ inet & piano, Count W. Schulin Zeu- then, c. 1905

Selected Discography

Bergen blasekvintett. Nielsen's Wind Chamber Music: Complete Edition. Nielsen, Fantasistykke. Bis CD-428, ©1988.


Coppenbarger, Brent. Clarinet Muse. Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43. With La- vonne Coppenbarger. KAO Optical BC 1022, ©1994.

Fynske Trio. Dansk Klarinet Musik. Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43; Nielsen, Fantasistykke', Hartmann, Serenade, Op. 24. EMI 072 (LP record), ©1984.

Leister, Karl. Karl Leister Plays Ro¬ mantic Sonatas. Nielsen, Fantasistykke With Ferenc Bognar. Camerata 28CM- 615, ©2000.

Leister, Karl. Trio Pathetique. Gade, Fan¬ tasistykker, Op. 43. With Ferenc Bog¬ nar. Camerata 30CM-370, ©1993.

Schlechta, Karl. Devienne, Danzi, Weber, Gade. Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43. With Akos Hernadi. Antes BM-CD 31.9007, ©1990.

Stier, Charles. The Art of the Romantic Clarinet. Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43. With John York. Elan 2238, ©1991.

Thomsen, Niels. Sonatas, Op. 120, Nos. 1 & 2. Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43. With Elisabeth Westenholz. Kontra- punkt 32078, ©1991.

Weiss, Andreas. Fantasiestiicke. Gade, Fantasistykker, Op. 43; Nielsen, Fan¬ tasistykke; Winding, Drei Phantasie- stiicke. Op. 19. With Michiko Suzuki. Fermate 20003, ©1992.

Endnotes 1 Pamela Weston, "Players and Composers," in The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet, ed. Colin Lawson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995). 92.

2 Pamela Weston, Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past (Lon¬ don: Fentone, 1971), 31.

I H. Weitemeyer, Denmark; Its History and Topo¬ graphy, Language, Literature, Fine Arts, Social Life and Finance (London: W. Heinemann, 1891), 171.

4 An interesting example of this is the German com¬ poser Johann Gottlieb Naumann, who wrote one of the earliest operas based on a Danish libretto (Or¬ pheus og Eu rid ike, premiered in Copenhagen on 31 January 1786).

5 Weitemeyer, 173. 6 Niels Martin Jensen, "Denmark," in The New Grove

Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., 207. 7 Weitemeyer, 177. 8 Otto Himmers, "The Early Clarinet in Denmark," in

MUSA: Arbog Arhus, ed. Nina Bendix (Arhus: MUSA, 1992), 159.

9 Pamela Weston, Yesterday's Clarinettists: A Sequel (London: Emerson Edition, 2002), 31.

10 Ibid. II Ibid., 90. 12 Ibid., 130. " Frits Bendix, Af en Kapelmusikers Erindringer

(Copenhagen: H. Hagerups Forlag, 1913). Quoted in Otto Himmers, 171.

14 Pamela Weston, Yesterday's Clarinettists: A Se¬ quel., 130.

15 Ibid., 157. The 20th-century Danish composer Carl Nielsen wrote the clarinet part to his Quintet, Op. 43 (1922) for Oxenvad and also dedicated his Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57 (1928) to Oxenvad.

16 Kai Aage Bruun, Dansk Musiks Historie: Era Hol- berg-Tiden Til Carl Nielsen (Copenhagen: Vinten, 1969), 116.

17 Bo Marschner and Finn Egeland Hansen, "Niels Gade," in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., 405.

18 The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Mu¬ sicians, s.v. "August Winding," 2021.

19 Anna Erslev, Dansk Tonekunst (Copenhagen: Ha- gerup, 1920), 88.

20 Nicholas Slonimsky, Laura Kuhn and Dennis Mc- Intire, "Franz Neruda." in Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Centennial ed., 2585.

21 Torben Schousboe, "Gottfred Matthison-Hansen." in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musi¬ cians, 2nd ed., 147.

22 The manuscript score places the clarinet part be¬ tween the first and second violins.

23 Weston, More Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past (Lon¬ don: Emerson Edition. 1977), 137.

24 John Bergsagel, "Emil Hartmann," in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., 79.

25 Weston, Yesterday's Clarinettists: A Sequel, 202. 26 Weston. More Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past, 233. 27 Information based on the archives of the city of

Wiirzburg. Sincere thanks to Professor Ulrich Kon- rad of the University of Wiirzburg for providing this information.

28 Wilhelm Altenburg, Die Klarinette: Hire Entste- hung and Entwicklung bis zur Jetztzeit in akustisch-

er, technischer and musikalischer Beziehung (Heilbronn a. N.: C.F. Schmidt, 1904), ii.

29 Robert Stark taught at the conservatory in Wurz- burgfrom 1881-1919.

30 Wilhelm Altenburg, "Das neue musikhistorische Museum in Kopenhagen," Zeitschrift fitr Instru- mentenbau 30, no. 13(1 February 1910).

About the Writer...

Michael Thrasher is assistant profes¬ sor of music (clarinet) at North Dakota State University. He holds degrees from Northwestern State University and the University of North Texas, where he stud¬ ied with James Gillespie, Bruce Bullock and John Scott. He has published articles in a variety of journals, and has edited sev¬ eral works for Rosewood Publications (<www.rosewoodpublications.co.uk>).

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m smm mm

Part II

by F. Gerard Errante

Clarmet Am

Omtal Effects

The next category of working with electronics involves "real-time' electronic processing since the el¬

ectronic sounds are created as the perfor¬ mer is playing. The use of real-time elec¬ tronics allows for a sense of immediacy as opposed to the mechanical playing of a tape or CD. For some it of course may add a sense of trepidation, but that is always the case with live performance. Electronics produced in a studio can be more complex, but there is more flexibility if working with live electronics.

In performing with live or real-time elec¬ tronics, the clarinetist will require a micro¬ phone, either freestanding or attached to the instrument. Then connect this micro¬ phone to an effects unit that will alter and enhance the sound of the instrument. Most of these devices will provide a variety of effects such as reverberation, delay, flange, chorus, and pitch transposition. Many en¬ joyable hours can be spent experimenting with these effects units and the above-named effects will become readily apparent. A trip to a local electronics music store or a visit on line to one of the large distributors such as Sweetwater <www.sweetwater. com> or Full Compass <www.fullcompass. com> will reveal a myriad of possibilities. Of course, technology changes quickly and these effects units are often updated, but some consistently reliable manufacturers are Lexicon, t.c.electronic, Kurzweil, Digi- Tech, Alesis and Yamaha. It is certainly not necessary to have the latest device, and a well made unit will be quite serviceable for many years. Also, bear in mind that they are not difficult to operate, especially if one wishes only to use the effects pro¬ vided and not deal with programming them. A PhD in electronics is definitely not required. In fact, an ongoing joke in the electronics world is PhD stands for "push here, dummy."

The first of two works to be discussed that utilizes the effects unit is Narcissus, composed in 1987 by Thea Musgrave. A native of Scotland, Musgrave has been an American resident since 1972 and is estab¬ lished as one of the major composers of the 20th century. Her output is diverse, both in terms of genre and style. Narcis¬ sus was composed originally for flute and digital delay, however, as a gesture of thanks to the author for his assistance with the electronics, Musgrave created a version for the clarinet. The subject of Narcissus is a natural for the delay system as the aural duplication mirrors the visual reflec¬ tion of the Greek legend. Clear directions are provided for the use of the delay unit. These call for varied delay times, a hold, and modulation effect. The hold requires a foot pedal to "hold" the delayed sound that has been produced. While this is playing, the clarinetist plays new material over the pattern that is continually repeat¬ ing. The pedal is depressed again and the pattern slowly dissolves. Musgrave uses this technique both in a lyrical manner as well as for a pulsating, rhythmic effect. Especially to create rhythmic chords pul¬ sating, exact timing of the foot pedal is necessary. This will require practice to develop the coordination with the pedal, but the effort will certainly be rewarded.

Near the end of this 14-minute work, Musgrave creates a marvelous effect to re¬ flect the Narcissus legend. Quoting from her synopsis provided with the score, Mus¬ grave describes the scene after Narcissus is drowned: "A distant shimmering vision of Narcissus and his reflection is seen and then disappears in the setting sun." To por¬ tray this, Musgrave calls for two different modulation effects from the delay unit. This effect varies the depth of the delayed sound that most effectively reflects the sink¬ ing of Narcissus and the gradual return to quiet. As the program states, "The forest lies empty and the pool lies undisturbed." With a telling use of these effects and her idiomatic writing, this composition con¬ tains a variety of dramatic and lyric ele¬ ments. It clearly follows the Narcissus story and consequently lends itself to dance

should the performer wish to add that ele¬ ment as well.

From a technical standpoint, the effects unit that Musgrave employed, the Vesta Koza Dig 411, has long been obsolete. The electronic community has a concern about the problem of compositions that have been created by technology that is now ob¬ solete and unavailable, and it is true that some pieces written for specific gear have been lost. In this case, however, there are two mitigating factors. Fortunately, the de¬ scription that Musgrave provides in her notes for this composition is so complete that the effects can be replicated by other more recent units. The digital delay is cali¬ brated in milliseconds and of course, for example 512 milliseconds on one machine will be the same on another. It is definitely necessary that whatever unit is used have a hold function. Also, the modulation effect may vary somewhat among differ¬ ent effects units, but as long as the effect is present, it should be satisfactory.

The other factor in keeping this compo¬ sition current is the work of David Wetzel <www.familycatproductions.com/DBW>, a clarinetist who is also versed in the intri¬ cacies of technology. As part of his doc¬ toral dissertation, Wetzel has created the ability to perform this work by incorporat¬ ing a computer using the computer soft¬ ware Max/MSP. This revolutionary soft¬ ware provides great flexibility in the area of real-time electronics and also allows for interactivity with the electronics. Two works composed using this software will be discussed later in this article.

No discussion of recent music of any sort for the clarinet would be complete without mention of one of the great pio¬ neers for our instrument, William O. Smith. Equally at home in the jazz world as well as the new music community, he is known as Bill in the former and William O. in the latter. In the jazz community, he is perhaps best recognized for his seminal work with Dave Brubeck. On the academic side, his work at the University of Washington, the American Academy in Rome, and indeed around the world has been highly praised. Smith possesses a keen intellectual curio-


sity about the instrument, and his inquisi¬ tive mind has left no area of performance unexplored. Due to the confines of this ar¬ ticle, discussion will be limited to one work, his Solo for Clarinet with Delay System composed in 1980.

The earlier discussion of the Thea Musgrave composition noted the fact that equipment tends to become obsolete rather quickly. Smith wrote this work in 1980 for a specific piece of equipment that was much in use at the time, the MXR analog delay. As with Musgrave's Narcissus, it is possible to use another piece of equipment, in this case a digital delay, and follow the original guidelines to achieve the desired effect. Since he was working originally with an analog device. Smith is not quite so specific with his directions as Musgrave, for example calling for "a long sustained delay" or a "relatively short dry delay."

Solo consists of five short movements using a kind of spatial notation. Small hash marks on the top line of the staff are pro¬ vided to delineate one-second intervals, and Smith directs, "The rhythmic notation may be interpreted rather freely". The first movement utilizes several extended techni¬ ques including a glissando, flutter tongue, and some of the multiphonics that he was instrumental in developing. The multiphon¬ ics used here are more rightly called double stops, as they consist of two precise pitches. The fingering indicated is the upper pitch notated "N" with an undertone being gener¬ ated, and the dynamic is pianissimo. An added element is a tremolo with the register key. These double stops with a tremolo on the lower pitch, combined with a long sus¬ tained delay, create a magical effect.

The second movement is twice as fast as the first, and a short dry delay produces

the effect of a two-part canon. Extended techniques employed here are a double stop utilizing an unconventional fingering that produces a fourth, and the direction to hum while playing. This takes place in the low register where it is relatively easy to produce. In addition, there are two multiphonics created by overblowing a low E and low F. Movement three is whimsical in nature, and the most demanding of the five, as it calls for humming precise pitch¬ es while playing pitches in the low register. Using a long delay, this creates an ecclesi¬ astical effect. In fact, the performer is asked to intone a Latin phrase through the clarinet. Air sounds, key clicks, slap ton¬ gue, and flutter tongue are other extended techniques employed here.

Like the second movement, the fourth movement uses a short, dry delay that pro¬ duces the effect of a two-part canon. This movement goes quickly and employs rapid staccato passages with disjunct motion. On two occasions, a spoken exclamation is called for. This should be done deliber¬ ately, as on one performance some time ago, a listener thought I had made a mis¬ take and was commenting on it as I played. The last movement involves a signature device of Smith, which is taking the instru¬ ment apart and placing a second mouth¬ piece in the tenon of the lower joint. He has done this in a number of other works, where he calls for both upper and lower parts of the instrument to be played simul¬ taneously. Here, the two parts alternate with pitches played on the upper half of the instrument having a long delay, so they will sustain while the lower half is being played. Not only does this create a unique sonority, it provides an unusual visual ex¬ perience for the audience as well. Not all

mouthpieces will fit into the lower joint so some searching may be necessary. In order to create the proper pitch, the mouthpiece should fit almost entirely in the socket.

William O. Smith has made extraordi¬ nary contributions to the development of new clarinet literature and new ways of approaching the instrument. This work is but one of many of his compositions that deserve to be explored by the adventure¬ some clarinetist.

CtmNET Mt> Computer

A reference was made earlier in this ar¬ ticle's discussion of Narcissus by Thea Musgrave regarding the computer software Max/MSP. This is an extremely flexible program and is now widely used in creating compositions for clarinet and computer. Named after a major figure in the early de¬ velopment of electronic music, Max Mat¬ thews, this software was developed by Mil¬ ler Puckette in the late 1980s at IRC AM in Paris. Later, it was expanded by David Zi- carelli, first at Opcode and then at Cycling '74. For a discussion of Max, as well as many other elements of electronic music, the interested reader may consult two of the books, Electric Sound and Electronic and Computer Music cited at the end of the arti¬ cle. Max/MSP is a powerful programming language that allows the user to work in MIDI and signal processing. It is an envi¬ ronment in which the user can create his or her own software or generate any kind of sound. In sum, it is a graphic-based com¬ puter programming language for real-time processing of MIDI and audio. Practically speaking, from the point of view of the per¬ forming clarinetist, it is both expensive and difficult to use. Fortunately, however, in

Example 1 tr~ (R.K.)

from William O. Smith, Solo

June 2005 Page 53

order to perform pieces written using Max/ MSP, the performer does not need to own the software or even need to know how it works. The software contains a feature called "runtime" which the composer can give to the performer on a disc in order to play the composition.

Most composers and performers using Max/MSP use a Macintosh computer. However, since this software is now avail¬ able in a PC version, it may see even wider use. Once the clarinetist loads the disc, it is necessary to connect the clarinet to the computer. This is accomplished with an audio interface that is designed for this pur¬ pose. The two most common interfaces in use are the RME Hammerfall DSP and the MOTU 828. In addition to the interface, a microphone pre-amplifier, and MIDI foot pedal will also be necessary. The clarinetist unfamiliar with connecting these devices can find assistance at an academic institu¬ tion, local electronics music store, or the composer who has provided the disc. Again, our major concern is the music, and the technology is a way to help create the music, not an end in itself. Fortunately much of this computer technology, while complicated to create, is easy to use.

Andrew May, the composer of the first of two works to be discussed in this article created using Max/MSP, has studied with its developer, Miller Puckette. A performer himself. May states that he "views the score as a blueprint for a living relationship between composers and performers, the terms of which are constantly evolving." Further, he is interested in blurring the dis¬ tinctions between the various categories of musician performer, improviser, techni¬ cian, and composer. Consequently, in work¬ ing with composers such as May, the per¬ former becomes more a part of the creative process in bringing the piece to life.

Composed in 2004, Chant/Songe in May's words, "presents a duo between the clarinetist and a dream version of himself. The basic sonorities used in the electronic portion of the work are resonant strings, a hand drum, and clarinet extended tech¬ niques. All these have been processed elec¬ tronically and many are considerable al¬ tered. In order to start the piece, the clari¬ netist calls it up on the computer and sim¬ ply depresses the foot pedal which is cue 1 in the score. The piece contains 33 cues, however, only five need to be activated by the foot pedal: at the beginning of the piece

Page 54

and at the conclusion of four solo passages for the computer. The composition is quite flexible (in fact marked flessibile) so, un¬ like compositions with prerecorded elec¬ tronics, the performer can play with a great deal of rubato.

While quite modem in its musical voca¬ bulary, the piece is also romantic in nature. It is truly remarkable that May has adapted this software to enable it to follow the clar¬ inet and allow for so much freedom. In some other works written in Max/MSP, an electronic portion might be cued by an exact pitch. That means, of course, if the hapless clarinetist happens to play a wrong note, the piece may grind to a halt until the proper pitch is played. Picture a pianist who stops playing the accompaniment should the soloist make an error! Fortun¬ ately, May's use of the software is more forgiving and does (at least to a reasonable degree) allow for human error. While it perhaps may not be meaningful to most clarinetists, the following example is a sec¬ tion of the program created by May for this work that shows various "objects" and patch cords. Be assured that this is not what the performer sees on the computer screen, as it is imbedded at a lower level of the main computer patch.

Many interpretative directions are pro¬ vided in the score for example: "decisive, lighthearted, ruminating, delicate, resigned, hopeful, savage", etc. Perhaps appropri¬ ately near the end of the work, the direc¬ tion is "exhausted." However, it is not real¬

ly a tiring piece, but it is one that requires great control, especially in its final mo¬ ments. After building to a climax and the computer takes over with a solo passage, the clarinetist ends the composition with a lovely section that includes many quiet double stops. The fingerings have been provided by the author and are clearly notated in the score. The work ends triple piano on a double stop interval of an 11 th as the computer injects a quiet comment. There is afennata on this double stop and it is most effective to end the piece by holding this until the computer has silen¬ ced, and then taper off to a whisper.

The second composition using Max/ MSP to be discussed is Gerrymander, com¬ posed in 2002 by Russell Pinkston. A Pro¬ fessor of Composition and Director of the Electronic Music Studios at the University of Texas-Austin, Pinkston is also currently the President of SEAMUS, the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States. The composition's title is a pun on the name of the person for whom it was writ¬ ten, but also refers to the concept of gerry¬ mandering, the creation of election dis¬ tricts of unusual, sometimes bizarre shapes, in order to include or exclude specific blocs of voters. Relating the concept to this com¬ position, Pinskton writes: "I tried to take the clarinet on an interesting musical path, with some unexpected twists and turns, partly for purely musical reasons, and part¬ ly to include specific effects and techniques I wanted to try." Pinkston has succeeded

Andrew May Max, patch from Chant/Songe

The Clarinet

e o o CerrymanderSx

iRecord pedal will advance and record

start audio |y|

sanQiim

STOP PLAYBACK

GO SECTION:

3223 GO NEXT EVENT! Q| IL IR DO El FX EO S OL OR

Reverberator

□ Harmonizer □ Granary □ Delay/Shifter □ Counterpointer n Score Follower

□ Pitch Tracker • B-channel O 2-channel

pJnputsHi^ffect^^la^i^pOutputsHp funeUp

£ Russsell Pinkston, main window from Gerrymander

admirably, and this composition has been widely performed with great success.

With his performance notes in the score, and the clear, intuitive main level of the Max/MSP program, Pinkston has created a work that is easy to use for the clarinetist unfamiliar with computer music. The per¬ formance notes cite the computer used to create the piece, lists possible audio inter¬ faces, and explains the use of the MIDI foot pedal. In addition, an analog on/off footswitch is required. This will permit the clarinetist to record portions of what he or she is performing. This recorded material will then be electronically processed by the Max program. A portion of the top level of the computer program that is used by the clarinetist or an assisting technician is pic¬ tured on the previous page. As can be seen, it is quite clear how the program is to be operated and the clarinetist need only to read the instructions. A tuning note is pro¬ vided which will not only be used for the obvious purpose, it also is an assurance that the connections are properly made and the program is ready to go.

Once the performer is ready, he or she need only to depress the foot pedal and the electronic sound will play. At a point at the end of the first line, the direction Rec is indicated. This is the direction to depress

the analog on/off footswitch mentioned above. As long as the footswitch is de¬ pressed, the clarinet is being recorded. When it is released at the end of the line under the pitches in the score, the computer captures the recorded passage and process¬ es it electronically. This is an excellent ex¬ ample of real-time electronic processing, and also demonstrates how the performer is in control of the unfolding of the piece. The electronic processing developed by Pink¬ ston is unique and masterful. For example, there is a section in the piece that involves a harmonization of the clarinet part. In earlier compositions using an effects unit, this har¬ monization would be in exactly parallel motion that could become tedious in time. Here, Pinkston has worked with the Max program to create a contrapuntal harmoni¬ zation that is unique. It is a wonderful feel¬ ing for the clarinetist to hear the computer program following what he or she is play¬ ing and transforming the sound in such a musical way. Of course it is the music, not the electronic wizardry that is paramount, and here Pinkston succeeds in a marriage of technology and musicality.

Near the end of the composition, Pink¬ ston provides an optional section for free improvisation. In this exciting climax of the work, the clarinet sound is "thickened"

electronically and the performer impro¬ vises against random percussive phrases. By use of a foot pedal, the pacing here is all under the control of the clarinetist. WTien desired, the codetta can be called up and the composition ends quietly, recalling material played at the beginning.

While it is true that performing compo¬ sition for clarinet and computer will be more involved from a technological point of view, the bulk of the work has been done by the composer, and specialized training is definitely not required on the part of the performer. Just as it is not necessary to know the intricacies of what is under the hood of an automobile in order to drive, the performer need not know, or be intimated by the inner workings of the computer pro¬ gram. A little curiosity and an open mind will pay great dividends in opening a world of new, exciting repertoire.

CtARMET AW

All concerts naturally have a visual com¬ ponent, as it is always interesting to watch a performer re-create a piece of music and bring life to the printed page. However, some compositions can also enhance the visual experience by adding elements such as lighting, movement, or visuals. Two compositions in this last category, in the form of visuals and prerecorded electronics on a DVD, will be discussed briefly here.

The first work, Grito del Corazon (Cry of the Heart) was composed by Judith Sha- tin with the assistance of visual artist, Kathy Aoki. Shatin is an award-winning composer who serves both as professor of music at the University of Virginia and Di¬ rector of the Virginia Center for Computer Music. This composition was inspired by Goya's "Black Paintings" that were creat¬ ed near the end of his life on the walls of his last home known as the "Deaf House." The visuals make use of these grotesque and fantastic paintings in a creative man¬ ner, as portions of them are seen moving in abstract shapes that appear to be cut out of a black background. Those familiar with these paintings will especially recognize "Saturn," an iconic figure named for the Titan who ate his children. Needless to say, this subject matter makes for a stark and haunting visual experience.

The electronic palette created by Shatin perfectly matches these terrifying images and is deeply compelling. A short work of a little over five minutes, it creates a power-

June 2005 Page 55

Still frame from Swing Bridge (1997) by Reynold Weidenaar

ful impact with its striking visuals and dy¬ namic electronics. The solo portion of the work has been created for a variety of solo and chamber combinations with the sound- scape, in Shatin's words, "inspired by and reflective of both the digital musical and visual images." The performer is allowed a great deal of freedom in constructing the piece as the "score" provided by Shatin is a series of 49 motives with only the initial and ending being stipulated. For the rest of the work, it is up to the performer to decide what to play and in what order. It is not necessary or even desirable to play all the motives — some may be repeated and of course, some may be eliminated. It is also not necessary or desirable to play constant¬ ly, as there will be portions where the per¬ former might want a particular passage in the electronics to be heard without the clar¬ inet. Naturally, each performer will create his or her own version of the piece, so this work will become very personal. Creating a version of this work was a challenge as well as a very enjoyable experience. What was most helpful to the author in creating his own version was to photocopy the score and cut out the various motives. These can then easily be placed in any order and changed simply by moving the individual motives. Once one is satisfied, they can be taped and photocopied, thereby creating your own version of the work. Of course, it is possible to create different realizations, as the possibilities are endless. In a compo¬ sition such as this, the performer becomes

very definitely a part of the creative pro¬ cess. As mentioned earlier in this article, it is most satisfying to be more than only a re- creator, but rather play an active role in the shaping of the piece.

A pioneer in the area of creating works for an acoustic instrument with visuals is the New York-based composer, Reynold Weidenaar. Long active in the electronic music world, Weidenaar founded and ed¬ ited Electronic Music Review in 1967. In 1982, to commemorate the centennial of the Brooklyn Bridge the following year, he wrote Love of Line, of Light and Shadow: The Brooklyn Bridge for clarinet, color vi¬ deo and electronic sound. This was the first work of its kind and it won numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the Tokyo Video Festival. Many successful works followed, and what will be discussed briefly here is a companion composition to Love of Line... titled Swing Bridge. Com¬ posed in 1997, this piece looks back to May 24, 1983, which was the day set aside for the lOOth-anniversary celebration of the Brooklyn Bridge. The span was closed to motor traffic for the entire day to provide for this celebration. Weidenaar filmed the events which included dancers, musicians, and actors during the day, and a grand fire¬ works display at night. These images were then processed at the Experimental Tele¬ vision Center in Owego, New York, and edited to create a composition lasting five minutes, 20 seconds. A black-and-white image from the color video is above that

will provide an idea of the celebratory na¬ ture of this work.

For the audio portion, various old swing band recordings were processed electroni¬ cally, so they become barely recognizable as sort of a "ghost" of the original piece. The clarinet portion requires an effects pro¬ cessor as described above, so a microphone and foot pedal to step through the effects will also be needed. There are four settings for the piece that are used a total of 13 times during the performance. These set¬ tings consist of two reverbs, a digital delay, and a more involved setting consisting of chorus, pitch transposition and delay. All these parameters are clearly indicated and will be available on most effects units.

The clarinet portion of the piece must be coordinated exactly with the audio por¬ tion so a time line is provided in the score. As mentioned earlier in the article, where a time line is provided, it will be necessary to perform with a stopwatch to assist with exact coordination. In addition to the time line, clear audio cues are indicated. No ex¬ tended techniques are called for except flutter tongue and glissando. In some pas¬ sages, to mirror the style of the audio taken from old swing band recordings, a loose jazz style is called for.

The Shatin and Weidenaar works are but two of several compositions available that utilize visuals with the clarinet that will no doubt add interest to a recital. Since the in¬ strumentalist will coordinate with the au¬ dio portion of the work, it is not necessary for the performer to see the visuals. An LCD or data projector will usually be used to connect to the DVD player and project the images on a screen either next to or behind the performer. In most cases the lighting should be dimmed and conse¬ quently the performer will require a stand light or a "down" spotlight that does not bleed onto the screen.

CONCWStON

This relatively lengthy article serves as only an introduction to the world of per¬ forming with electronics. Naturally, the nine compositions briefly discussed here are but a beginning in the exploration of the ever-expanding repertoire in this medium. I would like to encourage interested clari¬ netists to delve into this area by perhaps performing some of the works discussed here, or exploring the many other pieces that are available. With anything new and


unfamiliar, there may be moments of con¬ fusion and consternation, but be assured that any effort will be greatly rewarded. For those clarinetists affiliated with an academ¬ ic institution, it is likely that help and ad¬ vice should you require it, is most likely readily available. Composers are eager to work with performers and when lines of communication are opened, much can be learned and often, friendships created. As mentioned earlier, becoming more active in the creative process and helping to create a legacy for our own time brings with it many rewards and great satisfaction. I wish you well in your exploration.

Listed below is information about the compositions discussed as well as resour¬ ces for further study.

Resources

Clarinet and Prerecorded Electronics Jane Brockman, Tagore Songs, 13:00,

1997, <www.janebrockman.org/> Steve Reich, New York Counterpoint,

11:00, 1985, Boosey & Hawkes Nikola Resanovic, Alt. Music. Ballistix,

13:00, 2001, <www.nikolaresanovic. com/>

Clarinet and Digital Effects Thea Musgrave, Narcissus, 14:00, 1987,

Novello William O. Smith, Solo, 7:30, 1980,

<faculty. washington.edu/bills/>

Clarinet and Computer Andrew May, Chant/Songe, 7:30, 2004,

<spot.colorado.edu/~aamay> Russell Pinkston, Gerrymander, 7:00,

2002, <ems.music.utexas.edu/ composers/rfp/>

Clarinet and DVD Judith Shatin, Grito del Corazon, 5:11,

2001, <www.judithshatin.com/> Reynold Weidenaar, Swing Bridge, 5:20,

1997, <magneticmusic.ws/>

Microphones Applied Microphone Technology,

<appliedmic.com/> Barcus-Berry, <www.barcusberry.com> Radio Shack, <www.radioshack.com>

Books Chadabe, Joel. Electric Sound. Saddle

River. NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.

Dobson, Richard. A Dictionary of Electronic and Computer Music Technology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Manning, Peter. Electronic and Computer Music. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004

Journals Computer Music Journal, <mitpress.mit.

edu/cmj> Electronic Musician, <www.emusician.

com> Keyboard, <www.keyboardmag.com>

Organizations Electronic Music Foundation, <www.emf.

org/> International Computer Music

Association, <www.computermusic. org/>

SEAMUS (Society for Electro- Acoustic Music in the U.S.), < www.seamusonline.org/>

Software Max/MSP, <www.cycling.74.com>

About the Writer...

F. Gerard Errante is a clarinetist of in¬ ternational stature whose performances around the world have received critical acclaim. A native of New York City, he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The University of Michigan. Errante has published two books, composed ten works for clarinet, and has contributed nu¬ merous articles to a wide variety of jour¬ nals. He has also recorded for nine record labels and for many national radio stations throughout the world. In addition, he is a prizewinner in the International Gaudea- mus Competition for Interpreters of Con¬ temporary Music. A former president of the International Clarinet Association, he will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at ClarinetFest 2005 to be held in Tokyo this July. Dr. Errante lives in Nor¬ folk, Virginia, where he is the Co-Director of the Norfolk Chamber Consort and a member of the new music ensemble, Creo based at Old Dominion University where he is serving as Adjunct Professor of Mu¬ sic. His newly formed duo, Clarion Synthe¬ sis, will be touring Japan this July. F. Ger¬ ard Errante is a Yamaha performing artist and performs on a Custom SE-V clarinet.

T-qIR

with Mike Beare Manager, Reeds Australia

The Test of Time

Many people regard Reeds Australia as a relatively young company, and they might be surprised to learn that we have now been making quality reeds for over 12 years.

During this time, our reeds have been im¬ proved and refined, and they continue to grow in popularity worldwide. It is also very satisfying to hear from musicians who have been using our reeds for many years. One such musician is F. Gerard Errante, who has been playing on Vintage clarinet reeds exclusively since they first came out in 1992. Dr Errante is a US-based clarinetist of international stature, who specialises in contemporary repertoire. He wrote to us recently, explaining his long-term love affair with these reeds:

" Vintage reeds produce a warm, focused, full- bodied tone quality. The response is excellent throughout the entire range of the instrument and at the widest of dynamic levels. An added plus is that the

reeds are very consistent and once broken in, they last longer than any other reed I have played. They allow me more time to spend on producing music and far less in the eternal quest for the perfect reed."

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June 2005 Page 57

(1774-1865)

Concertos for Clarinet and Orchestra

Found in a Music Archive in Friuli in Northern Italy

by Nicola Bulfone

Italian oboe players know Carlo Paes- sler very well as the composer of the 24 oboe studies (published by Ricordi)

which they study at the Conservatory. I learned about the work of Carlo Paessler quite casually during a pause in an orches¬ tral rehearsal while a collegue of mine — a flute player — was examining (studying) a catalog published by the association for re¬ search of musical sources in Friuli-Vene- zia Giulia, edited by Lorenzo Nassimbeni. I became curious and asked to look at them. It was a publication about the archives of instrumental music of Ricardi di Netro.

After a short look, I realized that it con¬ tained a lot of music for flute and clarinet, composed mostly between 1700 and 1850. My attention was drawn to a set of pieces for clarinet, namely a concerto with varia¬ tions for clarinet and orchestra, two clari¬ net concertos, a concerto for oboe, clar¬ inet and orchestra, a divertimento, and, finally, a potpourri composed by the Ital¬ ian oboe virtuoso Carlo Paessler. I decid¬ ed, with the help of Lorenzo Nassimbeni who gave me a copy of this catalogue, to contact the owner of the archives.

These manuscripts were examined about 15 years ago by Gabriella Spano, a student at Rome University. While she was working for her graduation thesis, she studied the history of this collection and its owners, the nobles who belonged to the middle-European family of Colloredo — Mels, who lived in the castle in Colloredo di Montalbano near Udine. One famous descendant of the Austro-Bohemian line of this ancient family was Count Hieronymus Colloredo, archbishop of Salzburg, who owes much of his fame to his tormented dealings with W.A. Mozart.

This rare collection was found by chance around 1960 by Count A. Ricardi di Netro in his library in the Castle of Colloredo. Carlo Paessler wrote the clarinet concertos.

Page 58

which had excited my interest, for the amateur clarinet player Count Rodolfo III of Colloredo (1778-1874 ), a forebear of the present owner of these manuscripts.

Count Rodolfo took advantage of the presence in Udine of outstanding instru¬ mentalists and composers, including, apart from Paessler, the famous oboist Giusep¬ pe Ferlendis, and the Bohemian Wenzel Wratny (Vaclav Wratny), and collected works written by musicians for the clarinet for his own "use and entertainment." In¬ deed, each autographed manuscript in fact bears the dedication "Composed by Carlo Paessler for the noble Gentlemann Ridolfo de Colloredo."

Carlo Paessler was born in Naples on March 27, 1774. His father, who came from Dresden, was a captain in the Royal Swiss Guard. At the age of 11 Carlo, having lost his mother, was accepted at the Naples Conservatory della Pieta dei Turchini where he devoted himself to the oboe and the cor anglais so successfully that he was appointed extraordinary teacher. In 1796 he began his long tour of the theatres of the Italian peninsula: the first stops were in Faenza, Senigallia and then Treviso at the

Carlo Paessler

The Clarinet

service of Count Pola. Two years later he was in Rome. He then returned to Naples, later played in Florence and Venice and finally was summoned as an oboist to the Teatro Nuovo in Trieste where he played from the theatre's opening in 1801. He also performed in Vienna where he was paid 2,000 florins for a single concert. In De¬ cember 1809, he left Trieste for Venice where he was employed at the Fenice Theatre. He also worked at the theatres of Udine and Treviso during the spring and autumn music seasons. In Milan he gave a concert at the court of the Viceroy Eugene de Beauhamais. He was then invited to play at the court of the King of Bavaria. The fame he acquired as a virtuoso of his in¬ strument won him the title of "The Pagan- ini of the Oboe."

Still playing with various operatic com¬ panies, in 1822 he went to Faenza, then to Parma, Reggio, Ferrara and Verona. In 1826, after many years of absence, he re¬ turned to Naples and was appointed concert performer at the Royal Chamber and Pa¬ latine Cappella. After playing in Palermo and Bari, in 1827 he returned to Trieste for good and on April 19, 1829, was appointed first oboist and cor anglais in the city the¬ atre, replacing Antonio Ferlendis. On June 22, 1833, he was given the same post in the Cappella of San Giusto. He died on January 26, 1865, at the grand old age of 90.

Carlo Paessler wrote a substantial quan¬ tity of music, much of it dedicated to his own instrument. We recall the Fantasia brillante e variata for oboe and orchestra and many other instrumental works. His best-known works, however, are his col¬ lections of oboe studies — praised in a signed letter by Saverio Mercadante — (24 Largos for Oboe Solo, Progressive Studies in Four Parts, Six Capriccios, 18 Capriccios), reprinted several times and still used in Italian conservatories as a fundamental method for the study of this double reed instrument.

Solo part from the Concerto con variationi in El> for clarinet and strings

When the owner gave me his permis¬ sion to view the manuscripts of the clari¬ net concertos by Paessler, preserved in the Ricardi di Netro archive, I realized that I was looking at compositions of great interest. They certainly represent a rare expansion of the early 19th-century Italian clarinet repertoire, even consider¬ ing the fact that three of the six concertos have only string accompaniment, which was an unusual feature at the time. Ano¬ ther important element is the presence of a double concerto for oboe, clarinet and orchestra. In a sense, Paessler's composi¬ tions represent an overview of Italian instrumental music of the 19th century: the Introduction, Theme and Variations, Pot-pourri, Divertimento with themes from famous opera arias, and the sinfonia con- certantes for more than one soloist.

I immediately decided to revise the clarinet part and publish these unknown in¬ strumental works. For the revision of the orchestral part and the reduction for clari¬ net and piano I turned to Professor Daniele Zanettovich, teacher of composition at the Udine Conservatory, a musician of great skill and an expert in orchestration. Since the manuscripts contain only the indi¬ vidual parts, a complete score was creat¬ ed. Errors and imperfections in the ac¬ companiment were eliminated, whereas in the solo parts embellishments were writ¬

ten out, as were the added cadenzas that were part of the performance practice of the period, complete with suggestions for dynamics and articulation.

In October 2000 the Paessler Concerto con Variazioni for Clarinet and Strings was published by Edition Kunzelmann (GM 1775; score no. 10296a), who later also published the Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet and Orchestra under the catalog number GM 646. In 2000 I recorded the works for clarinet and orchestra for the Italian label Agora (AG 276.1) with the oboist Matej Sarc (Slovenska Philharmonia Ljubljana) and the Collegium Musicum.

Now we will examine in more detail each of Paessler's compositions for clarinet and orchestra held in the collection of Ri¬ cardi di Netro. The manuscript of the Con¬ certo con Variazioni for Clarinet and Strings bears the date 1818 on its fron¬ tispiece, this being the year in which Carlo Paessler, the virtuoso oboist composer, held an "Accademia" (concert performance) in Udine on August 14 in the hall of the Manin residence. This work is a fresh, bright com¬ position in which the solo part for the clar¬ inet reveals the composer's knowledge of the technical and expressive potential of the instrument. The first movement. Allegro vivace, opens with a brief orchestral intro¬ duction of a sunny nature; the clarinet then takes on the leading role marked by a con¬

tinuous flow of melodic inventions, bor¬ rowed from the style of Italian opera, alter¬ nating with moments of "bravura" playing. The second movement, a Larghetto affettu- oso in A-B-A form, steeped in simple, ef¬ fective lyricism, highlights the lyrical quali¬ ties of the solo instrument. The concerto concludes with a theme characterized by an atmosphere of serenity, followed by three variations of increasing virtuosity and a brilliant finale.

In the Divertimento for Clarinet and Strings, Paessler makes free use of two arias taken from famous operas, adapted and transcribed for the clarinet. The first, "Cimentando i venti e I'onde," is Isabella's cavatina from the first act of I'ltaliana in Algeri which Gioachino Rossini composed especially for the Vicenza performance of the opera in 1813. For his instrumental composition Paessler uses a part of the ob- bligato recitative of the cavatina and the following Allegro, scoring the role of the voice for the clarinet in instead of the much more taxing original key of E major. The following aria, "se ancor tu m'ami," with its clearly Rossinian flavor, provides a brilliant conclusion to this brief work which brings out its chamber character, simplicity of composition and pleasant melody.

The Concerto in C minor and the Con¬ certo in IP Major for Clarinet and Orches¬ tra have numerous elements in common: both works are of the genre of solo instru¬ mental composition designated as "Intro¬ duction, Theme and Variations." In this way they resemble the pieces for clarinet solo written by Gioachino Rossini and Saverio Mercadante. Both concertos open with a slow, cantabile introductory movement, preceded in the Concerto in Major by a recitative, almost in spoken style halfway between vocal and instrumental tone. Then follows a theme and a sequence of pleasant virtuoso variations linked by brief orches¬ tral interludes. In the Concerto in C minor each variation has a pause mark during which the soloist is free to improvise ad libitum. At the end of each concerto, Paes¬ sler pays tribute to dance: the first con¬ cludes with a dainty rondo in 6/8 time, while the final variation of the concerto in B^ has the character of a Polonaise in 3/4 time. Another feature which the two works share is their quotation of the original theme set after the sequence of variations as if to frame it as a whole, followed by a brief but lively finale. In the orchestral en¬ semble, whose function is primarily to provide accompaniment, the composer

June 2005 Page 59

includes two clarinets, two horns and a bassoon, as well as the strings.

The Concerto for Clarinet, Oboe and Orchestra was most probably performed by the composer himself with the aristo¬ cratic clarinetist to whom the composition is dedicated. The composition belongs to a genre which became very popular in the first half of the 19th century — the sinfonia concertante, a form derived from the baroque concerto grosso in which a group of solo instruments was set against the or¬ chestral "Tutti." The first movement, an Allegro almost in the style of sonata form, opens with a fairly long orchestral prelude preceded by a singular introduction in which pairs of horns and clarinets echo each other with brief melodies, creating a mood of expectancy before the exposition begins. The entrance of the two soloists is characterized by an almost declaimed theme in which the clarinet is reinforced by the oboe playing an octave lower. The two instruments now begin a continuous, amusing dialogue with a playful attitude, punctuated with episodes of fanciful, almost free, character. This unusual combi¬ nation of intruments is rarely heard and generates an interesting combination of timbres with very striking results. Both the oboe and the clarinet are given pleas¬ ant themes, virtuoso passages and episodes with cadenzas all highlighting the composer's melodic creativity. The second movement is a brief interlude —just 15 bars — with a serious, solemn tone played by the orchestra alone. For the final move¬ ment Paessler again uses a theme with variations. Here we find a melody remi¬ niscent of Mozart, evoking quotations from the Marriage of Figaro, a first varia¬ tion for the solo clarinet in triplets, a sec¬ ond devoted exlusively to the oboe accom¬ panied by the wind section and finally the third performed by both soloists. At the

end a restatement of the quotation from the initial theme leads into a majestic finale.

Pot-pourri is the French term used to indicate a sequence of melodies or an in¬ strumental selection of various motfis from operas, linked by brief modulating pas¬ sages. The genre was popular in the 19th century, and Paessler, a fashionable com¬ poser, made use of it to create a brilliant, boldly virtuoso work for clarinet and strings. The composition opens with an Andante in 6/8 time, lyrical and melancholy at times. Then follows the theme from the aria "Miei cari venite" with two characteristic variations. After a brief cadenza the clar¬ inet solo plays the notes of the famous melody "Di tanti palpiti," the aria from Rossini's Tancredi. The Pot-pourri closes with an "original theme" by Paessler, fol¬ lowed by bravura variations leading up to an applause-winning finale.

My particular thanks go to Count Ri- cardi di Netro, who gave me permission to work with the manuscripts from his private music archives.

About the Writer...

Nicola Bulfone was bom in Hassleholm (Sweden) in 1963. He studied clarinet at the Udine Conservatory under A. Pecile and passed his final exam with top marks. From 1985 to 1988 he continued his music studies at the Hochschule fiir Musik in Stuttgart under Prof. Ulf Rodenhauser (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra), where he obtained an Advanced Diploma in Clarinet. Among other awards, in 1983 he won first prize at the International Music Competi¬ tion in Stresa. He also attended master classes held by Karl Leister, Anthony Pay and Giuseppe Garbarino (Accademia Chi- giana, Siena). He has played clarinet and basset horn in a number of orchestras, including the Teatro alia Scala Orchestra,

the Teatro G. Verdi Orchestra, Trieste, the San Remo Symphony Orchestra, Filannon- ica della Scala, Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Teatro San Carlo, Naples. He has partici¬ pated in various music festivals and concert seasons both as soloist and with several chamber music ensembles (Paris St. Ger¬ main, Musica Viva Munich, Ludwigsburg, Milan, Venice Biennale, Ravello, Klagen- furt, Middelburg Holland, Horowitz Festi¬ val Europe, Nomus Novi Sad, Ljubljana, Rossini Festival Riigen, Rotte Mediterranee Algiers, Budapest, Bratislava, Mallorca, Mexico City, Sevilla, Oporto...) He played as soloist with the Slovac Philharmonic Orchestra of Bratislava, the Rossini Festi¬ val Orchestra, the Udine Chamber Orches¬ tra, the Orchestra Sinfonica del Estado del Mexico, the Udine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta do Norte (Portugal), the Or¬ chestra Sinfonica del Friuli — Venezia Giulia, the Sophia Philharmonic, the Bjalis- tok Philharmonia (Poland) and various chamber orchestras. He has recorded for SWF, RAI, ORF, BR, SDR, Koper and Art Kanal. Many renowned composers have written solo pieces for him. He teaches clarinet at Gallarate Conservatory and in international master classes (Lucca, Tar- visio, Cividale, Chioggia, Gorizia). In 1997 he was a member of the jury at the "Jeu- nesses Musicales" International Clarinet Competition in Belgrade. He has recorded three CDs for the Agora label containing music for two clarinets and orchestra and has made a first world recording of the con¬ certos for clarinet and orchestra by Carlo Paessler. He is solo clarinet in the Orches¬ tra Sinfonica del Friuli Venezia Giulia and founder member of the Associazione Filar- monica del Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Nicola Bulfone

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ccFaszination Klarimtte"

THE FOURTH —

GERMAN CLARINET SYMPOSIUM

Berlin, Germany • October 1-3, 2004

A Report by Bruce Edwards

and Nicolai Pfeffer

It was early in the morning of Friday October 1, 2004, as the museum start¬ ed becoming alive. The first batch of

clarinet maniacs out of a notable number yet to come was just arriving. The mu¬ seum? — oh yes, that is the world famous Musikinstnimenten Museum in Berlin, Germany, and it was the Fourth German Clarinet Symposium for which clarinet friends from Europe gathered at this re¬ markable spot.

It was immediately clear that the Deut¬ sche Klarinetten Gese Use haft could hardly have found any better location for the event. The concert stage in the midst of the "Exhibition Forum" and "Curt-Sachs Hall" made an ideal setting for concerts and pre¬ sentations and the museum's special half- year exhibition titled "Faszination Klari- nette'''' created a special kick.

Indeed this exhibition was unique. An exorbitant number of historic clarinets, normally to be seen in various collections all over the world and thus accessible only by means of extensive travelling, were now on loan in Berlin and put together into this most sensational compilation that will hardly be seen again. This was the result of an outstanding job done by the museum's management, Conny Restle and Heike Fricke. To them we say, "thank you!"

Linking the clarinet's history to today's clarinet reality was the aim of incorporat¬ ing the Fourth German Clarinet Sympo¬ sium into the exhibition — and this was very well achieved.

The exhibition had officially been opened in a ceremony on Thursday even¬ ing. (During this ceremony the event's pa¬ tron, British clarinet legend Alan Hacker — who himself is a collector of historic clarinets, was surprised by a ditty presented by the clarinet section of the Berlin Phil¬ harmonic Orchestra. It was Alan Hacker's birthday, and Paul Harris had composed

a witty little piece based on "Happy Birth¬ day" especially for this occasion!

So now, Friday morning, was the offi¬ cial opening of the symposium, which brings us back to the beginning of this re¬ port. "Kind of jazz" was the theme of the opening concert in which students of Fran¬ cois Benda (Berlin) presented 20th-century, jazz-inspired compositions, and Conny Restle of the Musikinstrumentenmuseum and Heribert Haase of the Deutsche Klar¬ inetten Gesellschaft welcomed the sympo¬ sium's attendants.

The program consisted of Copland's Sonata, Honegger's Sonatina, Stravinsky's 3 Pieces, Milhaud's Scaramouche and Cop¬ land's Concerto. Sandra Kutter, Kilian Her- old. Felix Welz, Anna Deyhle and Stephan Oberle were the performers, all of them ac¬ companied by Eberhard Hasenfratz. They all showed excellent technique, warm and even sound and good intonation. This is the time we should apologize for generalizing, but reporting in detail on each performer or item on the symposium's program would make this article much too lengthy. How¬ ever, one composer from this opening pro¬ gram has not yet been mentioned and should be especially highlighted since the two of his compositions presented here are not standard clarinet repertoire. Certainly Daniel Schnyder's Sonata and Who Nose — very jazzy and witty pieces — deserve being performed in many clarinet recitals.

Next was renowned clarinetist and histor¬ ian Dieter Klocker lecturing on European clarinet virtuosi in the 19th century. He described their extended activities through¬ out all of Europe. He sees the beginning of this development coming from the famous Bohemian wind players. Among the travel¬ ling clarinettists of the time he talked espe¬ cially about Vaclav Knesek, Joseph Beer, Heinrich Baermann, Anton Stadler, Iwan Mtiller and Avelino Canongia. Berlin played a very important part for many of these vagabonds as it was often a stopover when travelling between west and east or north and south. Also it was the home of Franz

Prof. Dr. Conny Restle, the Director of the Musikinstrumenten-Museum, offering greetings at the opening of the Symposium

Tausch, a very famous clarinet virtuoso of his time which made the city even more interesting for any clarinetist on the road. Klocker stressed the immense diversity in clarinet playing styles found not only be¬ tween countries but also between regions within these countries. Klocker pleaded for conserving this diversity rather than every¬ one internationally sounding much alike.

Klocker's lecture was barely over when two contrasting composers had the oppor¬ tunity of presenting their compositions. An¬ dreas Salm (born in 1957) is not only a composer, but also a clarinetist; having stu¬ died with Hans Deinzer in Hannover he knows the possibilities of the instrument. He demonstrated his Clarinet Concerto, which makes use of avant-garde techniques.

Werner Heinrich Schmitt (bom in 1961) performed his virtuoso Sonata for Clarinet and Piano with clarinetist Alan Valotta. This piece is more in a late romantic style using three fairy tales as its program.

After lunch David Ross of El Paso, Texas, gave a splendid presentation on the life and career of Alfred Biirkner, one of Germany's leading clarinetists from an ear-

Nickolas Shackleton

June 2005 Page 61

lier era. Biirkner was a member of the Ber¬ lin Philharmonic Orchestra from 1925 until 1971, holding the position of principal clar¬ inetist until 1961. David Ross had done a lot of research in various archives and with the family of Biirckner, whom he visited in Berlin several times. Biirkner was bom in 1905 and after taking up the clarinet, at which he made fast progress, very soon started playing at movie theatres. Still at the young age of about 16 or 17 he started playing in the Grosse Volksoper in Berlin. At this time he was studying at the Conser¬ vatory and such side activities were not allowed. He asked the director of the opera what he should do and was told that he would have to make a decision as working at the opera and studying at the Conser¬ vatory at the same were not really possible. He stayed with the opera at first but later started taking lessons from a very hard teacher. One day his teacher told him to go to an audition he had arranged for him with the Berlin Philharmonic the next day. Biirk¬ ner actually auditioned for second clarinet but instead, to his surprise, was offered the position of principal clarinet. Biirkner's reply to the assembled orchestra that he would have to ask his teacher's permission before accepting the job caused lots of laughter. However, his parents had to sign the contract for him because he was not of legal age. He was only 19! Dr. Ross also showed many photos and some interesting recordings from the 1930s and 1940s which he had found in the archives. Biirkner's in¬ terpretations of Beethoven's Septet, Mo¬ zart's Sinfonia Concertante and especially Weber's Concertino vividly showed how much clarinet playing and interpretation have changed since then. Nonetheless, these recordings impressively demonstrated Biirk¬ ner's musicianship and artistry. Alfred Biirk-

(7 to r) The Vienna Clarinet Connection, Helmut Hodl, Wolfgang Kornberger, Ru¬ pert Fankhauser and Hubert Salmhofer.

Rumi Sota-Klemm performing Stockhau- sen 's Susani

ner's son, who had supplied David Ross with much interesting and valuable infor¬ mation, was present, as was Peter Geissler of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Geissler actually played in the orchestra with Biirkner, who had gone back to sec¬ ond clarinet for his last 10 years before re¬ tiring. He amused those present with a backstage anecdote. Every evening Biirk¬ ner would say, "Let's see if I have to work tonight." Then he would throw his clarinet high into the air. If he caught his clarinet, he was on. If not, he was off! Needless to say, he always made it. As a matter of fact. Die Holzbldser, a big woodwind music shop in Berlin, sold Biirkner's instruments, undamaged, only two or three years ago!

Dr. Ross' presentation was followed by a nice concert shared by the students of Pro¬ fessor Ulrich Klemm (Dresden) and Pro¬ fessor Wolfgang Mader (Leipzig). The pro¬ gram was put together with new arrange¬ ments for clarinet ensembles. The students from Dresden (Andreas Treffurth, Shingo Oku, Susann Renk) began the program as¬ sisted by their teacher Ulrich Klemm play¬ ing basset horn. Listening to them was a great pleasure for two reasons: they really got involved with the music they were play¬ ing, and the arrangements Ulrich Klemm had written for them (Bernstein's Overture

to Candide, Brahms' Haydn Variations and a James Bond Medley) were excellent.

The second half of the program be¬ longed to the Ensemble harmonique con¬ sisting of the Leipzig students Sonja Rie- del, Anna Bardell, Robert Schenker and Alexander May. Their performance of an arrangement of Jean Frangaix's Suite for Saxophones was excellent — very well bal¬ anced and good ensemble.

The early history of the basset horn was the topic of a lecture given by Dr. Thomas Grass and Prof. Dietrich Demus. These two basset horn fans have done a remarkable amount of research on the history of their favorite instrument and have published their findings in a comprehensive book, the first one of its kind in German. Their report showed that the first written document us¬ ing the name "Corno di bassetto" dates from 1767 and comes from Leopold Mo¬ zart, and that by 1771-1773 the instrument demonstrably was in use in Regensburg, Mannheim and Paris.

A recital with contemporary duo music for clarinet and bass clarinet planned next had to be cancelled due to illness. The gap, however, was filled by Alan Hacker. He in¬ troduced a new basset clarinet edition of Mozart's K 622 which he had brought with him to Berlin. He has waited for many years to put forth some new ideas concern¬ ing the reconstruction for basset clarinet. Alan has also arranged the orchestra part for clarinet quartet which is meant especial¬ ly to make study of the concerto more interesting. Unfortunately, a clarinetist who had promised to play the solo part did not show up. However, a courageous man was found to take his place. David Glenn, a for¬ mer student of Prof. Hacker's, took over the solo part sight reading the new edition and realizing octave transpositions un¬ known to him, according to Hacker's mo¬ mentary instructions. The interested audi¬ ence admired Mr. Glenn even more so, because he had to fulfill the task on an

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_ * I

Alan Hacker and Conny Restle


•«<

Prof. Dieter Klocker lecturing on clarinet virtuosi of the 18th and 19th centuries

instrument, mouthpiece and reed borrowed from the box of Schwenk & Seggelke. Before coming to the cafeteria, where the presentation took place, he did not know what was awaiting him, so he hadn't brought his clarinet with him. Taking over this task so spontaneously was truly a sign of courage and of the great respect he has for his former teacher Alan Hacker!

The evening concert that followed was an absolute highlight as could be expected. The wind section of the Berlin Philhar¬ monic Orchestra performed a Mozart pro¬ gram in the Kammermusiksaal of the Phil- harmonie. This concert hall is, of course, world famous for its architecture and acou¬ stics, and since the museum is practically located in a part of the building, a concert there was a must. The concert was a regular subscription concert, but the program was selected to correspond with the exhibition and the symposium. Therefore, the Berlin concert audience got to hear more clarinet chamber music than usual. This was espe¬ cially true for the first half of the concert with very nice performances of the Diverti- menti No. 1 and No. 3, K 439b for three basset horns framing the lovely Adagio, K 411 in which two clarinets joined their three fellow musicians. The evening (and even so the whole day) culminated in an impec¬ cable performance of the Gran Partita, K 361 for 13 wind instruments which was absolutely brilliant and exceeded even the highest expectations for this concert!

A very strenuous and demanding Friday it was, but an enthralling and very enter¬

taining late night event kept everyone in the museum and awake until after midnight. (Free beers were another good reason for staying!) Helmut Eisel and JEM played klezmer music inspired by Jewish clari¬ netist Naftule Brandwein and incorporating elements from jazz, classical and avant- garde music. Clarinetist Eisel, who spoke more on his clarinet rather than just playing the instrument, had found two ideal part¬ ners in Stefan Engelmann (double bass) and Michael Marx (guitar). Besides creat¬ ing a great rhythmic basis for Eisel's im¬ provisations, they obviously enjoyed the humorous parts of the concert. The audi¬ ence was truly enthusiastic about Michael Marx's stunning voice acrobatics in imitat¬ ing Eisel's clarinet. Perhaps many of those present took that experience into their sleep that night and dreamed about what they had just heard!

Saturday morning again started early with the business meeting of the Deutsch Klarinetten Gesellschaft and continued with a recital shared by the students of Prof. Norbert Kaiser (Stuttgart) and Prof. Frank Ulrich Wurlitzer (Wiirzburg). The content of this program was solely virtuosic in nature.

The students from Stuttgart presented mainly classical or romantic German reper¬ toire, with the exception of Conclamatio by Kurt Dietmar Richter, performed by Rafael Caldentey. The composer was present and briefly explained the concept of his piece. The other pieces performed by Prof. Kai¬ ser's students were Michel Jost's Concerto in B' (Marion Henne), Burgmiiller's Duo in M Op. 15 (Wolfgang Bayer) and Weber's Concerto No. 2 in E^ (Andreas Langen- buch). The accompanist for all of these pieces was Katrin Randecker.

The young clarinetists from Wiirzburg had dedicated themselves to the French re¬ pertoire — Debussy's Premiere Rhapsody (Sergiy Radyuk), Frangaix's Tema con variazioni (Iwan Linnenbank) and Bozza's Fantasie italienne and Bucolique (Robert Dreksler) accompanied by Denette Whitter.

In the following lecture, Ulrike War- necke, an ambitious clarinet teacher from Erftstadt, pointed out the advantages of an early start on the clarinet, presenting her own innovative teaching drafts. Wamecke discussed several clarinet tutors regarding their demands and, above all, their motivat¬ ing elements. She described her success us¬ ing Rudolf Mautz's clarinet tutor Die froh-

liche Klarinette combined with several ex¬ ercises pertaining to children's concentra¬ tion and relaxation. Another matter of con¬ cern was the presentation of a c clarinet, specially designed for a child's ergonomic situation, by Joachim Kreul. According to Ulrike Wamecke, these clarinets have pro¬ ven themselves very well in her everyday teaching. "Lessons on the clarinet are al¬ ready possible with children aged about six," the experienced pedagogue stated underlining her success in this field by means of several sound examples and con¬ cert recordings by some of her pupils. During her complete talk, Ulrike Wamecke remained in constant contact with the audi¬ ence and answered individual questions very effectively. Moreover, she offered the possibility of a more intensive exchange of ideas with all clarinetists at the end of her informative and practical talk.

After a lunch break, Markus Heeb and Matthias Grimminger (clarinet), assisted by Jorg Wehner (bassoon), presented con¬ temporary literature suitable for students at the high school level. Besides three com¬ positions by the two clarinetists (Heeb's Canzone for clarinet solo and Grimmin¬ ger's Capriccio for two clarinets and Mo- saik for two clarinets and bassoon), Hen- ning Hagedorn's 5 Epigrams for wood¬ wind trio and Bernd Hanscke's Monolog for clarinet solo were also introduced.

Next the Ensemble Clarinesque showed the versatility and attractiveness of clarinet chamber music in a stylistically varied pro¬ gram. Besides compositions by Beethoven and Bernstein, the ensemble performed William Boyce's Symphony No. IV honor¬ ing Alan Hacker (who had written this ar¬ rangement), as well as some new transcrip¬ tions by Bruce Edwards. Of special note were Astor Piazzolla's Prelude No. 9 and Fugue No. 9 and Feast, a 12/8 time "study" by Bill Douglas showing the melodic,

I i 1 > I

The clarinet class of Prof. Joachim Klemm from the Dresden Hochschule (I to r): An¬ dreas Trejfurth, Vladyslav Vasylyev, Su- sanne Renk, Shingo Oku, Joachim Klemm and Daniel Rothe

June 2005 Page 63

harmonic and rhythmic influence of jazz and pop music. All of them were especially fascinating. Above all, rapid instrument changes within the whole clarinet family, as well as the musicians' flawless intona¬ tion were impressive. The Ensemble Clar- inesque performs every style of music sounding absolutely authentic.

The next item on the program was ano¬ ther recital shared by the students from two schools. Prof. Chen Halevi (Trossin- gen) had chosen contemporary literature for clarinet solo for his students' half of the program. Nadia Hamoudi (Clair by Franco Donatoni), Mareike Kirchmann (Sequenza IX A by Luciano Berio) and Michal Lew- kowitz (Tattoo For One by Poul Ruders) impressed with technical brilliance and convincing interpretations. Especially ef¬ fective was Twist and Shout by Niklas Si- velov performed by Nicole Kriiger (clari¬ net) and Nicole Lendle (motion). The piece describes episodes from the life of a mar¬ ionette linking the musical part of the clarinet to the choreographed movement of an assisting performer.

"Clarinet Wien-ternational" was the theme of the second half. Mag. Reinhard Wieser's (Vienna) students Thomas Fich- tinger and Sonja Hochgotz (accompanied by Sandra Jost) fulfilled this theme with a truly international program. Technically very skilled and with a perceptible joy in playing, they performed Jean Frangaix's Tema con variazioni, Francis Burt's Duo for clarinet and piano, Op. 7, and three movements from Michael Kibbe's Seren¬ ade for Two Clarinets.

A recital with compositions by Karl- Heinz Stockhausen had already been one of the highlights at the preceding clarinet sym¬ posium in Diisseldorf in 2002. Now there were high expectations for the perfor¬ mances of participants in the "Stockhausen course," which takes place every year pro¬ viding interested musicians with intensive study of Stockhausen's music. Actually Rechter Augenbrauentanz for eight clari¬ nets had been planned, but due to other commitments and illness, the program con¬ sisted of four solo pieces. The audience heard and saw (acting is a strong element in all of these compositions) excellent — yes even stunning — interpretations of In Freundschaft (Maja Pawelke), Der Kleine Harlekin (Antomia Lorenz) and Susani (Humi Sota-Klemm). The recital began with Freia and ended with Traumformel,

both presented by Michele Marelli on bas¬ set horn, whose tremendous ease at play¬ ing the most difficult microtonal passages is absolutely breathtaking! Learning this demanding music to such a level of per¬ fection and realizing the complex chore¬ ography requires an enormous amount of hard work. Anyone who manages this task deserves admiration, which can be said about each of the four young musicians in this recital.

Ulrich Mehlhardt, president of the Deutsche Klarinetten Gesellschaft, and Heike Fricke of the Museum

A completely different segment of the clarinet world was covered in a discussion on the question, "Which is the oldest exist¬ ing clarinet?" Jochen Seggelke of Bam- berg reported on how he had been given the rare opportunity of examining a clari¬ net from the Berkeley collection com¬ monly believed to be the oldest one. This instrument was also on exhibition in Berlin and shows the stamp of Johann Christoph Denner. Seggelke had been asked to make a mouthpiece for this instrument as only the body exists. He provided interesting in¬ formation on how he went about this task. He made an exact copy of the instrument, and it was fascinating to follow his re¬ marks on how he measured the exact di¬ mensions of the instrument. He then dem¬ onstrated the differences in sound when playing the copy with both cylindrical and conical mouthpieces he had made. The results were surprising and prompted a subject for discussion. The experts present took the opportunity and stayed together talking the matter over for quite a while!

The main event of Saturday evening was a really hot concert with the fabulous Vienna Clarinet Connection. This fine quartet had prepared mostly compositions or arrangements of their own. In the first half they stayed mainly with music inspired by eastern European folklore and klezmer.

The second half was more wide ranging also dealing with jazz and romantic reper¬ toire. Absolutely breathtaking was their quartet arrangement of the overture to Men¬ delssohn's Midsummer's Night's Dream. On hearing this, one clarinetist from the audience remarked, "Playing with these guys would really scare me." The audience loved their commentary during the program in which they turned on the old Viennese charm and displayed lots of verve and a great sense of humor. Indeed their perfor¬ mance was not just a concert, but a show which contributed to the "Connection's" great success in Berlin.

Saturday ended with a furious late-night event, again keeping everyone there until midnight. Claudio Puntin and Steffen Schorn gave an ideal demonstration of what is possible when two musicians use "tons" of instruments in order to express an incredible amount of creativity. Absolutely no limits! Puntin and Schorn play their own compositions and improvise extensively using extreme combinations, such as bass and contrabass clarinet and such unusual instruments as the tubax, a kind of contra¬ bass saxophone. This group is very enter¬ taining and very worthwhile to experience.

Scotsman James B. Wright's presenta¬ tion on historically significant radio record¬ ings was the first event on Sunday morn¬ ing, the last day of the symposium. He had chosen Rudolf Irmisch as his main point of interest. Irmisch held the position of princi¬ pal clarinetist with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of the NDR in Hamburg from 1948 until 1972. Besides describing Ir- misch's life, Mr. Wright had brought with him unpublished radio recordings out of the NDR Archives. He had been given permis¬ sion to copy these onto DAT directly from the master tapes. The clear and brilliant acoustic quality of these documents was more than surprising. Dating back as early as 1949 the sound was so alive that one could have believed Irmisch was just right there, playing at that moment. A recording of the Brahms E^ major sonata was of spe¬ cial interest in a double sense. In this re¬ cording prominent clarinetist Jost Michaels was Irmisch's excellent piano partner!

One of the main events planned for Sunday was a concert with the clarinet sec¬ tion of the Staatskapelle Berlin. Unfortu¬ nately, this event was cancelled due to ill¬ ness. The gap however was used for inten-


The clarinet choir of the Deutsche Klari- netten Gesellschaft, conducted by Christof Hilger, at the closing concert

sive exchange of information among the symposium participants.

So the next item was a most interesting presentation by Sir Nicholas Shackelton dealing with the French clarinet maker Jaques-Francois Simiot (1769-1844). Sir Nicholas — actually a professor of geo¬ logy at Cambridge — is well-known as one of the world's most important collec¬ tors and authorities in the field of historical clarinets. In fact, a great deal of the instru¬ ments on exhibit in Berlin came from his private collection. So it was only natural for him to talk about his favorite clarinet maker, Simiot. Sir Nicholas' presentation was very well done and went deeply into detail. High quality photographs and infor¬ mative remarks on Simiot's innovations, which are still in use in modem-day clari¬ net construction (such as the tube in the thumb hole), clearly confirm that Prof. Shackelton's high esteem for this instru¬ ment maker is justified. Typically British humor ended this presentation. The last photo shown was that of a cat! Sir Nicho¬ las explained, "This is a photo of my cat. It's name is Simiot."

The whole presentation is available for download in the power point format under <http://delphi.esc.cam.ac.uk/clarinet> or

<http://homepage.mac.com/georgkuehn- er/Powerpoint_Berlin/FileSharing60.htm>. Please note that this file is 48 MB in size!!

The Fourth German Clarinet Sympo¬ sium came to an end on Sunday afternoon with the clarinet choir of the Deutsche Kla- rinetten Gesellschaft, a closing concert that was a worthy representative of the whole event in Berlin. The choir had its beginning at the preceding clarinet symposium in Diisseldorf in 2002, where it came together for the first time as a festival choir. The meeting then was so welcomed by the par¬ ticipants that since then the choir regularly comes together twice a year. The closing concert gave clear evidence of what the ensemble has achieved under its conductor Christof Hilger. The program was very en¬ tertaining, the sound rich and balanced, in¬ tonation good, and technical requirements of the concert repertoire were fully met. Beginning with a sonata by Corelli and ending with two showy pieces by Belgian composers, Puszta by Jan van der Roost and Clownery by Harry Stalpers, the con¬ cert was highlighted by a very colorful ar¬ rangement of Debussy' s Nuages.

The next German Clarinet Symposium is planned for 2006 at a location yet to be chosen. Perhaps the readers of The Clarinet will be interested in visiting this event as a result of this report — at least we hope so. If you are interested in information about the Deutsche Klarinetten Gesellschaft and its activities, please visit <www.deutsche- klarinetten-gesellschaft.de>.

The Berlin exhibition is documented in a very interesting and excellently illustrated catalog published by Prestel Publications in Munich. (Faszination Klarinette, Editors Heike Fricke and Conny Restle, with arti¬ cles by Gunther Joppig, Heike Fricke, Die- thard Riehm, Eduard Brunner, Rudolf

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Michele Marelli performing Stockhau- sen 's Freia

Mauz, Jochen Seggelke, Jurgen Meyer, Joel Rubin and Eddie Daniels. 260p ISBN 3-7913-3180-9). It is available online from the museum at <http://www.sim.spk- berlin.de/deutsch/sim/index.html>. (Choose the "SIM" button, then "Publika- tionenW" where you will find a link to the museum's shop.)

All photos courtesy of Hans-Jurgen Midler

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M

usic hath charms, we all may find. Ingratiate deeply with the mind."

Thus wrote Mathew Green (1696- 1737). Little did he know at the time how "deeply with the mind" would be deter¬ mined by modem studies. In 1993, Gordon L. Shaw, PhD and his associate Frances Rauscher published an article in the British journal Nature. They stated: "listening to 10 minutes of the Mozart Sonata in D Ma¬

jor would cause a subsequent enhancement in reasoning." Preschool children were the subjects. This publication produced a flur¬ ry in the press that resulted in the term "Mozart Effect."

Rauscher and Shaw chose Mozart with good reason. The biographer, Davenport states: "He (God) planted in Wolfgang Mozart what is probably the purest, sheer¬ est genius ever bom in man." Frances Raus¬ cher had a strong background in music. She had been a successful professional cel¬ list from an early age and at the age of 24 "burned out" from the long hours of prac¬ tice and the stress of performance. Certainly her knowledge of music made the choice of Mozart an easy one.

Frances Rauscher cites the reason for choosing the Mozart sonata: "We (Frances and a composer friend) picked the Mozart Sonata because it is composed of a limited number of musical motives which appear in symmetry a number of times. It's an ex¬ tremely organized composition. The fact that it is a two piano sonata made it even more appealing, because there are more op¬ portunities for the motives to evolve from one piano to the next."

The excitement of this report incited experiments by scientists in many related areas. (See "Play Smart, Be Smart," The Clarinet, March 2003, Vol. 30, Number 3.) In essence, later studies have confirmed that listening to music or, better yet, play¬ ing music, enhances the learning and mem¬ orizing ability of the brain. It appears that

the earlier in a person's life this begins, the better. There are ongoing studies of preg¬ nant women, theorizing that the fetus bene¬ fits from hearing music as well. Dr. Thomas Vemy reports that fetuses preferred Mozart and Vivaldi to other composers in early as well as late stages of pregnancy. He found that fetal heart rates and kicking lessened when the above music was played. Other music, especially rock "drove most fetuses to distraction." They kicked violently when it was played to their mothers.

Prior to recent scientific studies it was well-known that music had a beneficial effect on the brain. Einstein, an avid vio¬ linist, was aware of this. His son stated: "Whenever he (Einstein) felt that he had come to the end of the road or into a diffi¬ cult situation in his work, he would take refuge in music and usually that would re¬ solve all his difficulties."

The results of carefully controlled stud¬ ies of the "Mozart Effect" are astonishing. In a study of 237 second grade students, Graziano et al (Neurological Research, March 1999) used keyboard training to determine improvement in math skills. These students showed 27% higher results than did the controls. Later the Department of Education in its own study established that these results had nothing to do with socioeconomic status.

The College Entrance Board in 2001 re¬ vealed that students with musical experi¬ ence scored 57 points higher on verbal skills and 41 points on the math skills.

An unusual study by Hamann and Wal¬ ker found that 36% of minority students chose music teachers as their role model. Next down the list were English teachers. Surprisingly only 7% chose sports teach¬ ers as their role model. Perhaps students should think about a major in music with a minor in English to be the most popular teacher on the campus.

In 1992, the Department of Education reported that disruptive students constitut¬ ed 12% of the normal classroom while less than 1% of these were involved in music.

According to a study by Rauscher and Shaw, disadvantaged preschoolers dis¬ play dramatic improvement in spatial rea¬ soning ability after music training.

The very best engineers and technical designers in Silicone Valley are musicians. (Grant Venerable, The Center for the Arts in the Basic Curriculum, New York, 1989). AT & T and DuPont have decreased the training time in new employees by using creative music programs. It was found that the accuracy of a group editing manu¬ scripts increased 21.3 percent while listen¬ ing to classical music. I guess my insis¬ tence on having calming music in the sur¬ gical suite was proper even though in pre¬ retirement days I had never heard of the Mozart Effect.

Just because it is known as the "Mo¬ zart Effect" does not mean that Mozart's music is the only music to produce en¬ hancement of our mental capabilities. Chris Brewer lists the music that pro¬ duces the same effect. Not only does he list the music but classifies the composi¬ tions according to the specific effect de¬ sired. He recommends music that calms, energizes or encourages learning. His re¬ commendations are directed specifically for the classroom though they can be used by anyone. This list can be found at chttp:// songsforteaching.homestead.com>.

The preferred musical compositions are from the Baroque period or by Mozart. The most important aspect of the music is that it be soothing. The tempo should be close to that of the human heart at a tempo of 60 beats per minute. The list suggested by Brewer (see above) does not limit his list to Baroque and Mozart but chooses music to fit most tastes.

As expected, rock and roll, heavy metal and rap music have the opposite effect. These venues increase the pulse and blood pressure and are distracting. The majority of teenagers in residential treatment facil¬ ities listen to more heavy metal than other teens. Not only the music itself but also the unpleasant lyrics of hate and degrada¬ tion affect the thinking of these children. It is of great importance that parents guide their children's listening habits into the proper channels.

Gordon Shaw proposed that music is a window into higher brain function. His book Keeping Mozart in Mind, published by Elsevier press, describes how this win¬ dow has been used.


Scientists at the University of Munster (Germany) discovered that an area of the brain used to analyze the pitch of a musical note is enlarged 25% in musicians. In the medical field music has been shown to be a useful therapeutic agent in patients with Parkinson's disease, autism, depression and Alzeimer's disease. Interleukin-1, a protein in the blood, assists in blood and platelet production. This adds up to pro¬ tection against cancer, AIDS and other- diseases. Exposure to music increases the level of interleukin-1 by 12% to 14%. Such diverse studies serve to indicate the extent of research associated with the "Mozart Effect." Those wishing to inves¬ tigate the scientific aspects should refer to Shaw's book.

No research is reported regarding which musical instrument is most effective in producing the "Mozart Effect." Due to the complexity of the fingering, the clarinet should rate high on the list recommended to the beginning student.

Why music plays such an important role in the function of the brain remains a difficult question. Is music an important part of our evolutionary cycle or is it just

an irrelevant activity? Does the use of music increase our survival chances? 70,000 years ago cave paintings depicted musical activity. Unfortunately, musical instruments have not survived the ravages of time. The oldest surviving musical in¬ struments were whistles made of reindeer bone found in Moravia (Music Through the Ages, Dr. Alexander Buchner, Batch- worth Press).

One theory suggests that vocalization was used as a means of attracting a mate as is considered true of birds, dolphins, whales and apes. Probably the first form of music was the clapping of hands to accom¬ pany dancing or rhythmical activity of some kind. This could have led to the devel¬ opment of percussive instruments. The whistles mentioned above might have been used to maintain contact between in¬ dividuals while hunting or traveling. By adding finger holes, the whistles later became flutes that allowed more precise communication between groups. This then improved survival by increasing group safety and communication.

Music may well have acted as a means of bonding, each group developing its own characteristic sounds and used for a means

of warning when threatened. The playing of bagpipes comes to mind. Certainly mu¬ sic had to play a part in our evolutionary cycle since it enhances our mental capabil¬ ities to such an extent.

Learning is accomplished by the audi¬ tory, visual, kinesthetic and tactile senses. Playing a musical instrument involves ev¬ ery one of these. Even without the "Mozart Effect" performing music must improve our learning ability by keeping these sens¬ es functioning at their best.

Today our position in the evolutionary scale is based in large part upon mental abilities. The fact that music increases these skills means that music should be incorporated to its fullest, not only in edu¬ cation, but also in almost every facet of our lives. Sadly, so many of our young¬ sters have never heard classical music or been exposed to musical instruments. Hopefully knowledge of the "Mozart Ef¬ fect" will increase and music will become a standard part of our educational system. Since music enhances our lives in so many ways, it behooves us, as clarinetists, to continue to promote the value of the ap¬ propriate music in every way we can.

In coming issues...

^ "Master Class" articles by Eric Mandat

and Deborah Chodacki

^ The Clarinetists of the National

Orchestra of Spain

C:^ An Interview with Julian Bliss

^ The Clarinet in India

June 2005 Page 67

dmsKieM (SmmMt

®M$wtu Awmwuy

by Naomi Drucker,

Clarinetist and Director

January 2005 marked the 40th anniver¬ sary of the American Chamber En¬ semble (ACE). In 1965, pianist

Blanche Abram and I formed ACE. We were young mothers and musicians, deter¬ mined to continue making our place in the world of music. In a world very different from today, with a strong sense of place and a need to perform close to home, the music journey began in libraries and churches and for civic organizations. ACE brought ima¬ ginative concerts for clarinet and/or piano with strings, woodwinds and voice to an audience eager to hear the world's great chamber music in local venues.

Now in its 40th year of continuous per¬ formances, ACE has a superb reputation and loyal audience for its concerts, record¬ ings, commissions, world premieres and support of American music and Long Is¬ land composers.

In 1978, ACE began a residency at Hof- stra University in Hempstead, New York, which continues to this day. Because ACE is Long Island-based, it has, since 1980, in¬ cluded at each concert a work celebrating the Festival of Long Island Composers. The purpose is to help our audience realize that today's composer could be their neighbor, whose contribution to our culture, although relatively unrecognized, is very important.

Although venues have included the Na¬ tional Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, the 92nd St. YMHA, CAMI Hall, Christ and St. Ste¬ phen's Church, the Nassau County Muse¬ um of Art, and prestigious universities, it is the Long Island audience that is the soul of our American Chamber Ensemble.

As part of our 40th anniversary cel¬ ebration, Elysium Records released in March of 2005 The American Chamber Ensemble Plays Peter Schickele, four chamber works of this American master, who conducted and participated in the re¬ cording sessions.

ACE has commissioned and presented world premiers by Long Island composers Elie Siegmeister, Albert Tepper, Marga Richter, Dana Richardson, Edward Smal- done, Jerry Rizzi, Herbert Deutsch, Leo Kraft, Benjamin Lees, Adrienne Elisha, Julie Mandel, Arkady Kougell and Irwin Swack; and American composers Meyer Kupferman, Vally Weigl, Max Lifchitz, David Hollister, Joelle Wallach, Katherine Hoover and Josef Alexander.

We have also performed music by Am¬ erican composers Morton Gould, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, Leonard Bern¬ stein, Judith Lang Zaimont, Philip James, Miriam Gideon, Daniel Gregory Mason, Charles Ives, George Kleinsinger, Douglas Moore, Amy Beach, George Gershwin, Alan Hovhaness, Robert Starer, Haskell Small, David Schiff, Robert Muczynski, Howard Boatwright, and many others. We have recorded works by these composers for Elysium, Leonardo, Gasparo, Sound- spells, Cala, Dionysus and 4Tay.

I have worked with my colleague and co-director, pianist Blanche Abram, for 40 years, and a better partnership cannot be found. We met when our children were ba-

Naomi Drucker, Stanley Drucker (© Steve J. Sherman)

bies, and while life with all its duties, com¬ plications and joys has swirled around us, we have continued giving our ACE con¬ certs, practicing, rehearsing, and being friends. With our wonderful musicians, we have performed most of the chamber music available to our combination of instru¬ ments. The core members of ACE, who have performed with us for 25 years, are Marilyn Sherman Lehman, piano; Eriko Sato, violin; Deborah Wong, violin; Lois Martin, viola; and Chris Einckel, cello.

I want to tell you about my very ordi¬ nary background. I am from Long Island, a local product of this place, like Long Island potatoes or Great South Bay clams. I was born and grew up in Ereeport, at a time when nobody locked their back doors, everyone walked to school, and summers were spent at Jones Beach. Music was a natural part of life in my home, for my Dad played the saxophone and clarinet in dance bands, for shows and in nightclubs.

I started to play my Dad's clarinet at age 8. I loved the sound of the clarinet, loved learning to play, and soon became a big shot player in the fourth grade. My father encouraged and supported me every day of my life. He told me that I could become anything I wanted to be. There was no limit or obstacle, and being female was a non-factor.

During my student years, I studied clar¬ inet with James DeJesu, Robert Grant, Jan Williams, Gustave Langenus, Clark Brody and Leon Russianoff, and played in every community orchestra from Great Neck to Bay Shore.

While in high school, I became friends with Walter and Gustav Mueller of the Penzel-Mueller Company, and had the thrill of going to their factory in Long Is¬ land City, where they assisted me in choosing my first set of A and B'' clarinets. Since then, for 50 years, I have played on Buffet clarinets and use an original B45 Vandoren mouthpiece and Vandoren reeds VI2, No. 3-1/2.

I attended Hofstra University (then Hof- stra College) at a time when it was a small college where the music department was


Monochrome III recording session, January 2004 (I to r): Robert Yam ins, Stanley Drucker, Dana Perna (producer), Mindy Dragovich, Peter Schickele (composer), Peter Weinberg, Naomi Drucker, Amy Shapiro, Mitchel Estrin, Jess Gross and Lawrence Sobol

housed in a quonset hut. I received a fine education there and took many courses with our famous Great Neck composer Elie Siegmeister, whose music is played all over the world.

New York City was a resource center for me, where I trained at the National Or¬ chestra Association under conductor Leon Barzin, attended New York Philharmonic conceits and studied at the Manhattan stu¬ dio of Leon Russianoff, the great clarinet teacher. That was where I met my future husband, Stanley Drucker, who joined the New York Philharmonic at age 19.

While I was still a student at Hofstra College, I won an audition and became the first clarinetist of the North Carolina Sym¬ phony. I was 21 years old, and at that time no orchestra had a full-year season, not even the New York Philharmonic. The North Carolina Symphony had an 18-week sea¬ son starting in January, so I took a leave of absence for the spring and then returned to Hofstra for summer and fall semesters. Hofstra continued my scholarship, arranged for me to study privately with faculty to make up courses, and really helped me to achieve my goals of becoming a teacher, an orchestral player and a soloist.

For me, teaching is the most important work I do. For better or worse, we are all shaped by our teachers. I have been a mem¬ ber of the Music Department of Hofstra University since 1969. I love teaching, and have been teaching clarinet since I was 16 years old. When I was a new teacher, I taught only the clarinet, but now the clar¬

inet is the "cover" to teach about loving music, communicating and interpreting the music, and bringing joy, humor, romance, comfort or peace to those who come to lis¬ ten. It is a way to teach about personal goals, integrity, artistic honesty and self-discipline.

Music makes a difference in everyone's life. I am thrilled every time I introduce the Mozart Clarinet Concerto to a 13- or 14- year-old, for I know that Mozart and that Concerto will become a part of the fabric of that student's being. His or her life will never be the same for having practiced and strived to bring the beauty of that music through mind and body, from the black dots and lines on the white music paper, into living and breathing music. I never get over the wonder of it!

Stanley and I were married in 1956, and we began a life together that has enriched us and made us very happy. Every kind of music has filled our lives. Our daughter Rosanne and son Leon are both profession¬ al musicians. Their music making in the blues, country music, and rock-and-roll fields has given us great pride and pleasure. Leon, aka Lee Rocker, is a bass player and a founding member of the Stray Cats. Ro¬ sanne is a country music singer/song writer.

My dad was very proud of me and Stan¬ ley, and he loved to hear us play together. He always joked and said when speaking about us, "he also plays," which leads me to a little anecdote that all our friends know, which took place when Stanley and I went on a tour of Japan many years ago: Stanley and I were playing a nationally

televised concert and Stanley was inter¬ viewed between pieces. To his great sur¬ prise, he was asked, "Who plays better, you or your wife?" He was able to answer, "Well, her father thinks she does."

In addition to my work with ACE, I am principal clarinetist of the New York Vir¬ tuosi Chamber Symphony, and extra clar¬ inet when needed at the New York Phil¬ harmonic. I have toured and recorded with both orchestras.

In 1991, the Nassau Symphony and con¬ ductor Andrew Schenk commissioned our friend Meyer Kupferman to write a double clarinet concerto for Stanley and me. It was dedicated to the memory of Leon Rus¬ sianoff, teacher of all three of us (Andrew Schenk was also a clarinetist), and pre¬ miered at Hofstra University. In 2000, Stanley, Meyer and I traveled to Prague to record and perform the concerto with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman conducting.

In 2002, Stanley and I performed the Krommer Concerto for Two Clarinets and Orchestra, Op. 32 with the Manhattan Phil¬ harmonic under the direction of Peter Tiboris, at Carnegie Hall. In 2003, we pre¬ miered Fantasy for Two Clarinets and Or¬ chestra, written for us by Edward Thomas, and performed by the New York Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Kenneth Klein con¬ ducting, at Merkin Hall, New York City.

We have performed in concert together all over the world and have wonderful ca¬ reers, which crisscross all the time.

Music is my life. I am a musician. I am very proud of that. I am truly blessed. All of my childhood dreams have come true. I wanted to be a soloist on the clarinet, I wanted to play with great orchestras, I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted a loving husband and children. Actually, much, much more has come to pass than I ever would have dreamed.

Discography

AMERICAN CLARINET TREA¬ SURES. George Kleinsinger: Quintet for Clarinet and Strings', Elliott Carter: Pastorale for Clarinet and Piano; Virgil Thomson: Five Portraits for Four Clar¬ inets:; Douglas Moore: Quintet for Clar¬ inet and Strings; Gary Schocker: Sonata for Two Clarinets and Piano. Elysium CD GRK 718. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram, piano, Marilyn Sherman

June 2005 Page 69

Lehman, piano, Eriko Sato, violin, Lois Martin, viola, Chris Finckel, cello, Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Dennis Smylie, alto clarinet, Stephen Freeman, bass clarinet

Elie Siegmeister: Prelude, Blues and Finale for Two Clarinets and Piano. Gasparo CD GSS-2008. Naomi Druc¬ ker, clarinet, Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram, piano

Stanley Drucker and Naomi Drucker Play Meyer Kupferman. Triple Play, Soundspells Fantasy, Quartet for Clarinet and Strings; Five Flings; Four Double Features. Soundspells CD102. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram, piano, Kazuko Hayami, piano, The Laurentian String Quartet

Woman in Darkness — Music for Thea¬ ter, Cabaret and Concert Stage by Herbert A. Deutsch. 4Tay CD4012. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Ab¬ ram, piano and synthesizer, Deirdre Kingsbury, soprano, Chris Finckel, cello, Donald Larsen, percussion

Albert Tepper: Duos and Trios. Trio Ba- rocco; The Toy Flute; Suite for Clarinet and Bassoon; Sonata for Violin and

Standing (I to r): Chris Finkel, cello; Deborah Wong, violin; Eriko Sato, violin; Lois Martin, viola; Naomi Drucker, clarinet; seated (I to r): Blanche Abram, piano; Marilyn Sherman Lehman, piano

Piano; Three Inventions on DBH\ A Shakespeare Garland', Moorish Drone Dance. 4Tay CD4014. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram, piano, Deirdre Kingsbury, mezzo soprano, Eriko Sato, violin, Lois Martin, viola, Chris Fin¬ ckel, cello, Patricia Spencer, flute, Bra- den Toan, bassoon

The American Chamber Ensemble. Jud¬ ith Land Zaimont: From the Great Land for Mezzo, Clarinet and Piano. Valley Weigl: Songs of Remembrance for Mezzo, Clarinet and Piano; Paul Hindemith: Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello and Piano. Leonarda CD LE 329. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram, piano, Deirdre Kingsbury, mezzo soprano, Timothy Baker, violin, Chris Finckel, cello

The Orchestral Music of Meyer Kupfer¬ man. Volume 14 — Double Concerto for Two Clarinets and Orchestra. Soundspells Productions CD 133. Stan¬ ley & Naomi Drucker, clarinets, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman, conductor

Music for Doubles. Franz Krommer: Con¬ certo for Two Clarinets and Orchestra, Op. 35. Elysium GRK 714. Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Naomi Drucker, clar¬ inet, Bohulslav Martinu Philharmonic, Peter Tiboris, conductor

Dana Richardson: Sonata for Cello and Piano. Dionysian LP DR101. Blanche Abram, piano, Chris Finckel, cello

Marga Richter: Sonora for Two Clarinets and Piano. Leonarda LPI 122. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram, piano

New York Legends: Stanley Drucker. Elie Siegmeister: Prelude, Blues and Finale for Two Clarinets and Piano; Poulenc: Sonata for Two Clarinets. Cala CD CACD0509. Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Ka¬ zuko Hayami, piano

American Chamber Ensemble Plays Peter Schickele. Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano; Monochrome III for 9 Clarinets', Serenade for Three for Violin, Clarinet, Piano', Octet for Clari¬ net, Bassoon, French Horn, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello and Double Bass. Elysium CD GRK 725. Naomi Drucker, clarinet, Blanche Abram and Marilyn Sherman Lehman, piano, Eriko Sato and Deborah Wong, violin, Lois Martin, viola, Chris Finckel, cello, Kurt Muroki, double bass, Braden Toan, bassoon, Eva Conti, French horn and The Clarinet Band — Stanley Drucker, Naomi Drucker, Mit¬ chell Estrin, Lawrence Sobol, Robert Yamins, Peter Weinberg, Amy Shapiro, Mindy Dragovich and Jess Gross.

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by Paul Globus

The clarinet enjoys wide popularity in many countries. In Europe it is as ubiquitous as the violin, with well-

established "schools" of clarinet playing in France, Germany, England and Italy. There are also offshoots of the main approaches to the instrument that have taken hold in just about every country you can name.

One place with a particular affinity for the clarinet is Hungary. In the ancient land of the Magyars, the clarinet reigns sup¬ reme. Some have even suggested that no other instrument comes as close to the Hungarian soul as does the clarinet.

If our favorite instrument is indeed the voice of the Hungarians, it has to be be¬ cause of its ability to express the extremes of human emotion, from the euphoric to the melancholy. Without a doubt the natural richness and intensity of the clarinet's sound appeals to the Hungarians, a people for whom passion and intensity are some¬ thing of an art form. In short, the instru¬ ment and the people would seem to be made for each other.

The best way to learn about the place of the clarinet in Hungary is to talk to some of the country's leading players and teachers. I had that pleasure recently while visiting Budapest.

In a rare meeting at the famous Franz Liszt Academy, I sat down with six of the country's top clarinetists and had a free¬ wheeling discussion about everything from reeds and teaching to which high profile players they most admire.

Excerpts of that discussion follow. The participants were (in alphabetical order): Jozsef Balogh, director of InterClarinet Master School and Europa Art School, and former principal with the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and the Hungarian Radio Orchestra; Tibor Dittrich, professor of clar¬ inet at the Franz Liszt Academy and former principal clarinet with the Hungarian Radio Orchestra; Istvan Kohan, principal clarinet with the Budapest Operette Theatre and professor at the Dohnanyi Music School; Bela Kovacs, professor of clarinet at the

Franz Liszt Academy, professor at the Graz Hochshule fur Musik, and recipient of the Kossuth Prize, Hungary's most prestigious arts award; Gabor Mihaltz, PhD., professor at the Teacher's College of the Franz Liszt Academy, former principal clarinet with the MAY Symphony Orchestra; and Istvan Varga, principal clarinet with the Hungar¬ ian National Philharmonic Orchestra and professor at the Teacher's College of the Franz Liszt Academy.

PG: What accounts for the clarinet's long and proud tradition in Hungary?

Dittrich: There was always something si¬ milar to the clarinet played in this coun¬ try. Hungarians like the sound of the clarinet. It appeals to us on a deep level. The tarogato, which is related to the clarinet, was an instrument used by the Turks. As you may know, the Turks were here, as uninvited guests, for sev¬ eral hundred years. The tarogato also played an important role in the Rakoczi revolution. Afterwards, the authorities burned a lot of them because they sym¬ bolized the revolution.

PG: So I take it that today many young people in Hungary still want to play the clarinet.

Dittrich: There are fewer serious clarinet students coming along than 20 years ago. But the drop is not as severe as it is with other wind instruments, such as the flute and the oboe.

Kovacs: I would add that studying the clarinet is expensive and there are fewer opportunities to play professionally than in years past. That's a big part of the reason for the drop in the number of stu¬ dents compared to 20 or 30 years ago.

PG: What about the quality of teaching? Mihaltz: There are top schools in Buda¬

pest, naturally. But there are also excel¬ lent schools outside of the capital where the teaching of music, and the clarinet in particular, is on a very high level. Even in the high schools, the quality of teach¬ ing and playing can be surprisingly good.

PG: Is studying clarinet at the Liszt Aca¬ demy a four-year course?

Dittrich: Yes. I think that in North Amer¬ ica you distinguish between performers and teachers, and have different courses of study for each. Here at the Academy we don't. We teach students to become proficient players over four years of study. Those who eventually make the grade professionally can also teach, if they so desire.

PG: Tell me about the process of enrolment. Dittrich: Students are accepted based on an

audition in front of the teachers. But it's always a judgment call. We've seen it many times when students who are not accepted at the Liszt Academy, which is the top school in Budapest, end up win¬ ning competitions in Europe or even in America. So our judgement is never infallible.

Kohan: The key is to evaluate students as individuals. When I listen to young players, it takes me about a minute or two to understand the sound concept. Sometimes the sound isn't great but there's something that just grabs me. I once evaluated a little boy. He had this flat sound. I don't know what he was doing, but it was like magic. It was ob¬ vious that there was a link between the boy and the instrument, even though he was not playing correctly.

PG: Hungary is next door to Austria and Germany. One would think that you would all play the German system. Yet you all play French.

Kovacs: That's true but before the war, we all played German. Even I played Ger¬ man for the first two years. But after the war, there was an instantaneous switch to the French system, which dominates in Hungary to this day.

Varga: I believe Gyorgy Balassa is most responsible for the switch. He taught here at the Liszt Academy at the time. They say he forced everyone to switch to the French system overnight.

June 2005 Page 71

top row (I to r): Bela Kovdcs, Gdbor Mihdltz, Istvdn Kohan, Tibor Dittrich; Front row (I to r): Paul Globus, Jozsef Balogh, Istvdn Varga

Dittrich: That's right. I started playing the German system in 1954. In 1958 he told me I must change to the French system. I recall that in 1962, when I began play¬ ing in the Radio Orchestra, there were still two players in the section using the German system.

Varga: I heard stories that in the early 1950s, you could be playing German one day and be expected to play French the next. Just imagine what that must have been like. There were a few whose career probably ended because they couldn't make the switch.

Kohan: It's true that the French system predominates here today. But you see a trend where more than half of the play¬ ers are using German-made French style mouthpieces on their Boehm clarinets. That probably contributes to the typical sound you hear from Hungarian players, which tends to be closer to the darker, German sound.

PG: Do you perceive big differences be¬ tween the German and French systems from a sound perspective?

Kovacs: Certainly I agree that the Germans tend to favor a darker sound. But there's really no great disparity between the two systems.

Mihaltz: To your point, they've done stud¬ ies that prove there's no real difference between the German and the French system. By that I mean audiences can¬ not tell which is which. But many peo¬ ple believe, me included, that the French system enables the player to produce a richer, more colorful and varied sound.

PG: Is one system easier to master than the other, in your opinion?

Mihaltz: I would say the German system is easier. But the person who knows best

about that in this room is Jozsef Balogh, who plays both equally well.

Balogh: Which is easier? Well, German in¬ struments have never been made on an assembly line, like Buffets and Selmers. They're custom made, in small shops. A German system instrument isn't neces¬ sarily better or worse. It's different. With a French instrument, you have to find the right mouthpiece, the right reed. Everything is very critical to the final re¬ sult. With a German instrument, the re¬ sistances are distributed differently. You can just pick it up and play it. From that perspective, they're easier to play.

PG: Do you have a preference? Balogh: For orchestra playing, I used to

use a German instrument, especially

for the older pieces. With my chamber group, Interclarinet, I play a French sys¬ tem, as do my colleagues.

PG: Do you have to change your playing techniques when switching from one to the other?

Balogh: There are differences in the finger¬ ing. But it's still a clarinet, whether based on one design or the other. With practice, any competent French player can learn to play a German system and vice versa.

PG: It would be like double-lip embou¬ chure, I suppose. There are many play¬ ers in North America and elsewhere who can play single and double-lip with equal facility.

Balogh: Precisely. It's a question of desire and practice. Both systems, German and French, are valid in my judgement. It's nice to be able to have the choice.

PG: Speaking of double lip embouchure, is it used to any great extent in Hungary?

Dittrich: We don't teach it here at the Aca¬ demy.

Mihaltz: It's certainly interesting that people play that way but I believe it's possible to achieve excellent results with a conventional, single-lip embou¬ chure. I think almost everyone here plays that way.

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PG: What about vibrato? Balogh: I sometimes play with vibrato. Vi¬

brato has its place. It certainly doesn't work in every piece of music, though.

Dittrich: We don't generally teach it. But I agree that vibrato can be beautiful. When I do teach it, I teach it properly.

Kohan: If it's part of the sound concept, it can work. But it has to be integral to the sound.

PG: So let me ask you all if you believe there is a discemable Hungarian style of clarinet playing.

Dittrich: Yes, it's called "Bela Kovacs" style.

[This quip, a nod to the fact that Mr. Ko¬ vacs is a well-known teacher and per¬ haps the best known Hungarian clarinet player outside of his native country, ge¬ nerated a good-natured laugh from all.]

Varga: Heinrich Baerman's son was the first teacher from Austria in Hungary. So if there's such a thing as a Hungar¬ ian style, it would be traceable to him. But I doubt if you would be able to tell by listening to us that we are Hungar¬ ian players.

Kovacs: There's no discernable Hungar¬ ian style of clarinet playing as far as I can tell. We are a small country and try to take what is good from every nation¬ al style and adapt it into our own way of playing.

PG: So as in North America and elsewhere these days, style is highly individualistic.

Kovacs: Precisely. Everybody is looking for his or her own sound. In the German tradition, they will always try to go for the sound that they are used to and pre¬ fer. What does a clarinet say to a French player? Obviously something complete¬ ly different than it does to a German player. Those are the national traits. But individual preferences will always over¬ ride national traits.

Kohan: I would add that even people who play identical styles will sound like indi¬ viduals because everybody is an individ¬ ual and has a different mode of expres¬ sion. So style and the individual are in¬ separable. Two sides of the same coin.

Kovacs: Style also depends on the sophisti¬ cation of the audience. A more sophisti¬ cated audience will demand a more so¬ phisticated style. A sensitive player will respond to that, further diluting any so- called Hungarian style.

PG: Which clarinet recording artists do you most admire?

Dittrich: I don't have one favorite. There could be a recording that I hear where the clarinet really stands out. Something just grabs me in the music and the way the clarinetist plays.

Mihaltz: Even when listening to an orches¬ tra that could happen. You hear the clar¬ inet and it just strikes you as beautiful. And you don't even know the clarinet¬ ist's name but at that moment, he or she is your favorite.

Kovacs: There are so many it's hard to choose. I do like Antony Pay very much.

Varga: Certainly Karl Leister and Sabine Mayer must be mentioned. And I very much admired the late Jack Brymer.

Balogh: For me, too, Antony Pay is a fa¬ vorite, especially on the old instruments. I still like Marcellus as well.

PG: Okay, one last question. What about reeds? Do you use commercial reeds or make your own ?

Balogh: As I am a Rico Artist, I use Grand Concert, Evolution. But sometimes I make some on my own.

Mihaltz: I teach my students how to make reeds. But most give it up because it's

too time consuming. It's a lot easier to purchase commercial reeds and adjust them. Besides, manually you can't make reeds perfectly.

Kohan: We generally don't make our own reeds. I think in Hungary we use mostly Vandoren reeds.

Dittrich: When it started at the Liszt Aca¬ demy with Professor Balassa, we were required to learn how to make reeds by hand. But that was back in the 1950s. Nowadays there's no such requirement. Almost everyone uses commercial reeds and learns to adjust them.

Varga: I encourage my students to learn to play with any reed. Naturally, they all eventually learn how to adjust their reeds, which is an essential part of play¬ ing. But I tell them not to become ob¬ sessed about reeds. I mean, how often do any of us play on a perfect reed?

Kovacs: I also think it's important to learn flexibility with reeds. It generally takes students a long time to learn how to ad¬ just reeds properly. With experience, one's flexibility in playing different reeds tends to improve. You have to learn to play the reed and not to let the reed play you.

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June 2005 Page 73

by Katharine Whitelaw

I

vegottapractice. Definition: exclama¬ tion used to express imperative need to practice clarinet, pronounced as one

word. Uttered with increasing frequency around our house as certain performances approach. Used in response to all kinds of

statements; for example, "How was your day?" "Ivegottapractice." "The dog had puppies!" "Ivegottapractice." "Karl Leis¬ ter called and he's coming for dinner." "Ivegottapractice."

You clarinetists certainly do have to practice a lot. That's in addition to having your clarinet (or clarinets — perhaps sever¬ al of them) in good working order, and hav¬ ing good reeds.

You have to practice a lot because com¬ posers ask a great deal of you in music like Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe, Stravinsky's Firebird, Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, Strauss's Til Eidenspiegel, etc. I've heard the excerpts hundreds of times at home. When I attend a live performance of one of these works, no matter who is playing clarinet, I get sweaty palms. I hope the clarinetist plays well, so well that we lis¬ teners hear the music and not the diffi¬ culty. Because that's what it's really about (remember?) — it's about playing amazing music for which composers specifically chose the clarinet.

These pieces are the subject of endless discussions whenever clarinetists gather and the topic of many articles in The Clar¬ inet. "What fingering do you use for the

The Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain. President: JACK BRYMER, O.B.E

WHO IS CASS FOR? CASS is for everyone with an interest in the clarinet or saxophone whether players or non-players, young or old, beginners or professionals.

WHAT DOES CASS DO? CASS has as its aim the promotion of the clarinet and saxophone and their music. To this end it publishes a quarterly magazine, organises regular congresses and workshops, and runs an extensive music library.

THE MAGAZINE The quarterly magazine "Clarinet and Saxophone" is free to all members. It covers all aspects of both instruments with news and reviews of concerts, recordings, music and instruments, plus profiles of leading players, historical and technical articles, and features on all styles of music. It also provides a forum for the exchange of members' ideas and questions.

In addition to the magazine CASS produces a handbook of useful information such as members' addresses, library and

magazine catalogues and other resources There is also an instrument insurance

scheme available to CASS members giving a 10% discount on policies from British Reserve.

THE CONFERENCE A high point of CASS activities is the annual summer conference held at a different venue around the country each year, when members have an opportunity to meet, play together and participate in masterclasses and discussions. Regular features of the event are concerts and clinics given by top international soloists and ensembles from all fields of music.

Smaller workshops are mounted throughout the year as well as courses designed specifically for teachers.

THE LIBRARY CASS members may borrow from a library which contains a large number of works for clarinet and saxophone, including some very rare material, as well as a great range of ensemble music for almost any combination of single reed instruments.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

All fees to be paid in sterling

Subscriptions UK & Eire Europe All others

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£23.00 £25.00 £30.00

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Membership applications and enquiries to:

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I've Heard'the excerpts

hundreds of times at home,

when I attend a five

jperjormance of one of

these works, no matter

who ispaying clarinet,

I get sweaty pafms.

high Gs in the trio in Beethoven's Sym¬ phony No. 8?" "What clarinet do you use to play the ' Variacione in moda di Scherzo per Clarinetto' in Ginastera's Variaziones con¬ cert antes'T' "I just can't get double trills to work in the Scherzo of Mendelssohn's A Midsummer's Night Dream."

We audience members are grateful that you practice so much. What other instru¬

ment could play the solo in The Pines of Rome by Respighi? Or open Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue or Sibelius' First Sym¬ phony? (For those of you who don't know exactly what part I'm talking about in each of the pieces I've mentioned, get a record¬ ing and listen. You've got work to do.)

Robert Marcellus said it's never too late to practice slowly. That's why I hear my husband slowly playing the opening of Daphnis and Chloe for the 50th time, tell¬ ing his fingers again exactly how to move. I hear the metronome click faster and faster

as the end of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony goes from slow practice up to concert speed. I hear the bass clarinet solo in Sho¬ stakovich's Symphony No. 7 over and over as each phrase is polished to perfection.

Suddenly it's concert time. Shostako¬ vich's musical stage has been set and the bass clarinet solo begins. The audience leans forward. What instrument is that? As the final notes of the solo disappear into nothing, people hold their breath. How does the clarinetist take such risks and succeed? In a word, "Ivegottapractice."

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Book Review

by Joseph Messenger

Daniel N. Leeson. The Mozart Forgeries. iUniverse Inc., 2004, $19.95.

Dan Leeson is well-known to readers of The Clarinet from the many articles he has contributed to the journal over the years. A retired IBM executive, he has also had a busy career as a performing clarinetist/bass clarinetist, and now teaches math to college students in California. He has somehow found the time to become one of America's leading Mozart scholars and has published articles in the Mozart Jahrbuch and is one of the editors for the Neue Mozart Ausgabe. It is, therefore, no surprise that this delight¬ ful work of fiction concerns both Mozart and the clarinet. According to Leeson, the book was written partly as a response to the movie Amadeus. Although the movie was wonderfully entertaining and inspired many people to listen to and talk about Mozart (a good thing in itself), it was panned by crit¬ ics for the many historical inaccuracies in the story. He decided to write a fictional book about Mozart which would be enter¬ taining but which would also be complete¬ ly accurate historically. In addition, it could be an early entrant in the Mozart 250th an¬ niversary celebration in 2006. He has suc¬ ceeded admirably on all counts. The book is readable and understandable by a non-musi¬ cian, but a Mozart aficionado and, more par¬ ticularly a clarinetist, will also find the book fascinating and difficult to put down.

The story has two basic characters, known only by their occupational names: Librarian, a manager of music manuscripts in the Special Collections of the Music Di¬ vision of the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center, and Forger, a master forger who had so skillfully created counterfeit $100 bills that he was caught only after re¬ fusing to do additional counterfeiting for the mob and they had blown the whistle on him to the Treasury Department. They have been friends since childhood and their joint caper will be to forge the original auto¬ graphs of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto and the Clarinet Quintet, which every clar¬ inetist knows have been lost since shortly after Mozart gave them to Anton Stadler. The payoff for this effort will be at least $20,000,000 at auction.

Leeson goes into great detail about the preparations that have to be made for this

Reviews

project, including making the proper paper, creating the correct ink, finding the right type of bird for the quill pens, and repro¬ ducing the correct watermark. While all of this might sound somewhat boring and te¬ dious, it is wonderfully fascinating and al¬ lows Leeson to present all sorts of informa¬ tion about the missing autographs and 18th- century music in general. The reader will not only be entertained but will also come away with much new-found knowledge and an appreciation of the difficulties of authen¬ ticating old music.

Lest the reader think that the knowledge and skill of the two perpetrators will make this venture a cakewalk, Leeson constantly introduces traps and pitfalls that seem sure to trip up even the most clever con-men. They not only have to fool the document experts with the physical autograph, but there is also the problem of what Mozart actually wrote in the clarinet part, since the basset clarinet part that currently exists is to a large degree speculation. They are only small steps away from failure throughout the process, and the ingenious ways in which they solve the problems keep the reader on the edge until the final surprise twist at the end of the book. In the best tra¬ dition of mystery writing, there is even a murder included.

This book should be required reading for every clarinetist, if only for the histor¬ ical material included. Delightfully, there is a great deal more here than simply an¬ other treatise on the history of the clarinet and its music, and Mozart would surely be laughing at the preposterous scheme which unfolds in Leeson's skillful hands. One can hope that he is not done with fic¬ tion with this volume. Leeson has also re¬ cently published a marvelous book about the Mozart Requiem that will be of interest to many readers.

More information about the books can be found at <www.leesonbooks.com>. Read this book tonight!!

Music Reviews

by Michele Gingras

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. Clarinet Concerto. Clarinet with orchestra (Solo Cl. Fl., Ob., Bsn., 2 Hn., Cornet, strings, Perc.) Merion Music (U.S. agent: Theodore Presser), 2003. $25.00 for study score. Duration: 28'. (Parts available separately)

A prolific composer in virtually all gen¬ res, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's works have been performed by most of the leading American orchestras and major ensembles around the world. Composer Pierre Boulez was an important instigator in launching her career by conducting her Symposium for Orchestra at Juilliard in 1975. In 1983, she was propelled into international focus by winning the Pulitzer Prize for her Sym¬ phony No. 1. Her clarinet concerto was commissioned by the Arlene and Milton D. Berkman Philanthropic Fund in recog¬ nition of David Shifrin, Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Zwilich also wrote a clarinet quin¬ tet with strings.

Zwilich's Clarinet Concerto is some¬ what unusual in that it was composed amidst the 9/11 tragedy, thus transforming the second movement into an "Elegy." New York reviewer Peter G. Davis writes: "The instrumentally brilliant opening is brash, hectic, and streetwise, the perfect picture of a city going about its business until stopped in its tracks. After the scream-punctuated lament, the rest of the work struggles to pick up the pieces and restore a semblance of normality, ending on a note of cautious optimism. It's all done with the most skill¬ ful application and development of its musical materials — a score truly inspired by a tragic event and one that is likely to transcend it." —New York metro.com.

The orchestral parts are quite challeng¬ ing, with mixed meters throughout the four movements (fast-slow-fast-slow). The clar¬ inet solo starts at bar 16 with a short ca¬ denza, followed by a series of vigorous and demanding technical passages encompass¬ ing all registers amidst a series of relatively short rests. The second movement entitled Elegy: September 11 is a serene slow move¬ ment with sparse instrumentation. The third


movement depicts a sort of gradual awak¬ ening in the aftermath of tragedy with re¬ peated fast ascending scales crescendoing until the clarinet's entrance in the altissimo register, followed by forceful accen¬ tuated passages until the ultimate crying scream at the end. A post-chaos slow move¬ ment follows, ending the piece peacefully. The clarinet part is of professional level, with a generous amount of altissimo-register passages throughout the four move¬ ments. The score contains clear instruc¬ tions, and it is beautifully engraved on su¬ perior paper quality. [See also, "The Clar¬ inet Concerto of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich" by Jesse Krebs, The Clarinet, March 2005, pp. 58-60. Ed.]

Melvin Warner. The New Rose Studies for Clarinet. Carl Fischer, 2002, $9.95.

Melvin Warner, professor emeritus of clarinet and chamber music at Northern Il¬ linois University, received a B.M. and a M.M. from the University of Southern Cali¬ fornia. He taught at San Diego State Uni¬ versity and the University of California at San Diego. During summer months he pre¬ viously taught at the Hartt Summer Youth Music Camp and the Birch Creek Music Center. Most recently, he served on the fac¬ ulty of Idyllwild Arts in California and as a member of Midsummer's Music, a cham¬ ber ensemble performing every summer in Wisconsin. He recorded for Crystal Records, Centaur and CRI labels.

Cyrille Rose's 32 Etudes (based on et¬ udes by Ferling) are and will continue to be the staple study book for advanced students from high school to college. Rose taught clarinet at the Paris Conservatoire. One of his students was Henri Lefebvre, who then taught Daniel Bonade.

Over his own years of study with his teacher, mentor and friend Dominick Fera, Warner noticed a series of misprints throughout the available editions, including incorrect time signatures and articulations, wrong number of beats in a bar, and ques¬ tionable notes. He consulted the Ferling etudes for oboe and saxophone, and de¬ cided to share his findings with students and teachers. Warner has not added any breathing, tempo, or other markings not found in the originals. Warner's 40-page edition includes the piano accompaniment for two of his favorite etudes, number 11,

Larghetto, and number 19, Adagio. Carl Fischer's Web site advertises an accompa¬ niment CD for $19.95. It is unclear how many etude accompaniments are included on the CD.

I wholeheartedly recommend this excel¬ lent edition. Melvin Warner did us a tre¬ mendous service by providing a clear and helpful revised edition of this book. Kudos to Carl Fischer for their vision in investing resources to publish a new edition of a book which was once thought of as being virtu¬ ally perfect.

"Clarinet Desserts." In today's multi-fa¬ ceted classical music world, the number of clarinetists craving unusual repertoire is growing. World music is quickly earning a comfortable place within the classical reci¬ tal venue. Here are four pieces that add fla¬ vor and uniqueness to a classical clarinet re¬ cital, hence my nicknaming them "clarinet desserts." On the menu: Egyptian Ma-wal by Ali Osman (Arabic rhythms), Laurofor Clarinet by Venezuelan guitarist/compos¬ er Antonio Lauro, arranged for solo clar¬ inet by Paquito D'Rivera (Latin rhythms), Threeway by American composer Donald Martino (jazz), and a piece de resistance, Piyutasia-Sephardic Fantasy by Max Stern (Jewish style).

Ali Osman. Egyptian Ma-wal for clarinet and piano. International Opus (P.O. Box 4852, Richmond, VA 23220. <www. internationalopus.com>) 2000, $28.00. Duration: 7-8 minutes.

Sudanese composer Ali Osman was bom in 1958 in Omdurman. He has been a resident of Egypt since 1978. He started his musical education at the Cairo Conserva¬ toire secondary school. Graduating with distinction in 1986, he studied composition with professor Gamal Abdel-Rahim and continued his post-graduate studies with Awatif Abdel-Karim, earning his M.A. in 1990. In 2000, he was granted a composer residency by the Swedish Arts Council in Switzerland. His compositions include mostly orchestral, chamber and vocal works that have been performed in Austria, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. He is a professor at the Cairo Conservatory in Egypt, where he has lec¬ tured on analysis, composition, counter¬

point, and harmony since 1990, and at the Arabic Higher Institute of Music in Cairo since 1999.

Ma-Wal is a most welcome addition to our repertoire. It is a relatively slow piece in 10/8 meter based on the Egyptian mawal song form (the art of mawal is an impro¬ vised musical poem or story used to depict a message). The notated cadenza-impro¬ visation sections are called taqasim. This piece will give Western classical musicians an understanding of Arabic music, includ¬ ing ornamentation, modes (maqamat), and rhythmic patterns (wazn). The clarinet part calls for microtones or quarter-tones (sikha), commonly found in Arabic music. The rel¬ atively complex rhythms can be tricky to learn for a novice of this genre, but very well worth the effort. It is a short piece, somewhat reminiscent of today's Arabic popular music. The score is very well en¬ graved on high quality paper. The only drawback is the very high price of $28.00 for such a short composition.

Antonia Lauro. Lauro for Clarinet. Inter¬ national Opus, 1998, $28.00. Duration: 9-10 minutes

Antonio Lauro (1917-1986) was bom in Bolivar, Venezuela. At a young age, he be¬ came the official guitarist of Caracas Broadcasting. He began composing in the 1930s, and studied at the Escuela Superior de Musica "Jose Angel Lamas" Through¬ out his career, he amassed many composi¬ tion awards and was very successful as a guitarist. Lauro's works for guitar are among the most popular and famous in the guitar repertoire. He is a legend in Venezuela and in the world of guitar.

Laurofor Clarinet is a series of five de¬ lightful Latin waltzes (Vals Venezolano Ta- tiana, Andreina, Natalia, El Marabino and Carora) by Lauro, adapted for solo clarinet by Paquito D'Rivera. Cuban-American clar¬ inetist, saxophonist and composer Paquito D'Rivera is one of the most well-known cross-over artists in the music field today. Any clarinetist who had the privilege of performing D'Rivera's exquisite wind quin¬ tet entitled Aires Tropicales will be glad to get hold of these little gems. Theoretically, these five solo movements could be com¬ pared with a Bach Suite in the Latin style. Although they are fine played a capella, I would very much like to see a piano ac-

June 2005 Page 77

companiment written for these gorgeous waltzes. The pieces will sound best when played with vibrato and with a subtle, sen¬ suous tone. The waltzes are also available for bassoon or flute. The score includes ver¬ sions for B'' and A clarinet, which seem unessential if no piano part is provided. The B'' clarinet part is technically uncomfortable with two to six sharps in the key signatures, whereas the A clarinet part falls in the fin¬ gers perfectly well. They are moderately difficult, and the music is extremely well engraved and easy to read. As with the Egyptian Ma-wal the price is quite high at $28.00 for such a short composition. Add a piano part, and I'm sold.

Donald Martino. Threeway for clarinet (or piano), string bass (or 'cello), and vibra¬ phone (1957/2000). Dantalian, Inc. (11 Pembroke St., Newton, MA 02458-2122. <www.dantalian.com>), 2000, $15.00. Duration: 2'

Bom in Plainfield, New Jersey, in 1931, Martino contributed important works with¬ in the clarinet literature (he is an accom¬ plished clarinetist). He started composing at the age of 15 and attended Syracuse and Princeton universities. Martino taught at Princeton, Yale, The New England Conser¬ vatory of Music, Brandies University and Harvard. Now retired from teaching, Mr. Martino is back playing his clarinet. About Threeway, he writes: "In the summer of 1956... I had won prizes and awards. Even commissions had come to me. I fully ex¬ pected to find a good college teaching job. All my applications were rejected! I settled in New York City and I taught theory, clar¬ inet and oboe at the Third Street Settlement Music School, played whatever jobs I could find, did some ghost arranging, and created many 'popular songs that never became popular.' In the summer of 1957, by this time resigned to the freelance life, I wrote six contrapuntal jazz compositions for clar¬ inet, vibraphone, piano, bass and drums. With the grand sum of $40, I managed to buy some rehearsal recording time at Nola's Studio, and on one hot summer af¬ ternoon we recorded as much as we could. The works were never performed in their entirety or in public. That brief session tape and the sheet music itself are all that remain of my jazz hopes. Miraculously, within a few weeks I got that teaching position. The

good news is that for the next 36 years I taught at five different college institutions. The bad news is that it soon became appar¬ ent that teaching, composing, performing, and having a life were too much for me to handle. The clarinet had to go. Now that I am retired from teaching, I again have time to practice my clarinet and I regard those old jazz pieces as unfinished business. It is my hope to record them and then issue the sheet music as Dantalian Publications." (8/1/2000). Threeway is the finale of the above-mentioned jazz compositions written in 1957 during Martino's Manhattan free¬ lance clarinet playing days. It is a charming fugue in the style of a "jazz meets Bach" three-part invention, marked "With a gentle swing." The three parts are relatively easy. The clarinet part remains in the mid and low registers and does not require advanced technique, although a knowledge of the jazz style is necessary to capture its es¬ sence. The score and individual parts are well engraved and easy to read.

Max Stern. Piyatasia-Sephardic Fantasy for clarinet and piano. Max Stern, (Distributed by OR-TAV Publications, OR-TAV Music Publications <www. ortav.com>), 2001, $12.95. Duration: 7-8 minutes.

Many clarinetists who are klezmer fans will appreciate this substantial piece. Much more than a simple "recital dessert," this colossal piece de resistance is guaranteed to challenge the most advanced clarinetist.

Jewish composer and contrabassist Max Stem is an active musician now living in Is¬ rael. He earned a B.M. from the Eastman School of Music in 1969, a M.M. from Yale in 1970, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1989. He performed with several Ameri¬ can orchestras, as well as with the Kol Is¬ rael Radio Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Sinfonietta in Beer Sheva. Devoted to education, he published a 10- volume Youth Band series of arrangements, and he served as director of the Conserva¬ tory in the development town of Yeroham. Since 1988 he serves as music critic for The Jerusalem Post. In 1993 he began an affil¬ iation with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Subsequently, he joined the faculty of the College of Judea and Samaria.

Piyutasia, Sephardic Fantasy, was com¬ posed in 1991 for flute or violin, and the

clarinet version was published in 2001. Se¬ phardic music pertains to Jews whose an¬ cestors came from Spain and Portugal. The term Sephardic Jews originally referred just to the Jews in Spain, but now applies to the entire Mediterranean region. Sephardic mu¬ sic contains music elements of Spain, Mo¬ rocco, Argentina, Turkey and Greece. The term "Sephard" is derived from the Hebrew word Sephard, meaning "far away." Piyu¬ tasia is quite difficult both technically and rhythmically. It requires physical endur¬ ance, considering that there are almost no rests during 12 pages of music. Because of this, the clarinet part has several awkward or impossible page turns. The clarinet part calls for several fluttertongued notes, as well as technical dexterity and rhythmic savoir-faire. Many of the idiomatic klezmer-like effects are written out, which nov¬ ices of this genre will appreciate.

The work is divided in four continuous movements. It starts with the proverbial Jewish slow improvisational cadenza often called a Doina, dovetailing into a lively rhythmic tune from Morocco. The second movement is an intriguing melody from Ye¬ men, followed by a slow third movement. The fourth movement is another melody from Morocco, interspersed with a ca¬ denza, followed by a wonderfully folk-like brilliant accelerando ending. This piece is truly an endeavor to put together with piano, but absolutely worth the time and effort. The score is very well engraved and easy to read, except for impossible page turns in the clarinet part. A little ima¬ gination with a pair of scissors and other means should fix the situation. Non-tradi¬ tional repertoire requires a flexible tonal palette so vibrato is de rigueur for all pieces described above.

by Sandra Mosteller

Paul Harvey. Variations on "Bonny En¬ glish Rose," for Clarinet and Piano. Studiomusic (P.O. Box 19282, London NW109WP England), 2002.

Paul Harvey has delighted the clarinet world with his light-hearted approach to music through clarinet method books, writ¬ ings, and numerous fun and challenging compositions. Variations on "Bonny En¬ glish Rose," offers another crowd-pleasing showpiece in Harvey's varied and witty


style. According to the composer's notes, this new contest piece was written for Phi¬ lip Trammer, one of Harvey's former stu¬ dents at the Royal Military School of Mu¬ sic, Kneller Hall. He further tributes former Kneller Hall clarinet professor, Henry La¬ zarus, by writing the piece as a virtuosic variations, a style frequently employed in Lazarus' own composition. Harvey uses the theme from the Regimental March for the Band of the Green Howards in both stan¬ dard and "not-so standard" variations.

The introduction begins with flamboy¬ ant recitative-style material based on the theme in C major. Arpeggiated and step- wise patterns composed within greatly var¬ ied rhythmic groupings dominate the clari¬ net writing within this section, with the melodies broadly sweeping the range of the instrument. The piano accompaniment is simple, punctuating the solo. (Note: In measure 7 of the clarinet part, there is ap¬ parently a misprint in the second beat. The fifth note would logically be a to com¬ plete the chromatic passage.) The next sec¬ tion, Alia Marcia, consists of several pentatonic passages in the clarinet while the piano plays a clear statement of the theme. This is followed by two dance variations, "Con Bravura" and "Waltz." Both portions provide the clarinetist with virtuosic- sounding music while lying beneath the fingers easily.

In a typical variations form, a composer will write a slow segment in a minor mode. This English composer has chosen to give a new slant to the slow movement in "Quasi Blues." As its name indicates, this variation is written in a slow, lazy jazz style. The performer will enjoy playing the seductive chalumeau lines as well as performzing the delicate "bluesy" melodies in the altissimo register. I recommend adding sub¬ tle pitch bends to enhance the style. This portion is particularly reminiscent of Har¬ vey's other jazz-based compositions. The piece ends with a frolicking "Vivace" in duple compound meter. Here, he uses long, fast moving melodic lines interspersed with occasional hemiolas. Overall, the com¬ position lies quite comfortably for the solo¬ ist. The composition would be appropriate for both students and professionals. The piano part is quite simple, which makes Bonny English Rose a good repertoire choice for a performance with limited time with the accompanist.

by Gregory Barrett

Jost Michaels. Systematic Approach to Clarinet Finger Technique. Edition for Boehm Clarinet. Allan Ware, editor. Musikverlag Zimmermann, Frankfurt, 2001.

The December 2004 issue of The Clar¬ inet included Allan Ware's memorial trib¬ ute to his former teacher Jost Michaels. Michaels was a renowned musician and teacher with a long tenure at the North¬ west German Music Academy in Det- mold. His teaching stressed musicality, but also acknowledged the importance of proper technical skills. For years Michaels pro¬ vided his students with finger perfor¬ mance exercises that he insisted be played in a musical manner. Now these exercises are available for everyone.

Michaels' work expanded upon the tra¬ dition of predecessors such as Karl Baer- mann. Allan Ware writes in his notes to this book "S [the studies] are based on the fun¬ ctions of the fingers and not primarily on their duties in various tonal scales and ar¬ peggios." To this end, Michaels does take a "systematic approach" to the organization of the thousands of short coordination exer¬ cises in his 196-page volume. Starting with the left hand, practically one finger at a time, the exercises begin with intervals up to a perfect fifth within C major. In a unique approach, Michaels has included with the book a one-page heavyweight removable insert that serves as a guide to expand on the small fragments that begin each of the numerous sections of the book. You place this insert next to the main book, and as you work through the book you apply the rhyth¬ mic and melodic expansions shown on it to the subsequent short examples. This too is part of the "systematic approach."

According to Ware, the exercises "S train the physical side of playing (hand pos¬ ition, appropriate pressure on the keys, dis¬ tance of fingers to the keys, selection of ap¬ propriate fingerings, etc.), but they go much further. They train concentration, control of accents, and keeping one's head at difficult moments." For years I have practiced Klose mechanism studies and found them con¬ cise, yet extremely helpful. These exercises are in the same mode but greatly expanded. I did not play every exercise in the book, but I did play most of them and found that they are productive as a warm-up and con¬ centration tool. The sheer number of them

is daunting however. This is not a book that you can play through from cover to cover. But if you attempt this feat, like me, you may find yourself circular breathing before you are even aware that you are doing so in order to play as many exercises as possible in one sitting. The best approach would be to either concentrate on one or two pages in a session, or to practice just a few exercises from several selected sections.

Michaels includes a few ideas or exer¬ cises that were new to me, including alter¬ nating between thumb f and c a perfect fourth below, and when playing the c to take your left-hand thumb off the clarinet. He also asks you to use fingerings that may not be your normal first choice in order to build more flexibility into your technique, such as practicing an exercise with left then right fifth fingers. There is a helpful section to learn to switch fifth fingers while sus¬ taining the same note, and also good mate¬ rial to practice fifth finger sliding. If your weakness is your left-hand second finger, Michaels has exercises for that too. Both register breaks are addressed in a thorough manner including the concept of preparing to cross the first break by putting down fin¬ gers in advance. Most players would need a knowledgeable teacher to explain how best to use Michaels' exercises in this section.

In general, the range of the clarinet is only explored up to high g, though there are brief sections that include some gland high a exercises. Short passages from Schehera¬ zade, the Weber Quintet, the Overture to the Gypsy Baron, the Mozart Clarinet Con¬ certo (Rondo), Debussy's Premiere Rhap¬ sody, and Schumann's Symphony #1 are in¬ cluded in appropriate places. These I found motivational, as they were drawn from standard clarinet literature.

This is an exceptional book in its thor¬ oughness, and with diligent and correct use would help a player go a long way to perfect his or her finger technique. It is very abstract however, and is best used in short doses so that a player's nascent en¬ thusiasm for music is not squelched. Please follow the prescribed dose and then reap the rewards.

Jost Michaels. Supplemental Scale Sys¬ tems. Edition for clarinet. Musikverlag Zimmermann, Frankfurt, 2001.

Intended to be an extension of the Syste¬ matic Approach to Clarinet Finger Tech¬ nique, Supplemental Scale Systems begins

June 2005 Page 79

where basic major and minor scales end. The first exercises insert one extra chromat¬ ic note in each octave of a major and minor scale. This results in two, four-note groups of 16th notes per octave, which means that in 2/4 the tonic note is always the first note of the measure. Next the real fun begins. Michaels points out that Nielsen's Clarinet Concerto contains scales where, four notes at a time, the scale alternates between C major and C# major. Michaels mixes this construction ascending, with an octatonic construction descending. Bear in mind that these exercises are designed to make your brain quick and your technique agile! The next section covers scales that have various patterns of minor seconds, major seconds, and augmented seconds. After this workout you'll feel like you can handle anything.

The second main section of the book in¬ cludes "Modulation Studies" in which short eighth-note patterns sequence through ascending and descending scale fragments. I enjoyed this section very much as I felt in one or two pages I had really covered all the intervals on the clarinet up through major thirds. Subsequent exercises cover intervals up to minor sixths in a similar fashion. Exercises using interesting triad patterns and only major and minor seconds follow.

The purpose of these exercises is com¬ plete control in your finger technique whether you move only one finger to play a minor second or several. After working through several pages of his exercises you will find this to be true. The material for¬ ces you to work on every small interval. You will not be thinking in one key or an¬ other, you will truly become a 12-tone clarinet-playing machine. This is good. The exercises in this book were challeng¬ ing enough to really hold my attention. I felt like I was practicing patterns I would actually find in contemporary literature. Whole tone scales and the derived aug¬ mented arpeggios are included as are a few pages patterned after material found in Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Con¬ trasts. This 96-page book is nicely laid out and the material generally goes up to high g or gi. Highly recommended.

CD Reviews

by Gregory Barrett

Martian Counterpoint — Music of David Rakowski. Beth Wiemann, clar¬ inet and bass clarinet; Christopher Old-

father, piano; Marilyn Nonken, piano; "The President's Own" United States Marine Band conducted by Timothy Foley; Diane Maltester, clarinet, Peter Josheff, bass clarinet, and the Empyrean Ensemble conducted by Ross Bauer. Rakowski: Ten of a Kind (Symphony #2), concerto for 10 clarinets and wind ensemble; Mento, for clarinet and piano; Cerberus, triple clarinet concerto; Etudes for Piano, Nos. 15, 20, 21, 25, 29, and 33. ALBANY RECORDS TROY 681. Total time 75:33. (distributed by Albany Records USA and UK; Web site: <www. albanyrecords.com>)

Composer David Rakowski has received dozens of awards, fellowships, and com¬ missions from a broad range of internation¬ ally recognized organizations. Currently on the faculty of Brandeis University, his list of composition teachers includes two well- known luminaries who have also written significant works for the clarinet, Milton Babbitt and Luciano Berio. I suspect that Rakowski's dedication to clarinet works is due less to his former teachers and more to his wife, clarinetist and composer Beth Wiemann, who performs on this recording.

In the short work for clarinet and piano, Mento (which cleverly followed Rakow¬ ski's Diverti), clarinetist Wiemann is part¬ nered with pianist Christopher Oldfather. The three movements "Ou," "Wo," and "Dove," appear to be takes in three different languages of "Where?" The French version finds Wiemann and Oldfather precisely coordinated in their moderately fast, for¬ ward pulsing parallel octaves. The German variant is slower and more questioning, and the Italian is staccato and pointillistic. The interest in this recording is primarily in dis¬ seminating the new repertoire, but I did wish for a more focused, less fuzzy sound from Wiemann.

The pointillistic style of Dove is parallel to the style of the title movement of this CD, Martian Counterpoint. "Martian Counterpoint" is the fourth movement of Ten of a Kind (Symphony #2) for 10 clari¬ nets and wind ensemble. I know of no other work like this one. It is a true blending of symphonic ideas and of a concerto for a standard 10-member clarinet section, in¬ cluding EK Bl", alto, bass, and contrabass clarinets. Commissioned by the United States Marine Band, it is here expertly re¬ corded by them. The clarinet section sounds first-class in this difficult music. The focus is on the clarinets less than half of the time. When they are the focus, they often work as a unit — one 10-tongued super clarinet. When the clarinet section is in the back¬ ground, every other section of the wind en¬ semble is given a turn to be prominent.

One trait of Rakowski's writing is expert orchestration. The colors of his music often rapidly change in very natural sounding ways. Another style trait is his predilection for polyphony that combines multiple fast moving lines of intricate counterpoint with another line of much slower moving notes. To me, this is the essence of his title track Martian Counterpoint. I enjoyed all of the faster paced sections of this nearly 29- minute symphony-concerto for their inven¬ tiveness and colors. The slower episodes did not have strong melodic or harmonic interest to maintain the rapt feeling generat¬ ed by the faster music.

The other large (21-minute) work re¬ corded here, Cerberus, takes its name from the three-headed dog of Greek mythology. Three solo clarinetists take the place of the dog's heads. Beth Wiemann joins clarinet¬ ists Diane Maltester and Peter Josheff of the 13-member Empyrean Ensemble. This is an ensemble of flute, oboe, horn, trum¬ pet, two violins, viola, cello, bass, percus¬ sion and piano. They play musically and precisely with conductor Ross Bauer in the four connected movements. This is my fa¬ vorite work on the disc. The first movement begins with the three clarinets slowly in¬ tertwining legato lines in a very beautiful and musical fashion. Imagine three heads joined to one body. The other ensemble in¬ struments slowly emerge from the sound of the three clarinets using unisons as points of departure into their own lines. As in Ten of a Kind, the solo clarinets are not always dominant. And as in Ten of a Kind and in Mento, Rakowski polyphonically layers music moving at contrasting tempos. This


work is brilliantly orchestrated, and it is here very well performed.

Spread throughout the CD in three pairs are six of Rakowski's Etudes for Piano, captivatingly performed by Marilyn Non- ken. I found these works concise and high¬ ly unified, and with enough invention to really hold my attention. They range from Debussy-like sonorities in "Sliding Scales," to rocking motions and rhythmic jazz in¬ flections in "The Third, Man" and the chro¬ matic "Twelve-Step Program." Rakowski's three other titles, "Roll Your Own," "Fourth of Habit," and "Fists of Fury," are a reflec¬ tion of the good-natured and engaging music of this modem master.

by Michele Gingras

Crossing the Line. Eddie Daniels and Larry Combs, clarinets; The Chicago String Quartet (Joseph Genualdi and Jas¬ mine Lin, violins; Rami Solomonow, viola; Christopher Costanza, cello) with Brad Opland, double bass; Larry Novak, piano; Sean Summer, bass; and Gary Novak, drums. Amilcare Ponchielli: II Convegno; Ignaz Josef Pleyel: Original Duos (four); Gordon Goodwin: The Leblanc Suite; W. F. Bach: Sonata for Two Flutes; William O. Smith: Jazz Fan¬ tasy for Two Clarinets', four interspersed Noodles: "Jumping In," "Freedom," "Loosey Goosey," and "Blue Noodle"; and The Line is Crossed into the Daniels/Combs Jazz Quintet: Bud Powell: "Hallucinations"; Bill Evans: "We Will Meet Again"; Thelonius Monk: "Blue Monk"; Andre Victor Correa: "Andre de Sapato Novo." SUMMIT RE¬ CORDS DCD 1022. Total time 70:40. (distributed by Allegro; Summit Web site: <www.summitrecords.com>; tel. in U.S. and Canada: 1-800-808-4449)

It's not everyday you spin a clarinet CD and you simply want to burst with excite¬ ment. Well, today's the day with Eddie Da¬ niels and Larry Combs, two favorite cham¬ pions in the clarinet world. This CD proves yet again why.

The recording is packed with fabulous repertoire featuring two clarinets, and two clarinets with string quartet (with bass) and jazz trio accompaniment. Both styles are included equally throughout the recording, and both are stunning. Which clarinet part is played by Daniels, and which is played by Combs...? It's a challenge to set them apart. Both are masters of either genres, and, lucky for us, they decided to get to¬ gether to record this precious gem.

For form, I will include the widely known fact that Larry Combs is the princi¬ pal clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and both he and Eddie Daniels enjoy multifaceted stellar careers as per¬ formers and recording artists in both gen¬ res. Both are Leblanc artists.

The menu includes three "classical" pieces and three jazz pieces, separated throughout the recording by four short im¬ provised and unedited clarinet duet inter¬ ludes called "noodles." Each "noodle" has a title or theme and both players bounce back each other's ideas, making it sound as though they were actually playing from a written score. One of the improvised "noo¬ dles" worked out so perfectly well that both performers end up laughing out loud at the end. The CD opens with the popular ope¬ ratic virtuoso II Convegno by Amilcare Pon¬ chielli, usually performed with piano. This version works beautifully with string quar¬ tet and bass. They follow with Ignaz Josef Pleyel's delightful classical Original Duos.

The Leblanc Suite by Gordon Goodwin contains a mixture of styles, from quasi- "legit" to jazz improvisation. Bom in 1954, Goodwin has a long list of works and recordings to his credit. He is also a busy saxophonist in Los Angeles with The Big Phat Band and a three-time Emmy Award winner and a multi-Grammy nominee. In three movements, "With Humor," "Ballad," and "Ragtime," the delightful last move¬ ment will probably soon become a staple in the clarinet repertoire.

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's second movement, "Cantabile," from Sonata for two flutes works very well for clarinets. Again, Daniels' and Combs' tones and style match perfectly. It is followed by William

June 2005

O. Smith's Jazz Fantasy for two clarinets. Smith, who goes by "Bill" when jazzing, needs no introduction to our readers. As a composer and performer, he pioneered everything from A to Z, from clarinet avant- garde techniques to electronic applications to taking the instrument apart on stage. (By the way, thank you Bill, for inspiring this writer to venture into the world of electron¬ ics after making a presentation at Indiana University in 1981.) Jazz Fantasy is a deli¬ cious short five-movement clarinet duet. The last piece on the recording just about knocked me down with a most oh-so-wonderful backup jazz combo and great tunes any clarinetist would want on their music stand. This is all I'll write about it; you'll have to acquire this CD because the last movement left me speechless. Uh, Eddie and Larry, thank you!

I give this recording my very top four- reed rating, plus one extra reed boxed in a miniature treasure chest for the thrilling last track entitled Andre de Sapato by Andre Victor Correa.

by Christopher Bade

Trio Montecino. David Shea, clarinet; Pablo Mahave-Veglia, cello; Paulina Za- mora, piano. Alfred Prinz: Variations', Andrew Dionne: Prelude to Winter, Scott Miller: Elegy, Alfonso Montecino: Mu¬ sic for Clarinet, Cello and Piano', Mary Jeanne van Appledom: Passages III', Mi¬ chael Wittgraf: Meditation and Hoole- rei. EROICA JDT3196. Total time 58:14. (available from Eroica Web site: <www.eroica.com>)

This excellent recording of six works of living composers for the trio of clarinet, cello and piano is a wonderful addition to any serious clarinetist's audio library. Three

Page 81

Crossing EODII; daniels LARRY COMBS the Line

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of the selections on the disc were com¬ missioned by Trio Montecino. The pieces are all accessible and imaginative. The in¬ struments are treated idiomatically yet chal¬ lenged at times by nontraditional linear and harmonic language. Each work deserves more readings, but the inherent ensemble cohesiveness may prove to be a difficult obstacle that only the most advanced play¬ ers can accomplish.

There is a definite neoclassical flavor to the Variations of Alfred Prinz (b. 1930). This piece was commissioned in 2002 and is another fine example of the former Vi¬ enna Philharmonic solo clarinetist's com¬ positional artistry. Prinz has written several excellent works that feature the clarinet and clarinet ensembles. The breadth of variation treatment runs from free cadenza to con¬ temporary contrapuntal motivic treatments. An uninterrupted narrative of continuous variation helps the piece to flow naturally from one variation to the next. The open¬ ing variations are contemplative in nature. Subsequent variations are first harmoni¬ cally conservative that yield to more vig¬ orous rhythmic treatment. Truly, the diver¬ sity of variation technique is remarkable. Yet, the ensemble is always treated as a complementary group. At the conclusion, the work fades away into the distance with piano chords and a sustained harmonic in the cello.

Andrew Dionne's Prelude to Winter, commissioned in 2003, is the most atmos¬ pheric piece on the disc. Several aspects of the piece worth noting are long, arching melodies (some without apparent goals), aphoristic and expressionistic gestures, and a striking section of descending cascading major scales. Depicting the last part of the text, "...when the leaves fall," the piece ends surprisingly and gracefully. Dionne (b. 1973) based the piece on a poem by Wil¬ liam Carlos Williams.

There are moments in the Elegy of Scott Miller (b. 1963) that remind the listener of colors heard in Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time and Honegger's Sonatina. Still, there is a profound sense of the tragic na¬ ture of the Jewish ghetto residents in Czechoslovakia with ethnically tinged har¬ monies and scalar patterns hinting at har¬ monic minor. During the middle third of the piece, the music has both the stability of stasis and the inkling that the interesting harmonic palette will take us onto a new path. A bold angular theme in the low reg¬

ister of the cello is offset by a repeated three eighth-note pattern set in mixed meters and/ or syncopation. After some conversational treatment between clarinet and cello, a de¬ velopmental section ensues with each voice taking its own polyphonic route. Imme¬ diately thereafter, a pseudo-walking bass line with sinister temperament is played by the piano while first the clarinet and then cello interject long, legato melodic lines that hint at free jazz improvisation. A brief coda of added tone chords in the piano close out this atmospheric work of substan¬ tial depth and complexity.

Alfonso Montecino's Music, Op. 40 is a two-movement work that opens a bit like the previous work in terms of its timbres and reflective mood. The fine liner notes point out that a rhythmic gesture at the on¬ set punctuates the melodic texture. This gesture can be heard in other places in the movement but its presence is not overt. The richness of the cello's middle register and the superb intonation of the clarinet in the high register are striking features. The sec¬ ond movement opens with a jagged but re¬ gularly pulsing rhythmic theme in the pi¬ ano. Clarinet and cello imitate the rhythmic vitality. Soon afterward, some interesting string techniques such as col legno are used by the cello for a timbral and ener¬ getic change. Chromaticism, high harmon¬ ics, and ingenious rhythmic interplay be¬ tween the players take us to the return of the opening material that is varied by percus¬ sive strikes on the body of the cello and a blistering unison. A dramatic tone cluster on the piano signals the abrupt conclusion. Montecino (b. 1924) is professor emeritus at Indiana University.

Passages III by van Appledom (b. 1927) is a multi-movement work that features a concept of "creating each movement ... upon the vast colors of a specific scale, or a series of tones cast in a motive or phrase...For example, the opening move¬ ment presents octatonic (alternating whole and half steps) and modal scale construc¬ tions. After the introduction, a cascading piano line is background for an impressive duo passage for clarinet and cello that starts innocently enough but quickly intensifies into a highly dramatic interchange. The second movement is a fine example of bi- chordal harmonic treatment with some Pe- trushka-\ike piano passages. Movement three has octatonic melodic and vertical structures. The fourth movement's Lydian

tetrachords reminds the listener of the sim¬ plicity of Bartok's Mikrokosmos and the complexity of Hindemith's Ludus tonalis because of the fugal treatment and satisfy¬ ing harmonic cadence that closes the brief movement. Pentatonic scales taken from the D Dorian scale are used in the fifth movement that features a haunting piano background. The final movement is an in¬ ventive alternation of minor ninth chords and quartal harmonies that has an aggres¬ sive rhythmic energy.

Wittgraf's Meditation and Hoolerei is a real study in contrasts. This piece, a finalist for the 1995 Ladislav Kubik International Composition, is actually in two movements with no break. The opening "Meditation" is slow in tempo and somewhat inactive. However, the registration and apparent dy¬ namic level are not in keeping with the quietness usually associated with the con¬ templative side of meditation. The "Hoo¬ lerei" is taken from a style of Midwestern polka. The relentless pulsing of cello and piano in the low registers are a stark con¬ trast to the virtuosic treatment of the clar¬ inet in the upper register. Pizzicato in the cello and stamping chords in the piano also are prevalent. Extreme leaps are handled well by Shea, and the mood shifts between frantic and merely vibrant to calando are ably performed by the trio.

This recording is a revelation. To have six listenable and engaging works for clar¬ inet, cello and piano of the last 10 years all on one disc is a great boon for avid clari¬ netists and libraries too. Hopefully, these works will be undertaken on a regular basis and reach a wider audience. David Shea, currently an assistant professor of clarinet at Texas Tech, is an excellent clarinetist who plays with great control, solid tech¬ nique and great energy. Cellist Pablo Ma- have-Veglia is an assistant professor at Grand Valley State in Michigan. His play¬ ing, too, is vibrant, technically secure, and impeccable in intonation. Paulina Zamora is an often-recorded pianist who recently completed D.M.A. course work at Indiana University. Her playing exhibits tasteful collaboration, rhythmic drive, and a var¬ iety of tone colors. The Trio Montecino is a superb chamber ensemble who have bravely commissioned and recorded new works. We can only hope that they contin¬ ue to seek out composers to continue adding to the repertory.


by Eric Mandat

Morton Feldman/Christopher Fox — Clarinet Quintets. Roger Heaton, clar¬ inet; Mieko Kanno and Davide Rossi, violins; Bridget Carey, viola; Sophie Harris, cello. Christopher Fox: Clarinet Quintet (1992); Morton Feldman: Clar¬ inet and String Quartet (1983). ME¬ TIER RECORDS MSV CD92082. Total time 57:10. (Web site: <www. metierrecords.co.uk>)

Roger Heaton, currently professor of music at Bath Spa University College, per¬ forms, conducts and records throughout Europe. He was music director of Rambert Dance Company, 1988-93, and the clarinet professor at the Darmstadt Ferienkurse fur neue Musik, 1992-94. He has played with Ensemble Modem, and performs with se¬ veral groups, including the Kreutzer and Smith Quartets and the Gavin Bryars En¬ semble. Heaton has also recorded contem¬ porary works by Birtwistle, Reich, Bryars and Scelsi.

The pairing of these two works for a CD is apt, as both compositions focus on timbral modulation and more delicate dyna¬ mics rather than flashy technique. While not exactly kindred spirits, Christopher Fox and Morton Feldman were both members of the composition staff at the Interna¬ tionales Ferienkurse fur neue Musik in Darmstadt during the mid 1980s. Fox, be¬ ing 30 years Feldman's junior, was im¬ pressed and intellectually challenged by the experiences of listening to Feldman's mu¬ sic and lectures in Darmstadt.

Fox's Clarinet Quintet is slightly over 13 minutes long and features short repeated gestures interspersed with microtonal dips and sighing glissandi, all in a reduced dynamic palette. In the words of Fox, "The piece largely eschews loudness, well-tem¬

pered intervals and some of the more famil¬ iar timbres ... there are many slight gradu¬ ations of quietness, complex non-metric rhythms and an organization of pitch in which intervals of three and five quarter- tones are much more common than any¬ thing in the well-tempered scale." The chal¬ lenges for the ensemble members become very clear from Fox's statement and each performer is more than up to the task. Soft attacks are beautifully executed, and the subtle tunings between the instruments are very carefully worked out. Musically both the work and the performance are very compelling and evocative.

Morton Feldman (1926-1987) was one of the great musical iconoclasts of the 20th century. Indeed his early works were strongly influenced by John Cage and inde- terminism. By the 1970s Feldman's music was more concerned with the concept of musical time and how memory influences perception of musical form, and in fact his longest works from this period last several hours. Describing his change in style, Feld¬ man has said, "Before my pieces were like objects; now, they're like evolving things."

The very serious Clarinet and String Quartet of Feldman presents all the same difficulties of the Fox work, with the added performer demands of sustaining the mu¬ sical intensity and delicate technical control for nearly 45 minutes. The work is de¬ dicated to Alan Hacker, who gave the first performance with the Brodsky Quartet in 1983. The work unfolds in a series of com¬ pact soft laments over which various har¬ monies, colors, textures, and rhythmic per¬ mutations are laid. Feldman's composition¬ al process was to "write it down to hear it," that is, to write down the music in ink as it came to him, as the concept of "cor¬ rections" would have been to Feldman tan¬ tamount to an admission of a lapse in con¬

centration to accurately reproduce that which was inside him. The resultant qual¬ ity of Feldman's music, therefore, is of a gradually unfolding flower, the process be¬ ing inseparable and indistinguishable from the product. The string quartet for this re¬ cording, while not a regularly performing ensemble, has a great cohesiveness and sen¬ sitivity to the extreme demands of balance and intonation, and the group plays with a unified tonal concept. Roger Heaton's play¬ ing throughout is wonderfully controlled and delicate, without ever losing depth and intensity. These are works and performan¬ ces which must be listened to carefully and without distractions to fully appreciate the compositional and performance nuances, as there is so much to be appreciated.

Interested in

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William Nichols, Audio

Review Editor, e-mail:

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June 2005 Page 83

RECITALS M CONCERTS

Student...

Kira Bokalders, clarinet. Junior Recital, University of Florida, February 24, 2005. Duo Concertant, Milhaud; Tango Etude No. 6, Piazzolla; Sonata for Clarinet, Poulenc; Sonata No. 1 in F minor. Op. 120, No. 1 Brahms

Chad Donohue, clarinet. Senior Recital, University of North Texas, February 25, 2005. II Carvevale di VenezJa, Giampieri; Les Trois 'S\ Rivier; Sonatina, Horovitz; Jazz Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Garson

Jessica Flanagan, clarinet, M.M. Re¬ cital, University of North Texas, February

23, 2005. Sonata in Re, Rota; Three Mini¬ atures, Penderecki; Quintet in B minor. Op. 115, Brahms

Erin Brooke Hostman, clarinet. Senior Recital, Brigham Young University-Idaho, December 3, 2004. Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Bernstein; Rhapsody for Clarinet, Osbome; Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Cello, Hummel

Mary Beth Huttlin, clarinet, Junior Re¬ cital, Michigan State University, February 26, 2005. Four Church Sonatas, Mozart/ Ettlinger; Gra for Clarinet Alone, Carter; Premiere Rhapsodie, Debussy; Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Bernstein

Janet C. Kapala, clarinet. Student Re¬ cital, Northern Illinois University, April 2, 2005. Solo de concours, Rabaud; Sonate, Rheinberger; Three Pieces for Solo Clar¬ inet, Stravinsky; Clarinet Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 7, Crusell

Brian Levels, clarinet, bassoon, oboe and flute, M.M. Recital (Multiple Wood¬ winds), University of North Texas, March 6, 2005. Tema con Variazioni pour clar- inette en la et piano, Frangaix; Suite for Oboe and Piano, Piston; Trois pieces pour basson et piano, Procaccini; Syrinx, De¬ bussy; Suite pour trio d'anches, Tansman

Carol Maciel, clarinet, D.M.A. Recital, University of North Texas, March 28, 2005. Sonata, "Undine," Op. 167, Reinecke; Fan¬ tasy Trio, Op. 26, Muczynski; Variations sur Faust de Charles Gounod, Petit

Malena McLaren, D.M.A. Lecture Re¬ cital, University of Norrth Texas, March 28, 2005. "Miguel Yuste: His Works for Clarinet and His Influence on the Spanish Clarinet School of Playing in the Twentieth CenXnry^Estudio Melodico, Op. 33; Vi- braciones del alma. Op. 45, Yuste

Faculty and Professional...

Robert J. Braddock, clarinet soloist. The Lakeland (FL) Concert Band, January 16, 2005. Lo! Hear the Gentle Lark for clarinet, flute and concert band, Bishop (arr. Lax)

Bruce M. Creditor, clarinet, with Cur- tisville Consortium, Lenox, MA, July 21, 2004. Benny's Gig, Gould; Viktor's Theme from The Terminal (premiere concert per¬ formance), Williams; Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano, Brahms. First & Second

Church, Boston, MA, October 25, 2004. Duo Concert ante, Milhaud; Romance in G and Tarantella in g minor, Reger; Awaken¬ ing for clarinet, violin & piano (premiere performance), Girard

Ensemble Clarinesque, Bettina Ross, Frank Christmann, Bruce Edwards and Christof Hilger, clarinets, October 2, 2004. Musikinstrumenten Museum, Berlin, Ger¬ many. Symphony No. IV, Boyce (Hacker); Rondino, WoO 25, Beethoven (Christ¬ mann); Seven Songs, Bernstein (G. & B. Edwards, W. Lutz-Rijeka); Preludio 9 & Fuga 9, Piazzolla (Edwards); Songs from the Threeepenny Opera, Weill (T. Claus); Feast, Bill Douglas. September 26, 2004, Lina-Hilger-Gymnasium, Bad Kreuznach, Germany. Rondino, WoO 25, Beethoven (Christmann); Quartett in c.minor, Op. 4, Crusell (Hacker); Humoresque, Dvorak (Kovacs); Preludio 9 & Fuga 9, Piazzolla (Edwards); Songs from the Threeepenny Opera, Weill (T. Claus); Feast, Bill Douglas

Michele Gingras, clarinet soloist, Ox¬ ford (OH) Chamber Orchestra, January 27, 2005. Concerto for Clarinet, Shaw

Michael Pirotta, clarinet, St. James Ca¬ valier Center for Culture, Naxxar, Malta, March 16, 2005. Prelude for solo clarinet, Penderecki; Fantaisie-Impromptu, Bour- nonville; Morceau de Salon, Kalliwoda; A Widow Bird for soprano, clarinet and piano, Macfarren; Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, Schubert

John Weddle, clarinet, California State University, Stanislaus, October 1, 2004. Dance Preludes, Lutoslawski; Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, Op. 129, Schubert; Sextet in E^, Op. 71, Beethoven

Programs intended for publication in The Clarinet should be sent to James Gillespie, P.O. Box 311367, College of Music, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-1367. To ensure accurate pro¬ gram information, please send a printed program and a summary of pertinent data (names of performers and composers, site, date and titles of works, etc.) in the format above. For student recitals, only solo degree recital programs (junior, senior, master's, doctoral) will be listed.

Contacts for

The Clarinet:

Send all articles, recital programs, orders for back issues, announcements and any other non-commercial items intended for publication in The Clarinet to:

James Gillespie, Editor/Publisher College of Music, University of North Texas

P.O. Box 311367 Denton, Texas 76203-1367

E-mail:<[email protected]>

Send all printed materials (music, books, etc.) intended for review in The Clarinet to:

Joseph Messenger, Editor of Reviews Department of Music, Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa 50011 E-mail: <[email protected]>

Send all recordings intended for review in The Clarinet to:

William Nichols, Audio Review Editor School of Music, University of Louisiana at Monroe

Monroe, Louisiana 71209-0250 E-mail: <[email protected]>

Send all inquiries about advertising, notices of change of address, inquiries about I.C.A. membership,

missing issues, etc., to:

Rose Sperrazza, Executive Director P.O. Box 5039

Wheaton, Illinois 60189-5039 E-mail: [email protected]


MUSICAL CHAIRS

Suzanne Tirk

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

Suzanne Tirk was appointed assis¬ tant professor of

clarinet at Wichita State University in the fall of 2004. Her duties include teaching undergraduate and graduate applied clarinet, and performing with the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. Tirk has taught at sev¬ eral universities including Bemidji State

Suzanne Tirk

University, Lawrence University, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University and Montana State University.

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in performance from Lawrence University (WI) and has done her graduate work at Michigan State University, studying with Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr. Other teachers in¬ clude Charles Neidich, Theodore Oien, Colin Lawson, Fan Lei and Richard Faria.

Notices of recently filled positions in colleges, universities, orchestras and major military bands should be sent to the editor.

I.CE WUOBTO MonsG^fto?

IJOMHJHIIOfl EROCGDUHe

In accordance with the International Clarinet Association Bylaws (Article V,

Section 6), a special category of Honorary Membership has been created for per¬

sons of "unusual distinction." The International Clarinet Association Board of

Directors invites the general membership to nominate individuals for Honorary

Memberships from the areas of professional service, teaching, performance, and/or

lifetime achievements. Nominators should include a brief biographical sketch of

the candidate along with further information as specified below. There is a limit of

one nomination per person. Nominations must be postmarked no later than July 1,

2005, and sent to:

Kristina Belisle, Associate Professor of Music

School of Music, University of Akron

Akron, OH 44325-1002

E-mail: < [email protected]>

Nominations for Honorary Memberships should include the following information:

• Name of nominee: Nominee's address, phone and e-mail address

• Biographical sketch of nominee and supportive documentation of the nominee's

qualifications

• Printed name of the nominator; Nominator's address, phone and e-mail address

Woodwindiana

A resource for great

clarinet music and CDs:

25 Etudes (1998) by Alfred Prinz Very challenging and musically satisfying

advanced etudes based on passages from the symphonic and operatic repertoire for clarinet.

$16.50

Trio (1997) by Alfred Prinz Quixotic humor and a flurry of notes in

three contrasting movements for EK Bl> & Bass Clarinet.

$15.50

Serenade, Op. 131 (1998) by Michael Kibbe

A 16-minute set of seven dance movements for clarinet duet; great fun and a hit with audiences.

$16.00

"Pre-Rose" Etude Books by Randall Cunningham:

21 Chalumeau Studies (1989) Great melodies for the young clarinetist.

$11.50

18 Preludes (1991) Intermediate pieces in all keys & styles.

$12.50

15 Advanced Etudes (1990) A challenge for late high school and

early college level. $13.50

Bridges to Bloomington New CD by Trio Indiana

(James Campbell, Eli Eban, Howard Klug) with Alfred Prinz & Mitchell Lurie. Music by Prinz, Heiden, Uhl, Weill.

$15.00

Elegie CD by Howard Klug &

Andrew De Grado Clarinet and bass clarinet pieces with piano by

Sarasate, Debussy, Phillips, Prinz, Faure, Schumann, Reinecke, Templeton.

$15.00

The Clarinet Doctor Book by Howard Klug

117 pages of performance problem-solving with new approaches to improve technique, tone,

staccato. Annotated lists of repertoire and a complete college curriculum.

$35.00

VISA, MasterCard and checks (USD) accepted. Include $3.50 shipping for U.S. and Canada.

Foreign orders add $6 for surface mail or $12 for airmail.

Woodwindiana, Inc. P.O. Box 344

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hdklug@aol. com

June 2005 Page 85

* - * « Presidents

Message

by Michael Galvdn

This winter it was my honor and dis¬ tinct pleasure to represent the I.C.A. at the 2005 College Band Directors

National Association (CBDNA) Confer¬ ence in New York City. As readers of The Clarinet and "The President's Message" will recall, the I.C.A. recently commis¬ sioned a concerto for clarinet and winds. This commissioning project, long in plan¬ ning and complex in execution, came to fruition on Friday, February 25 in Carne¬ gie Hall with the premiere of Brooklyn Bridge for Solo Clarinet and Symphony Band by Michael Daugherty. Let me say that in all respects this was a triumphantly successful conclusion to a great deal of work by a large number of people from planners to researchers to funders to so¬ loist, accompanists and conductor to (of course) the composer.

The work itself is enormously satisfying to the listener, and apparently, to the soloist and accompanists as well. At more than 20 minutes, this is a major work with big chal¬ lenges, but is, as planned, seemingly playable by more than just a handful of vir¬ tuoso performers. It is constructed in four movements, the third being unaccompanied (a very interesting surprise). To paraphrase the composer, "Each movement of the clar¬ inet concerto is a musical view from the Brooklyn Bridge: East (Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights); South (Statue of Liberty); West (Wall Street and the lower Manhattan skyline which was once domi¬ nated by the World Trade Towers); North (Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and Rockefeller Center). In the final move¬

ment of the concerto, I also imagine Artie Shaw, the great jazz swing clarinetist of the 1940s, performing with his orchestra in the once glorious Rainbow Room."

The soloist, Michael Wayne of the Kan¬ sas City Symphony, played the piece ("our" piece!) with elan, energy and polish, alter¬ nately dancing and singing it out to the audience. Daugherty's lovely and heartfelt slow movement was balanced with the swinging energy of the finale. The bound¬ ing and solitary nature of the unaccompa¬ nied section contrasted with the sizable sound of the wind symphony, complete with a to-the-fore clarinet choir. (There's even some sparkling interplay between soloist and contra-bass clarinet!) The over¬ all impression of the work and its perfor¬ mance was lent polish by the University of Michigan Symphony Band who, under conductor Michael Haithcock, played their role with energy, enthusiasm, and control. Bravi tutti!

Allow me to digress here and ruminate on student performers in 2005. At this CBDNA conference I was struck and im¬ pressed by the kind and level of ensemble clarinet playing I was fortunate to hear in concert. The sampling of groups I heard formed a fascinating cross-section of col¬ leges, regions, and missions, with a com¬ monality of artistry and conviction: New England Conservatory, University of Mich¬ igan, University of Louisville and Ithaca College. These schools along with others sent students to New York to perform Mo¬ zart, Husa or Daugherty with a command and understanding that can make all of us — students, teachers, professionals or am¬ ateurs — rightfully proud. This is the same with young players one hears in ensembles from Belgium or Japan or, well, you pick your favorite place. It is the same with the remarkable clarinet playing in the I.C.A. competitions. On National Public Radio in the U.S.A. there is a show called "From the

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Top." On it I have heard teenaged clarinetists from Kentucky to China play solos with brilliance and beauty. One stands humbled.

We will have the opportunity for a sec¬ ond hearing of our commission soon at ClarinetFest 2005. The organizers have planned for it to be heard this summer with a Japanese wind band. (Yet another high¬ light of a fantastic clarinet event!) And then I can imagine performances by groups around the globe, including by the other institutions of the commissioning consor¬ tium: Arizona State, Concordia, Sam Hous¬ ton State, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, Towson, Kentucky and Utah. I know I'll want to play it soon! And with a piano re¬ duction promised, not every performer will have to enlist a symphony band to experi¬ ence this work. Again, congratulations go out to all who participated in this success¬ ful I.C.A. project.

Back Issues

of The Clarinet

Back-issue order forms for The

Clarinet may now be downloaded

from the I.C.A. Web site: <www.

clarinet.org>. Copies may also be

requested by contacting:

James Gillespie

College of Music

University of North Texas

P.O. Box 311367

Denton, TX 76203-1367

E-mail:

<[email protected]>

www.clarinet.org

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Page 87

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Patricia DiLutis: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

William Blayney: Seattle Freelance Clarinetist

Robert DiLutis: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

David Drosinos: Zephyros Greek Band & Key West Symphony

Francois Kloc: Buffet Crampon Manager of Woodwinds, North America

Frederic H. Weiner: Weiner Musical Instruments Inc.

Chris Coppinger: The Music Group Regional Manager

David Gould: Vandoren Artist and Product Specialist

Events & Classes

• Daily Clarinet Ensemble coachings by faculty

• Learn how Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces are made

• Master class with Greg Raden, Principal Clarinetist

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• Greek Clarinet technique class and performance

by David Drosinos

• Reed making and The Reed Machine with Robert DiLutis

• Clarinet repair techniques and maintenance with Francois

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• Purchase supplies and accessories

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clarinetfest.2005 tama.tokyo july18m[4 7days^ 24 ms ... · volume 32, number 3 june 2005 about the...

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