daddario.com
EDITOR Rachel Yoder
[email protected]
Introducing Kathleen Kathleen D. D. Chau, Chau, ICA Executive Assistant
MUSIC REVIEWS EDITOR Greg Barrett
[email protected]
AUDIO REVIEWS EDITOR Chris Nichols
[email protected]
GRAPHIC DESIGN Karry Tomas Graphic Design
[email protected]
ADVERTISING COORDINATO COORDINATOR R Elizabeth Craword
[email protected]
he ICA is pleased to welcome Kathleen D. Chau as Executive Assistant. In addition to supporting our day-to-day operations and fiscal management, she will supervise publication o Te Clarinet and and continue to update our business procedures.
Kathleen D. Chau
[email protected]
Kathleen Chau is a retired military clarinetist, having served in the U.S. Navy’s Navy’s premier musical ensemble, the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C. As a member o this White House support unit, she perormed with the Concert and Ceremonial Bands, traveled extensively throughout the United States, supported high-level military and international events, and entertained thousands o concert patrons annually. Chau also held several key organizational roles. She initially managed man aged the band’s administrative services and subsequently supervised fiscal and supply operations. Following her military retirement, she has been actively involved in operating a small business devoted to early childhood development, and was recently appointed Music Program Coordinator at the National Gallery o Art, Washington, D.C. A graduate o Central Michigan University with a Bachelor o Arts and a Master o Administration, Chau continues to perorm in a variety o ensembles in the Washington, D.C. area, and especially enjoys the un and camaraderie o the small community bands o Northern Michigan.
INDEX MANAGER Emily Kerski
ABOUT THE COVER:
Campus o the University o Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas (ISSN 0361-5553) is published 4 times Te Clarinet (ISSN a year by the International Clarinet Association International Clarinet Association 118 N Conistor Ln, Suite B, Box 296 Liberty, MO 64068 office: 443-286-1396 www.clarinet.org ICAclarinet acebook.com/icaclarinet © Copyright 2016, International Clarinet Association. Views expressed by the writers and reviewers in Te are not necessarily those o the staff o the Clarinet are journal or o the International International Clarinet Clarinet Association. Association.
2 | THE CLARINET
MARCH 20 2016 16
International Clarinet Association President:
E-Newsletter Editor:
Caroline Hartig –
[email protected]
Phillip O. Paglialonga –
[email protected]
Past President:
Historian:
John Cipolla –
[email protected]
Alan Stanek –
[email protected]
Secretary:
ICA Research Center:
Denise Gainey –
[email protected]
University of Maryland – www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/scores
Treasurer:
Research Coordinator and Library Liaison:
od Kerstetter –
[email protected]
Malena McLaren –
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International Representative:
Stephan Vermeersch –
[email protected] Executive Director:
Social Media Editor:
Timothy Phillips –
[email protected] Webmaster:
Lynn Fryer – lynn
[email protected]
Kevin and Sonya Morgan – www.morgansites.com
Executive Assistant:
Kathleen Chau –
[email protected] Contact information for national chairpersons is available in the member directory at clarinet.org. NATIONAL CHAIRPERSONS
Argentina: Carlos Céspedes Armenia: Alexandr G. Manukyan Australia: Floyd Williams Austria: MSDir. Mag.
Dr. Friedrich Patschbacher Belgium: Hedwig Swimberghe Brazil: Ricardo Dourado Freire Bulgaria: Bobo Yotzov Canada, National Chair: Pat Daniels Canada, St. Lawrence Region:
Lorne Buick Canada, Great Lakes Region:
Barbara Hankins Canada, Central Region:
Margaret Wilson Canada, Pacific Region: Patricia Kostek Chile: Luis Rossi Columbia: Javier Asdrúbal Vinasco Costa Rica: Lenin Izaguirre Cedeño Czech Republic: Stepán Koutník Denmark: Anna Klett Finland: Juhani Valtasalmi France: Jean-Marie Paul Germany: Pro. Johannes M. Gmeinder Great Britain: Dr. Sarah Watts Greece: Paula Smith Diamandis Hong Kong: Maria Wong Hungary: Bence Szepesi
Iceland: Kjartan Óskarsson India: Dr. Pandit Narasimhalu Vadavati Ireland: Paul Roe Israel: Eva Wasserman-Margolis Italy: Luigi Magistrelli Japan: Masaharu Yamamoto Luxembourg: Sébastien Duguet Mexico: Luis Humberto Ramos Netherlands: Céleste Zewald New Zealand: Andrew Uren Norway: Christian Stene People’s Republic of China: Yi He Peru: Marco Antonio Mazzini Poland: Jan Jakub Bokun Portugal: António Saiote Puerto Rico/Carribean: Kathleen Jones Serbia: Andrija Blagojević Slovakia: Július Klein Slovenia: Joze Kotar South Africa: Edouard L. Miasnikov South Korea: Im Soo Lee Spain: Carlos Jesús Casadó arín Sweden: Stean Harg Switzerland: Matthias Müller Taiwan: Chien-Ming Thailand: Cassandra Fox-Percival Uruguay: Martín Castillos Venezuela: Victor Salamanques
AD RATES & ICA MEMBERSHIP FEES
For advertising rates and specifications or to join the International Clarinet Association, visit www.clarinet.org. MARCH 2016
HONORARY MEMBERS Ben Armato (1928–2015) Walter Boeykens (1938–2013) Betty Brockett (1936–2003) Clark Brody (1914–2012) Jack Brymer (1915–2003) Larry Combs, Evanston, Illinois Buddy DeFranco (1923–2014) Hans Deinzer, Frankfurt, Germany & Bobbio, Italy Guy Deplus, Paris, France Stanley Drucker, New York, New York F. Gerard Errante, Las Vegas, Nevada David Etheridge (1942–2010) Lee Gibson (1915–2013) James Gillespie (Editor Emeritus), Denton, Texas Paul Harvey, Twickenham, Middlesex, U.K. Stanley Hasty (1920–2011) Ramon Kireilis, Denver, Colorado Béla Kovács, Budapest, Hungary Frank Kowalsky, Tallahassee, Florida Jacques Lancelot (1920–2009) Karl Leister, Berlin, Germany Mitchell Lurie (1922–2008) John McCaw (1919-2015) John Mohler, Chelsea, Michigan Fred Ormand, Lawrence, Kansas Bernard Portnoy (1915–2006) Alfred Prinz (1930–2014) Harry Rubin, York, Pennsylvania António Saiote, Porto, Portugal James Sauers (1921–1988) James Schoepflin, Spokane, Washington Selim Sesler (1957–2014) David Shifrin, Norwalk, Connecticut William O. Smith, Seattle, Washington Harry Sparnaay, Lloret de Mar, Spain Hans-Rudolf Stalder, Switzerland Milenko Stefanović, Belgrade, Serbia Ralph Strouf (1926–2002) Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, East Lansing, Michigan Himie Voxman (1912–2011) George Waln (1904–1999) David Weber (1914–2006) Pamela Weston (1921–2009) Michele Zukovsky, Los Angeles, California
THE CLARINET | 3
Features 24
Guido Six (1955–2015)
26
The Chicago Mouthpiece Legacy – Part IIB
by Eddy Vanoosthuyse and Robert Spring
by David Tuttle
32
24 56
Don’t Give Me Daphnis: An Injury Recovery Guide for Clarinetists – Part 3 by Mary Alice Druhan, with Kristin Keesey and Debbie Gillespie
60
Theodore Johnson: Remembrances and Recommendations
ClarinetFest® 2016 by Stephanie Zelnick
by Dennis Nygren
40
32
A Short History of the Clarinet in New York City in the 18th and 19th Centuries – Part 2 by Jane Ellsworth
46
Masterworks for Bass Clarinet – A Personal Experience by Rocco Parisi
48
Report from Norway by Gregory Barrett
Departments 2 6 9
Introducing Kathleen D. Chau, ICA Executive Assistant Clarinotes News from Latin America by Ricardo Dourado Freire
12
News from France
14
Letter from the UK
16
Teaching Clarinet
20
Historically Speaking
by Jean-Marie Paul
22
Hysterically Speaking
62 73
Reviews
76
ICA Officer Election Candidates
79
BuzzReed – Connecting the Clarinet Community
by Paul Harris by Michael Webster by Deborah Check Reeves
4 | THE CLARINET
by Eric Hoeprich
Audio Notes by Chris Nichols
by Spencer Prewitt, Jesse Krebs, Kristy Nichols and Eric Salazar
80
Message from the Board
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MARCH 2016
2015 MONTANA/IDAHO CLARINET FESTIVAL by Kate Young Te 2015 Montana/Idaho Clarinet Festival took place at the University o Montana School o Music in Missoula on September 11–12. Christopher Kirkpatrick, assistant proessor o clarinet at the University o Montana, hosted the event. Maxine Ramey, director o the School o Music at the University o Montana, was also there to welcome participants to the estival. Students rom various universities and guest artists rom across the country joined together or a two-day event o learning and playing. Jonathan Holden (Florida State University) and Oskar Espina-Ruiz (University o North Carolina) served as eatured guest artists who each gave a master class and solo recital. Espina-Ruiz presented an opening recital titled “Clarinet Without Boundaries,” ocusing on complex technical works or solo clarinet by Spanish, Latino and American composers. Te next day, a recital eatured guest artists Kate Young, John Coppa, Joshua Mietz, Greg Young, Leslie Moreau, Chris Mothersole, and the comical Greater Missoula Area Single Reed on a Wooden Horn Society. Later in the day, a duet recital was given by the osca Duo (clarinetists Shawn Copeland and Lynn Musco) and Duo Nyans (clarinetist Christopher Kirkpatrick and saxophonist Johan 6 | THE CLARINET
2015 Montana/Idaho Clarinet Festival faculty
Eriksson). Tis duo concert exposed the audience to music outside o the traditional repertoire or clarinet duet and saxophone/ bass clarinet, and was an excellent addition to the estival. In the aternoon, Shawn Copeland presented a well-attended Alexander echnique workshop. Te estival attendees participated in the Festival Clarinet Choir, directed by Joshua Mietz. Tey perormed Matt Johnston’s arrangements o works
including Te Liberty Bell March and Holst’s First Suite in E-flat Major . Te choir also played Mietz’s own wellconceived arrangements o “Clocks” by Coldplay and the University o Montana fight song. o conclude the 2015 Montana/Idaho Clarinet Festival, Jonathan Holden gave a recital o music by U.K. and U.S. composers, including works by Gershwin, Copland, Stanord, Roxburgh and Hurlstone. MARCH 2016
LA FIESTA DE LOS CLARINETES 2016 IN HAVANA, CUBA by Marita Rodríguez Te ourth annual Fiesta de los Clarinetes will take place March 28-April 2, 2016, in Havana, Cuba. Te event is a project o the Duo D’accord (clarinetist Vicente Monterrey and pianist Marita Rodríguez), bringing together chamber music proessionals rom across the country and guests rom other regions to celebrate a “musical fiesta.” Marita Rodríguez will
provide the artistic and general direction o the event, which is sponsored by the National Concert Music Center and the Mozart Lyceum o Havana. Te week-long Fiesta de los Clarinetes will eature concerts held in San Felipe Neri – one o the country’s most prestigious music halls – and master classes and chamber music workshops in the classrooms o Havana’s Mozart Lyceum.
Clarinet choir performance at La Fiesta de los Clarinetes 2015
In addition to host Vicente Monterrey, clarinet proessor at the University o Arts and principal clarinet o the Opera and Ballet Orchestra o Cuba, eatured artists will include: • Cuban clarinetists: Javier Zalba, Dianelys Castillo, Arístides Porto, Héctor Herrera, Aylet Roque, Antonio Dorta, Alden Ortuño, Michael Elvermann, Raael Inciarte, Maryibis García, Niniam Rodríguez, Kimani Simón and Joel Laont • Special guests: rio re Colori rom Germany (Carelys Carreras, clarinet; Elisabeth Wieland, oboe and Arlette Probst, bassoon) and Mauricio Murcia, clarinetist rom Colombia • Ébanos de La Habana Clarinet Quartet: Laura Calderín, Dunia A. Benitez, Yanexy Machado and Mario Rodríguez • rio Cañas Móviles rom Cuba: Maray Villeya, clarinet; Claudia oledo, oboe and Osmany Hernandez, bassoon For more inormation, please contact Marita Rodríguez at maritadavid@cubarte. cult.cu.
2015 CALIFORNIA CLARINET CLINIC by Shawn Copeland and Stephan Vermeersch Te second edition o the Caliornia Clarinet Clinic took place June 21-27 at the Aldersgate Retreat Center in Los Angeles, CA. Te clinic is directed by Julia Heinen, proessor o clarinet at Caliornia State University – Northridge, and Peter Wright, principal clarinetist o the Jacksonville Symphony. In addition to Heinen and Wright, the aculty included Shawn Copeland, Gary Gray, Burt Hara, William Powell, Alcides Rodriguez, Heather Rodriguez, Stephan Vermeersch and Michele Zukovsky. Te Caliornia Clarinet Clinic addressed most aspects o educating the 21st-century clarinetist. Seventeen participants experienced private lessons, group master classes, a clarinet repair clinic with Levi racy o RDG Woodwinds, a mouthpiece presentation by James Kanter, a reed lecture, and presentations on stage right, Alexander MARCH 2016
echnique, yoga, breathing technique, extended techniques, chamber music and solo perormance.
Most days started at 7:30 a.m. with yoga or tai chi, ollowed by breakast, private lessons, presentations/lectures,
2015 California Clarinet Clinic faculty and participants
THE CLARINET | 7
lunch, presentations/lectures, master classes or chamber music, dinner, and then group master classes or concerts. One morning eatured a trip to the D’Addario actory – an honored sponsor o this summer program – where participants
experienced a guided tour on the process o reed and mouthpiece production. Te 2016 California Clarinet Clinic will take place June 19-23; more information is available at http://californiaclarinetclinic.com.
WILLIAM CARL DOMINIK (1925-2015) illiam Carl Dominik passed away at the age o 90 on November 6, 2015. Dominik grew up in Lansing, Michigan, and was drated into the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, initially as a clarinetist and later taking on other duties. When the war ended, he resumed his music studies, earning a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State College and a master’s degree at the University o Southern Caliornia, where he later completed his doctorate. His clarinet and music training included study with Clark Brody, Robert Marcellus, Kalman Bloch, Joseph Siniscalchi and Keith Stein. Dominik joined the Conservatory o Music aculty at the University o the Pacific in 1967 as a clarinet and chamber music proessor, and upon his retirement, he received the university’s Order o the Pacific and the award o Proessor Emeritus. His previous teaching appointments included Bethany College (Kansas), Oberlin Conservator y, University o Wisconsin – Madison, exas A&M University – Kingsville and Caliornia State College at Los Angeles. Dominik was a member o many proessional organizations including
W
8 | THE CLARINET
William Carl Dominik
the International Clarinet Association, or which he served as the Caliornia State Chair or many years. He played in various orchestras, including at Berkshire Music Center at anglewood in Massachusetts, and appeared requently as a soloist, clinician and adjudicator.
MARCH 2016
News
from
by Ricardo Dourado Freire
larinet players in Latin America are organizing many events to promote the clarinet and clarinet perormance around the continent. Tis column discusses important ways people are working to bring clarinet players together: in Paraguay, a first-ever gathering o clarinetists; in South Argentina, a visionary teacher and a clarinet choir organizing an international event; and in Brazil, a small clarinet company holding local auditions
C
MARCH 2016
or 48 young players to take part in a national clarinet competition. Tese are small steps that are making the clarinet community stronger in Latin America.
PRIMER ENCUENTRO DE CLARINETES DE PARAGUAY – FIRST CLARINET MEETING OF PARAGUAY Paraguay was waiting or a clarinet event or a ew years and it took a very talented young player with determination and inspiration to do it. José Cabrera was born in 1992, and today he is a member o the Orquesta Sinónica Nacional de Paraguay in Asunción. He studied with Ruben Jara in Paraguay and at the Academia Latinoamericana de Clarinete in Caracas, Venezuela, under the guidance o Valdemar Rodrigues, Jorge Montilla and Carmen Borregales. Cabrera returned to Paraguay to develop a career as a classical player and to promote the clarinet or the younger generation. His efforts resulted in the Primer Encuentro, a clarinet event bringing together clarinet players rom all around the country o 7 million people in the center o South America. Te event was held at the Main Hall o the Sinónica Nacional, October 22-25, 2015. Te guest o honor was clarinetist and conductor Antonio Saiote, proessor at the Escola Superior de Música, Artes e
Espectáculo in Porto, Portugal. Te event included master classes, individual clarinet lessons, clarinet ensemble rehearsals and two eatured recitals given by Cabrera and Saiote. Te final concert eatured the participants and a clarinet ensemble conducted by Saiote. Te Primer Encuentro was an excellent opportunity to create a community o clarinet players in Paraguay. Cabrera promoted an important goal o the ICA – “ostering communication and ellowship o clarinetists” – by including Paraguay on the roster o clarinet events in Latin America.
Antonio Saiote and José Cabrera
THE CLARINET | 9
IV ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE CLARINETES DE BAHÍA BLANCA (ARGENTINA) – FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CLARINET MEETING OF BAHÍA BLANCA Gustavo Kamerbeek lives in Bahía Blanca, situated 400 miles south o Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a true clarinet enthusiast who devotes himsel to clarinet teaching, proessional playing and conducting the Coro de Clarinetes Carmelo Azzolina, a clarinet choir o students and amateurs. Te ourth annual Encuentro Internacional de Clarinetes de Bahía Blanca took place July 9-12, 2015, with our days o master classes, recitals, concerts, lectures and presentations. Te event was supported by the Asociación Filarmónica de Bahía Blanca and the Secretaría de Extensión Universitaria de la Universidad Nacional del Sur. Guest artists included Cristiano Alves (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro) and Alexandre Ribeiro (choro soloist) rom Brazil; and Osvaldo Lichtenzvieg (Escuela de Música de Neuquén) and Guillermo Astudillo (Orquesta Estable
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del eatro Colón) rom Argentina. Te participating ensembles included the Coro de Clarinetes Carmelo Azzolina (clarinet choir), Banda Sinónica de Bahía Blanca (wind symphony), Sudestada Big Band and Quinteto de Vientos Lakmé (wind quintet). Tere were many local players including Diego Casoni, Raúl Soto, Ricardo de Armas, Gabriel Dominguez, Uriel Kauman, Juan Pablo Vazquez, Denise Boudout, Pamela Gallardo and Roberto Gutiérrez. Te IV Encuentro showed how important it is or a community to value the joy o playing the clarinet. Te event was promoted by a group that developed passion or the instrument, and by Gustavo Kamerbeek, who works tirelessly to inspire younger students and also to motivate amateurs to keep playing and enjoying lie as a clarinetist.
Gustavo Kamerbeek leading the clarinet choir
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II “RAFAEL GALHARDO CARO” CLARINET COMPETITION Te Brazilian clarinet company Devon and Burgani organized the second edition o “Raael Galhardo Caro” Clarinet Competition in 2015. Te contest was named ater a renowned clarinet teacher who worked in the São Paulo Opera Orchestra and taught clarinet or almost 50 years. Initially, there were 48 competitors rom all over Brazil, organized into six regional contests. welve players were selected or the semifinals in São
rom São Paulo, second place to Lucas Ferreira rom Rio de Janeiro, and third place to Paulo Mantovani rom São Paulo. Te first two places received Devon and Burgani clarinets and clarinet apparel rom sponsors. Te “Raael Galhardo Caro” Clarinet Competition recognized young talent and brought to the big city o São Paulo players rom such states as Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Paraíba, Piauí, Amazonas, Goiás, Pernambuco, and Rio de Janeiro. v
Paulo, October 10-12, 2015, and required to play Béla Kovács’ Hommage à Strauss and Claudio Santoro’s Etude No. 2 (1942). Six finalists were then selected to perorm Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie in the final round. José Botelho rom Rio de Janeiro served as chair o the jury, which included Nuno Silva (Portugal), Márcio Pereira (Portugal), Lara Diáz (Spain) and Piero Vicenti (Italy). First place was awarded to Ariane Rovesse
ABOUT THE WRITER Ricardo Dourado Freire is professor of clarinet at Universidade de Brasília (UnB) in Brazil. He studied at UnB with Luiz Gonzaga Carneiro, and at Michigan State University with Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr. Freire is an enthusiast of Latin American music, both classical and popular, and participated in clarinet events in Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Peru, Portugal, USA and Venezuela.
(Left to right) Paulo Mantovani (3rd place), Lucas Ferreira (2nd place), Ariane Rovesse (1st place), Marcio Pereira, Nuno Silva, Piero Vicenti, Lara Diaz, José Botelho, Sérgio Burgani and Odivan de Santana
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THE CLARINET | 11
News
Jean-Marc Volta (Paris), Richard Rimbert (Bordeaux), Philippe Moinet (Nancy), Alain oiron (Mulhouse-Colmar). No candidate was eligible to compete on bass clarinet (Alain Billard class); the next competition will be in 2016. CNSM Lyon. Master level – Mention très bien: Marion Allain, Anaïs Audigé and Cécilia Lemaître-Sgard . License level (a notation is given, not a prize) – Elsa Loubaton and Christine Cochenet . Jury: Franck Amet, Philippe Berrod, Jérôme Comte.
from
by Jean-Marie Paul
n November 23, BuffetCrampon organized a huge concert (3 ½ hours) at the new concert hall o Radio France in celebration o its 190th anniversary. Te clarinet part o the program included: Mozart’s Gran Partita (Michel Arrignon and Paul Meyer, clarinets; Nicolas Baldeyrou and Alexandre Chabod, basset horns); Milhaud’s La Création du monde (Paul Meyer, conductor; Romain Guyot and Kenji Matsumoto, clarinets); Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3, final movement (arr. N. Baldeyrou) with an international choir o 48 clarinets conducted by Antonio Saiote; and klezmer music by the Giora Feidman rio. Tere was also a commission or orchestra, Rhapsody for alents , conducted by the composer Giancarlo Castro d’Addona, and U.S. clarinetist Felix Peikli played a jazz duet with saxophonist Luigi Grasso.
r e i l l e t s o h ’ L n n a o Y : t i d e r C o t o h P
O
12 | THE CLARINET
principal. Orchestre National des Pays de Loire: Competition was held on November 10 or the bass clarinet position; no one was chosen. New competition: April 4, 2016. Opera de oulon: Franck Russo. Russo is a ounding member o the Absinthe clarinet quartet and a laureate o several international competitions, including: Prague, Debussy (Paris), Nielsen (Denmark) and Lancelot (Rouen and okyo). Orchestre de Picardie: Romy Bischoff , soloist o the Paris Police Band (Musique des Gardiens de la Paix)
PREMIERES
Elodie Roudet
NATIONAL SUPERIOR CONSERVATORIES (CNSM) CNSM Paris, June 12-13. License level (3 years) – Mention très bien: Madoka suruyama (unanimously), Maïté Atasay , Paul Dujoncquoy , Benjamin Fontaine. Mention bien: Joséphine Besançon and Iñaki Vermeersch Amor (unanimously). Master level (called
NEW CHAIRS Garde Républicaine: Maité Atassay , solo bass clarinet; Franck Scalisi, co-principal; Damien Fouilloux , E-flat clarinet co-
“Prix” in the past) – Mention très bien: Elodie Roudet and Bogdan Sydorenko (both at the unanimity o the jury with congratulations; Roudet will perorm at the 2016 ClarinetFest®). Mention bien: Jaehyuk Jang and Amaury Viduvier (at the unanimity o the jury). Jury (clarinetists):
Tere have been many premieres, most notably: 5 Moments retrouvés by Nicolas Bacri (with piano), played by Philippe Cuper on June 9, commissioned or Philippe by the Versailles Conservatory and Vandoren and played or the Cahuzac International Competition; and Petite Suite Klezmer by Serge Kaumann, November 8, Paris, Téâtre Adyar, with the composer at the piano. Armand Angster also perormed several premieres; or a complete list, visit www. accrochenote.com. MARCH 2016
OBITUARIES November 29, 2014: Pierre Boulanger (b. 1938) studied with his brother Edmond (first prize at the Geneva Competition) and received his first prize in 1956 at the Paris Conservatory ater only nine months. He was principal in the Air Force Band and member o the Garde Republicaine Band. Boulanger also perormed with the Orchestre de Paris rom its ounding in 1967, and taught in Paris in conservatoires Pierre Boulanger d’arrondissement . December 17, 2014: Jacques Niopel (b. 1935) was awarded a first prize at the Paris Conservatory in 1957 and taught during his lie at the Amiens Conservatory. Scores which were dedicated to him include Romance et Sicilienne o Charles Jay and a clarinet quartet o Semler-Collery. August 11, 2015: Emile Pannetier (b. 1919) studied at the Lyon Conservatory during WWII, then joined the Police Band under Semler-Collery’s baton; he received third place at the Geneva Competition. In 1947 he began playing with the Opera de Lyon whose conductor was the amous André Cluytens. He later switched to the Orchestre National de Lyon and remained there until his retirement in 1984 (my thanks to François Sauzeau, the current clarinet soloist o the Orchestre National de Lyon, or this inormation). December 28, 2015: Jean Aubain (b. 1928) was the director o the Versailles Conservatory rom 1963 to 1996. He composed Pastorale et Scherzo or clarinet and piano (1979); Concerto or clarinet and orchestra (1985; also available in a piano reduction); and Piece pour 7 clarinettes , which was dedicated to Philippe Cuper and premiered with the Choeur de Clarinettes de Versailles. v MARCH 2016
THE CLARINET | 13
Letter from
by Paul Harris
the
TIMOTHY BOWERS’ CLARINET SONATA: BOLDLY TAKING THE SONATA INTO TERRITORIES NEW hen a composer decides to write a complete cycle o wind sonatas, should they take into account the lessons o history? Saint-Saëns, Poulenc and others made this decision and ate decreed that their cycles, sadly, would orever remain unfinished. Not only this,
W
Timothy Bowers
14 | THE CLARINET
but as we know, late works or clarinet have oten been a composer’s swan song (Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Reger, SaintSaëns, Nielsen, Poulenc...) But the British composer imothy Bowers has challenged ate and decided to do just this – he began as Nielsen did, with a terrific Wind Quintet , and has since completed sonatas or bassoon and oboe. He has now taken the plunge and completed his Clarinet Sonata . For clarinet players, a new sonata is always an exciting and important event, and im’s new work will certainly not disappoint. Let’s have a look at this significant British composer; imothy Bowers may be a name unknown to some readers. im was a pupil o the great Alan Bush (who regrettably never wrote or the clarinet as a solo instrument) at the Royal Academy o Music where im now teaches. He has gone on to become a notable composer o instrumental and vocal music. He has written solo works or almost every instrument, including sonatas or all the orchestral brass instruments, strings, piano, guitar and classical accordion. Many o these works have been commissioned by leading players; im’s commitment to writing works or solo perormers reflects many years o teaching and working with exceptional artists at the Royal Academy. im acknowledges the precedent o Hindemith and some lesser known
composers (rom Scandinavia, or example) but does not, in any way, cite Hindemith as an influence – either stylistically or structurally. Common to all im’s sonatas is an intention to build an entire work rom a small harmonic or melodic cell. A second strand running through the series is the notion that traditional orms are not simply a template that can be used lightly, but a platorm through which the composer can satisy or deny expectations on the part o the listener. Beore I asked im about the work itsel, I raised the question o how he elt in taking on such a historically emotive task. He responded: When I started writing the series, I convinced mysel that I was not a superstitious man; however, I’ve now reached the point that I have one let to write (or flute) and I can’t pretend that I’m not a little uneasy at this moment. But I’m happy to report that the Clarinet Sonata flowed quickly. And I remain in good health and have many ideas or the final Flute Sonata ! Te sonata is im’s third work or solo clarinet – the others are Concerto Festivo or clarinet and symphonic winds and Incantation & Dance or unaccompanied clarinet. It will be o interest or readers to know that neither work has received a premiere in the United States yet. Te Clarinet Sonata was not written or a particular player, but having already explored the instrument in two very different ways, im had a particular sound in mind or this piece. empting though it was or the composer to avor his beloved flat keys and long, quiet melodic lines, the mainspring o the work is a dark, sometimes cold energy that leads eventually to a warmer mode o expression. Te piece interestingly, and unusually, explores the central tonality o B minor, a key not oten avored by composers in MARCH 2016
writing or the clarinet (except, o course, Brahms), but one that reveals vitally important colors. It is a three-movement work lasting 13 minutes, with a concise and urgent opening movement in sonata orm, an intimately expressive slow movement and a boldly defiant finale that grows rom an unexpected gentle opening; then, through a series o variations, it transorms back into the material that opens the work. Te coda concludes the musical argument in a fiery manner rather like the shaking o a fist! Fascinatingly (and possibly uniquely), im sees this work as part o a grand cycle. Te sonatas can be perormed singly, but, much more excitingly, they can be perormed together, rather like Wagner’s Ring cycle. Te cycle begins with the Wind Quintet , whose ideas influence themes and motis in all the sonatas that ollow. Immediately ater the opening quintet comes the more lightweight and quirky Bassoon Sonata – a “first scherzo” which includes two dance movements. Te gentle C major Oboe Sonata acts as a slow movement. Ten, in this highly imaginative context, the Clarinet Sonata plays the role o a dramatic scherzo. Te Flute Sonata will constitute the finale o this grand five-work scheme, acting as a point o complete resolution. Te first U.K. premiere o the Clarinet Sonata is imminent, ater which all five works will receive a joint perormance as a cycle – maybe the first time ever or such a musically intriguing and imaginative project. v
ABOUT THE WRITER Paul Harris is one of the U.K.’s most influential music educators. He studied the clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music, where he won the August Manns Prize for outstanding performance and where he now teaches. He is in great demand as a teacher, composer and writer (he has written over 600 music books and compositions), and his master classes and workshops continue to inspire thousands of young musicians and teachers all over the world in both the principles and practice of musical performance and education. MARCH 2016
Teaching by Michael Webster
Seventy-second in a series of articles using excerpts from a teaching method in progress by the Professor of Music at Rice University
BRACKETOLOGY n 1985, the NCAA expanded its annual Division I Men’s Basketball ournament to include 64 teams, and “bracketology” was born. Competitors in the tournament are chosen via a complicated system o seeding, whereby our regions each have 16 seeded teams with No. 1 playing the first round against No. 16, No. 2 against No. 15, etc. Four more teams were added in 2011, so now the odds or predicting every single game correctly among the 68 teams have snowballed to one in 147.57 quintillion. Bracketology (predicting the outcome o every game) is everywhere during “March Madness,” as the tournament is colorully called, and has even invaded the White House, with “Bracketeer-in-Chie” Obama posting his predictions annually. For musicians, there is another kind o bracketology: the use o brackets to indicate the direction o a phrase. o this day, in my oldest music, I find brackets written by Stanley Hasty (19202011) rom my days o study in the 1960s. In the vast majority o brackets, the first enclosed note is an offbeat. Tus the bracketed series o notes has the eeling o anacrusis, or upbeat. Hasty’s brackets are similar to the system o numbers developed by Marcel abuteau (1887-1966), the iconic principal oboist o the Philadelphia Orchestra. A long-time colleague o Daniel Bonade (1896-1976), Lento e suave abuteau was to the oboe what Bonade Oboe was to the clarinet – the ounder o an “American school” o woodwind playing through his immense influence as a teacher. Te Philadelphia Orchestra legacy is apparent in Donald Montanaro’s use Example 1
I
16 | THE CLARINET
o the trio rom the Scherzo o Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 to demonstrate abuteau’s system o numbering (Example 1). Te numbers can indicate dynamics, or a slightly more nebulous concept: intensity. With nine repeated notes in a row, the phrase cries out or some shaping. abuteau’s numbering system goes rom 1 to 10, so each adjacent number is a small increment. Within the large crescendo written by Sibelius, abuteau groups the first three notes with a small crescendo, then two more groups o three, each an increment louder than the previous. As a result, we gain the eeling o the first two quarter notes being a pickup to the third, happening three times until reaching the climax o the phrase. Equally important is continuing the same eeling o pickup in the second measure by starting the second note with a 1, just like the first measure. Tere is no printed dynamic in the second measure, thus the phrasing will be more subtle than in the first measure, but present nonetheless. Another way o describing the phrasing is the use o brackets each time a note is soter than the previous
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43 Mvt. 3 Excerpt
1
2
3 2
3
4
3
4
5
3
Jean Sibelius
3
tenuto
2
1
1 2
3
2
3 4
MARCH 2016
one. So there would be a bracket beore the ourth and seventh quarters o the first measure and the second and ourth quarter notes o the second measure. Rather than using pedagogical examples, let’s use three staples o the clarinet repertoire, all o which serve students as they evolve rom the intermediate to the advanced level, usually in the mid-tolate teenage years: Weber’s Concertino, Schumann’s first Fantasy Piece , and the Saint-Saëns Sonata , first movement. Te theme o the Weber, shown in Ex. 2A, has only one bracket, showing how the three enclosed eighth notes serve as a pickup to the next bar. Hasty’s brackets were usually open-ended, but Example 2B will show an example o shorter, closed brackets. Te note previous to the bracket is sot, as is the first bracketed note, similar to the first two notes o the second bar o Ex. 1. In act, there are actually two kinds o bracket: one in which the first note o the bracket is the sotest, and another in which the note beore the bracket is the sotest. Te difference is subtle, and in act the whole use o brackets is subtle. Tey indicate small increments in the abuteau scale o 1 to 10, so small that they usually don’t warrant dynamic indications by the composer. Ex. 2B shows the first variation o the theme with phrasing brackets. Te most important aspect o this phrase is that the second note o mm. 1 and 2 is sot, to emphasize their relationship to the theme. Tis is not so easy to accomplish! Because the note is so much shorter than the first note, significant breath control is required. One way o practicing is to taper the second note and pause beore playing the bracketed notes. Gradually decrease the length o the pause until the bracket is accomplished completely with dynamics. Brackets most oten are open-ended, but with a series o short ones, as in the case o the second and third measures, we close them beore the next one begins. Te effect is very similar to that o the Sibelius – groups o three notes, each with poco crescendo, each a little louder than the previous. Te brackets are subtle, and also flexible. One perormance could reach a high point on the B-flat in m. 3, ollowed by a diminuendo to the downbeat o m. 4, then hairpins up and down in m. 4. Or, one could make the low A at the beginning o m. 4 the high point and diminuendo all the way to m. 5, or diminuendo to the MARCH 2016
Concertino, Op. 26 Excerpts
THEME
Carl Maria Von Weber
___
Andante
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con anima
Example 2A
Variation I __ |
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
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3
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3
3
Example 2B
hal bar and crescendo to m. 5. Because the accompaniment is minimal, the perormer doesn’t have to decide until the spur o the moment; any version will sound good so long as the triplets retain the bracketed eeling without accenting downbeats. Te third note o the bracket is the loudest, but must be arrived at gradually. Practicing long tones with subtly fluctuating dynamics is a good way or the student to gain awareness
and control o the air stream. Schumann’s markings in the first o his Fantasy Pieces (Ex. 3A) almost bracket themselves. Te short diminuendo to G in m. 2 sets up a bracket on the next note (F). Te downbeat o m. 5 is like the Weber: a long note ollowed by a short resolution. Te printed hairpins take care o m. 5 and m. 7. Te hairpin in m. 8 should actually extend to the downbeat o m. 9
"
Clarinet in A Zart und mit Ausdruck (Sweet and expressive)
7
14
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PHANTASIESTUCKE, Op.73 No. 1 Excerpts Robert Schumann |
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Example 3A
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cresc.
Example 3B
THE CLARINET | 17
SONATA, Op. 167 Clarinet in B-flat
Mvt. 1 Excerpts " Camille Saint-Saens
Allegretto
5
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9
cresc. 13
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dim. |
17
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dim. |
22
28
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3
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Example 4
to achieve the proper bracketing. Mm. 14 and 15 supply a new breathing challenge: to breathe beore the last eighth note o m. 13, keep the next two notes within the phrase, and add a bracket ater the first note o m. 14. Although not printed, a diminuendo across the bar line accomplishes that. Similarly in m. 17, the moment the downbeat begins should be the sotest point o the phrase with most or all o the crescendo reserved or the second quarter. Tere are two brackets in m. 18, but doing both would be overkill. Choose one or the other without necessarily planning in advance. Sometimes, especially in romantic music, a bracket is served by poco tenuto on the previous note. Here, I think tenuto on either the first or fith eighth note is effective, but emphasizing both could engender some vertigo. Te 18 | THE CLARINET
third measure o Ex. 3B exaggerates the point. Tree brackets would be ridiculous, and even two could make the listeners eel lightheaded. I’d choose one o the three, give the previous note a bit o tenuto, then lead into m. 4 in tempo. Te piano accompaniment stops on the downbeat, so a bit o improvised rubato is appropriate. For the advancing intermediate student, this first movement o the Fantasy Pieces works well on B-flat clarinet in B minor with two sharps, a version that can be ound in some editions. Te Saint-Saëns Sonata (Ex. 4) is surely romantic, but Saint-Saëns was stingier with his printed dynamics than Schumann. With brackets, we can supply the missing dynamics with great nuance. Te rests between the first three short phrases supply the brackets; our challenge
is to taper the last note o each so the phrase has continuity during the rests. When the phrase gets more continuous, brackets in mm. 5 and 6 keep the pickup eeling alive. Brackets give a phrase direction without adding speed. Te rests in mm. 16 and 17 are like brackets or the five pickup notes that ollow. Adding a bracket to m. 15 gives the same pickup eeling. Another way o describing the brackets in m. 18 is that they add lilt. One measure o musical maturity is being able to discard accenting every beat, in this case thinking o two big beats per bar rather than our. Te double brackets in mm. 25 to 27 are to be avoided or just that reason. Choose one, keeping the eel o two beats per bar. From mm. 28 to 31, the brackets are sel-explanatory. Diminuendo on a downward arpeggio and crescendo on an upward arpeggio can be a cliché, but the phrasing o mm. 32 and 33 demands that the middle o each bar be the sot point, ollowed by a bracket with crescendo. Brackets are applicable to any music, or example the Rose 32 and 40 Studies , both slow and ast. Etudes serve the purpose o giving technical challenges that are more concentrated and continuous than recital music; using brackets in etudes will help instill the importance o phrasing in everything a student plays. We want our students to become bracketeers or sure, but joining in with a prediction or “March Madness” is optional.
WEBSTER’S WEB Your eedback and input to these articles are valuable to our readership. Please send comments and questions to Webster’s Web at
[email protected] or Michael Webster, Shepherd School o Music, MS- 532, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, X 77251-1892; ax 713-348-5317; www.michaelwebsterclarinet.com. Jules Elias writes from Portland, Oregon:
I seem to remember your advice in response to a letter regarding the use o the standard fingering or the altissimo high G, but have not been able to locate it. I would like to try the alternate fingerings, particularly as I am preparing both the Debussy Rhapsody and the Copland Concerto or a perormance next spring. For an 81-year-old “born again” clarinetist who has returned to his first love, playing the clarinet, this time o my lie has been MARCH 2016
greatly enhanced by the clarinet and the music that I never dreamed would be in my reach. My answer (abbreviated): It’s very nice to hear rom you. I can’t say that there is a standard fingering or high G because there are so many. I divide them into 5th partial and 7th partial. Both of these fingerings have LH thumb and register key engaged plus RH pinky E-flat. 5th Partial avorite: LH index finger. It is an overblown B-natural and must be voiced with the throat. It is smooth i you are already in the 5th partial (C-sharp or higher), but won’t speak easily rom the 3rd partial (C-natural or lower). Adding RH ork improves pitch and response, preerable i the speed allows it. Fingering the RH ork can be awkward; you must place your finger close to the rod. I you hit the ring, it deeats the purpose. You’ll be on the very tip o your finger, so keep the nail cut short. 7th Partial avorite: LH index and third fingers, RH index and second fingers. It has good pitch and solid tone. It needs a tiny bit o voicing
– doesn’t speak quite as well as LH index finger only (without the third finger), but the pitch is better (lower). Also try substituting index and third finger RH. Magic! v
ABOUT THE WRITER Michael Webster is professor of music at Rice University’s Shepherd School and artistic director of the award-winning Houston Youth Symphony. Formerly principal clarinet of the Rochester Philharmonic and acting principal of the San Francisco Symphony, he has served on the clarinet faculties of Eastman, Boston University, and the New England Conservatory. A winner of Young Concert Artists, he has soloed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Boston Pops and appeared with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, the okyo, Cleveland, Muir, Ying and Dover Quartets, and at many summer festivals.
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Steve Cohen, Professor of Clarinet, Northwestern University
Eric Mandat, Professor of Clarinet, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
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MARCH 2016
THE CLARINET | 19
Historically
Photo 2: NMM 5867 Kohlert clarinet bell signature
by Deborah Check Reeves
“Historically Speaking” is a feature of Te Clarinet offered in response to numerous inquiries received by the editorial staff about clarinets. Most of the information is based on sources available at the National Music Museum, located on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion (orgs.usd.edu/ nmm). Please send your e-mail inquiries to Deborah Check Reeves at
[email protected]. stablished by three sons o the Graslitz woodwind instrument maker Vincenz Kohlert, the V. Kohlert’s Söhne workshop started production around 1880. Graslitz is the German name or the town o Kraslice in present-day Czech Republic. It is only 11 miles rom Markneukirchen in Germany, which has been a center
E
o musical instrument manuacturing dating back to the 17th century. It is also a short distance rom Schöneck, home o Gottlob Hermann Hüller who was highlighted in the previous “Historically Speaking” column (Te Clarinet , Vol. 43/1, December 2015). V. Kohlert’s Söhne made a variety o woodwind instruments including saxophones, bassoons and flutes, as well as innovative instruments like the Saxo-Oboe and Jazz-Klarinette that used saxophone fingering. By 1929, the firm was considered one o the largest manuacturers o woodwinds. Clarinets, o course, were a large part o that production. A quick perusal through several wholesaler catalogs rom the mid-
Photo 1: NMM 5867 Kohlert B-flat clarinet
Photo 3: NMM 5867 Kohlert lyre receptacle
Photo 5: NMM 5867 Kohlert clarinet C-sharp/G-sharp key extension Photo 4: NMM 5867 Kohlert little finger rollers and patent C-sharp key
20 | THE CLARINET
All photos by Dara Lohnes, courtesy of National Music Museum, University of South Dakota.
MARCH 2016
to-late 1930s – including Bugeleisen and Jacobson, Fred. Gretsch Mg. Co., Carl Fischer Musical Instrument Co., Inc. and the Chicago Musical Instrument Co. – shows a number o models o clarinets exported by Kohlert. Among the Boehm System clarinets available through Chicago Musical Instrument Co., or example, are models rom regular through Full Boehm. One Albert System model was available as well. Among the nearly 20 clarinets made by Kohlert in the National Music Museum collections is NMM 5867 (Photo 1). Unlike those pictured in the wholesaler catalogs, this clarinet appears not to have been made or export to the United States. Te bell bears the maker’s signature: V. KOHLERS. SÖHNE / GRASLIZ / Č.S.R. (Photo 2 ). In German with the abbreviation or Czecho-Slovak Republic, this clarinet was probably made in 19381939 when the area known as Bohemia was essentially under Nazi rule. Te clarinet is made rom metal and has a lyre receptacle just above the bell (Photo 3). ogether,
these eatures suggest that the clarinet may have been made or military use. Tis B-flat clarinet is made in two pieces – a top piece with a barrel and top joint, and a bottom piece with a bottom joint and bell. It has a single-wall bore that gives it the appearance o a skeleton. o make the tone holes at the proper playing level, there are raised tone hole chimneys. Also, its 13 keys use a “Simple System” o fingering, oten known in the United States as Albert System. It is equipped with rollers between both sets o little finger keys and has a “patent C-sharp” key (Photo 4 ). A distinct eature on this clarinet gives it a German characteristic: the C-sharp/G-sharp key has an extra lever that extends downward (Photo 5 ). Tis makes an easy trill or the right hand index finger instead o, or in addition to, the let hand little finger. Tis extra lever is not ound on Albert System clarinets made by Kohlert or export to the United States. From 1939 to 1945, Kohlert, like most manuacturers, turned to wartime production. Ater the war, the firm was
expropriated and the name “V. Kohlert’s Söhne” discontinued. Later, sometime in 1949 in the ormer West Germany city o Winnenden, production began again under the name simply noted as “Kohlert.” v
ABOUT THE WRITER Dr. Deborah Check Reeves is the Curator of Education and Woodwinds at the National Music Museum (NMM) in Vermillion, SD, and associate professor at the University of South Dakota. She received a doctorate in clarinet performance from the University of Iowa. She plays with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and directs atag, the NMM’s Javanese gamelan performance ensemble. She is a contributing editor to Te Clarinet, and serves as the ICA South Dakota State Chair and the Secretary of the American Musical Instrument Society.
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THE CLARINET | 21
Hysterically by Eric Hoeprich
ollowing retirement rom a variety o posts in Paris (pharmacist, publisher, government official), including directorship o the Paris Opera rom 1831 to 1835, we see the corpulent Louis-Désiré Véron estooned in the Greco-Roman dress o an ancient philosopher (his habitual scar covers a scroulous neck), communing with nature while playing the clarinet. Judging rom the reaction o the dog and various onlookers, it may not have sounded very good. Honoré Daumier’s caricature, which appeared in the satirical journal Le Charivari (published in Paris, 1832-1937), marks the occasion o Véron’s withdrawal rom civic lie in 1852. During his tenure at the Opéra , Véron had promoted works by up-and-coming composers such as Aubert, Halévy and Meyerbeer, each a commercial success. Meyerbeer’s Robert le diable – orerunner to Les Huguenots (1836), with its amous bass clarinet solo – enjoyed a successul run in 1831. Te rural idyll has long held a special attraction or the French – bucolic settings such as this, with simple melodies emanating rom a clarinet, perhaps together with a pair o hunting horns. Despite the satirical tone in the caption with regard to the clarinet, an instrument Véron is not actually known to have played (note his reversed hand position), Le Docteur nonetheless appears to have realized a long-awaited period o tranquility. v
F
22 | THE CLARINET
Doctor Véron, having renounced politics, with its pomp and its labors, has withdrawn to the country at Auteuil, surrendering to the enjoyments favored by the ancient Arcadian shepherds: the true sage finds consolation in philosophy and a clarinet.
MARCH 2016
Guido Six October 19, 1955 – October 30, 2015
by Eddy Vanoosthuyse and Robert Spring
O
n Friday, October 30, 2015, clarinetist, educator and director Guido Six was killed in a tragic accident. He was on the highway helping his son Je, who was having car problems. Both were struck by a truck and died immediately. Guido Six began his clarinet study with Roland Lemaire, clarinetist with the Royal Band o the Belgian Guides, and continued his musical studies at the Royal Music Conservatory o Ghent with Jean astenoe, principal clarinet and concertmaster o the Royal Band o the Belgian Guides. Guido received his “Superior Diploma” in the studio o Freddy Arteel, who succeeded astenoe at the Royal Conservatory o Ghent and who was the principal clarinet o the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra. He received his master’s degree in the studio o Eddy Vanoosthuyse, who succeeded Arteel at the Royal Conservatory o Ghent (now the University College Ghent School o Arts). Guido was only 18 when his career began as clarinetist and soloist with the Band o the Belgian Gendarmerie. He went on to teach at various academies, including the Ostende Conservatory and the pedagogical department o the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. He succeeded his ormer bandmaster Roland Cardon as director o the Municipal Music Conservatory in Ostend. Under Guido’s leadership the number o pupils doubled. He gave the school an international reputation by sending various ensembles to perorm abroad and by inviting numerous oreign top-level musicians or master classes and concerts. Ensembles rom 24 | THE CLARINET
Guido Six
the conservatory perormed at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conerence, the exas Music Educators Association Convention and several ClarinetFest® conerences. In 2012, Guido was honored with the Midwest Award, a major international award at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago given to very deserving people working in music education. Since 1996 Guido hosted the Belgian Clarinet Academy each summer. Tis international academy eatured regular aculty members Robert Spring (Arizona State University) and Eddy Vanoosthuyse (Royal Conservatories Ghent and Liège; principal clarinet o the Brussels Philharmonic). Guest MARCH 2016
Guido Six, center, with his Claribel Clarinet Choir
proessors were Howard Klug (Indiana University), Luis Rossi (ormerly o the Catholic University Santiago), Robert Walzel (University o Kansas), Julia Heinen (University o Caliornia), Piero Vincenti (Conservatory “B. Maderna” o Cesena) and Deborah Bish (Florida State University). In those 20 years, hundreds o students rom all over the world attended the Belgian Clarinet Academy, traveling rom the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, South Arica, Australia, China, Korea, Japan, Israel and almost all countries o Europe. Many o them are now soloists with orchestras or working on an international solo career. In addition, Guido guided the Conservatory at Sea as one o the very first Belgian schools in the digital age. Guido was a superb organizer. In 1993 along with Freddy Arteel he organized the ClarinetFest® in Ghent, a project he repeated in 1999 in Ostend. He was in the initial stages o planning another ClarinetFest® in Ostend or 2018, a project which will be taken on by Eddy Vanoosthuyse with help rom the Six amily. Guido Six also helped promote music in the amateur world. He was a member o the Royal Music Association o Belgium and served as its president. Later, he became the president o the amateur musicians’ organization Vlamo West Flanders. He conducted a number o groups including the Royal Band “Onder Ons” in his hometown o Wervik, Belgium. One o the projects close to his heart was his Claribel Clarinet Choir which MARCH 2016
he took on several concert tours in the United States. He made beautiul clarinet choir arrangements that he published through the music publishing house Six Brothers, led by his three sons Bert, Je and im. He also worked as an arranger or numerous musicians, including Robert Spring, Eddie Daniels, Larry Combs, Eddy Vanoosthuyse, Dirk Brossé, James Cohn, the International Clarinets, Claribel Clarinet Choir, Ciurlionis String Quartet and the Brussels Philharmonic. Guido’s arrangements or clarinet choir include: • occata and Fugue – J.S. Bach • Concerto Grosso – Antonio Vivaldi • Concertino – Carl Maria von Weber • Concerto – Aaron Copland • Concerto – Johann Melchior Molter • Double Concerto (both concertos) – Franz Krommer • Double Concerto (2 violins) – J.S. Bach • ill Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche – Richard Strauss • Perpetuum Mobile – Niccolo Paganini • Springtime – dedicated to Robert Spring • Ave Maria – Giulio Caccini All arrangements are edited by Six Brothers Media (www.sixbrothersmedia. com). Guido Six was a real amily man who lived or his wie Chantal, children and grandchildren. Chantal loses not only her husband but also her son. Je Six, born in Kortrijk, Belgium, on May 9, 1980, was as a child connected with Claribel. When he was very young he did his first concert tours with the group and later perormed
Guido’s contributions to music and to his family in the clarinet world will be remembered for generations to come.
in multiple ClarinetFest® conerences. Later he became a proessional musician, a teacher at the Conservatory at Sea, and a reelancer, especially in the jazz world. He played trumpet, flugelhorn and double bass and was conductor o the Six O’Clock Jazz Band. He was married to Nina Cobbaert and had two children, Louis and Jazz, the youngest only 1 year old. Te commitment and dedication o Guido Six will be missed, not only by the Conservatory at Sea, but also in the numerous projects and organizations with which he worked. Guido’s contributions to music and to his amily in the clarinet world will be remembered or generations to come. v THE CLARINET | 25
Chicago MouthpieceLegacy – Part b – The
II
by David uttle
FRANK L. KASPAR IN ANN ARBOR, 1950-1978
A
t the end o Part IIA, the year was 1950, a turning point or the Kaspars. For 30 years, cousins Frank & Frank L. Kaspar had worked side by side, first as employees o Arthur Goldbeck and then as partners. Although both Kaspars worked in Chicago or over 30 years, they are both known primarily by the city/town to which they relocated: Frank to Cicero, Illinois, and Frank L. to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Frank L. may have joked that this was his retirement, but at age 62 the move to Ann Arbor kept him very busy or the next 26 years. One o the joys in researching a project o this kind is communicating with members o the worldwide clarinet community. For this article I am grateul to the ollowing: Donald Montanaro (Philadelphia Orchestra, 1957-2005), Stanley Drucker (New York Philharmonic, 1949-2009), John Mohler (proessor o clarinet at the University o Michigan, 1962-1994), Fred Ormand (proessor o clarinet at the University o Michigan, 1984-2007), Dr. John Wesley (who worked or Frank L. while in high school, first mowing his lawn, then making clarinet pads!), and Charles Colbert, clarinet student at the University o Michigan in the 1950s and ’60s, who later taught and played proessionally. Te move to Ann Arbor was no coincidence; two very important people at the University o Michigan figured into the decision. Te pictures in Figure 1 are signed photographs o William H. Stubbins (proessor o music and clarinet instructor) and William D. Revelli (proessor o music and director o bands). In conversations with the above sources, 26 | THE CLARINET
I learned that Revelli first met Frank L. when Revelli was band director at Hobart High School in Hobart, Indiana (19261935). Although Frank L. Kaspar did not normally repair instruments or public schools, Revelli persuaded him to work on the Hobart High School instruments by promising that the same repair would never need to be done a second time! Anyone having met William Revelli would not be surprised that the promise was kept. Apparently Revelli also made use o Kaspar clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces. Although Revelli let Hobart or Michigan in 1935, he never orgot Frank L. Kaspar. Fiteen years later, with encouragement rom both Stubbins and Revelli, Frank L. Kaspar settled in Ann Arbor and his 1915 Morton address became a haven or clarinetists. For everyone rom students to proessionals, he repaired instruments and made hundreds o mouthpieces. Perhaps we should begin with Frank L. Kaspar the repairman. In Part I o this series, we learned that or both Kaspars, mouthpieces became “the tail that wagged the dog.” Te shops o Oscar Bauer, Arthur Goldbeck and the Kaspars were primarily in the business o making, selling and repairing woodwind instruments. Tese skills were learned “rom scratch.” Repairmen had to be toolmakers, welders, carpenters and cratsmen o the highest nature. One example o this old-world cratsmanship can be ound in the instrument pads made and used by the Kaspars. Figure 2 demonstrates the care and attention the Kaspars gave to their work. Te materials shown are rom the 1930s. o the right is a miniature catalog o leather samples used in the production o organ pipes. Several were suitable or saxophone pads and leather pads or other woodwind instruments. Te last sample on the bottom right is marked “Zephir MARCH 2016
Figure 1: William H. Stubbins and William D. Revelli
Skins.” Tese skins, harvested rom the underside o sheepskins, were used or clarinet pads. On the let are samples
rom two elt manuacturers. Felt such as this ormed the heart o clarinet pads that were handmade by Bauer, Goldbeck,
the Kaspars, and today by Brannen Woodwinds o Evanston, Illinois, and Sayre Woodwinds o Lombard, Illinois. I have seen clarinets with original Kaspar pads that still hold a perect seal ater more than 50 years. In recent years, I have also seen several more “convenient” methods o clarinet padding. Tese items and other valuable inormation are courtesy o Dr. John Wesley. Wesley was a student o William Stubbins while attending Ann Arbor High School, and sat second chair in the concert band next to first chair Peter Hadcock, also a Stubbins student. From 1957 to 1963, Wesley made pads (and was paid ten cents apiece!) or Frank L. Kaspar’s clarinet overhauls. Wesley related that the elt and zephyr skins were the middle and top o the pads. For the base, only the sturdy water resistant cardboard rom U.S. Post Office parcel post address tags would do! Peter Hadcock went on to the Eastman School o Music and 25 years with the Boston Symphony. John Wesley did not ollow Peter Hadcock in his choice o career, and, with Frank L. Kaspar’s
Figure 2: 1930s catalog of materials used to make clarinet and saxophone pads
MARCH 2016
THE CLARINET | 27
Te entire Philadelphia Orchestra clarinet section made regular visits to the Kaspar home during the orchestra’s May Festival concerts in Ann Arbor to have their clarinets and mouthpieces adjusted.
Figure 3: Four Kaspar Ann Arbor B-flat clarinet mouthpieces
encouragement, went to Harvard Medical School and became a pediatric surgeon. On to the mouthpieces! Figure 3 shows our Kaspar Ann Arbor B-flat clarinet mouthpieces, each with the star and “SUPERB” marking rom the days o Arthur Goldbeck. Te
Figure 4: Mouthpiece facing measurements for Anthony Gigliotti, Donald Montanaro, Harold Wright and Peter Hadcock
28 | THE CLARINET
mouthpieces all have tip openings o less than 1.1 mm. It is known that Frank L. Kaspar also made mouthpieces or bass and E-flat clarinet, but I have not been able to locate any. Although these articles are meant to be historical, not technical, some basic terms are useul when comparing the Ann Arbor to the Chicago (ater 1950)/Cicero mouthpieces. Te first question most people ask when comparing mouthpieces is “what is the tip opening?” Tis reers to the distance between the tip o the reed and the tip o the mouthpiece. Although only one small part o a mouthpiece’s specifications, it is a good place to start. In general, the wider the tip opening, the soter the reed. When both Kaspars worked in Chicago, their mouthpieces usually had tip openings o 1.1 mm or more. When Frank L. Kaspar moved to Ann Arbor, his mouthpiece tip openings were closer to 1 mm. Te question is why ? Strangely enough, one answer may be geographical. Figures 4 and 5 are representative o the players who visited Frank L. Kaspar in Ann Arbor. Te ollowing are the original acings in his handwriting. In each case, the top number is the tip opening. For example: Anthony Gigliotti – three measurements all close to 1 mm MARCH 2016
Figure 5: Mouthpiece facing measurements for Keith Stein and Stanley Drucker; Frank L. Kaspar’s handwritten “business card”
Donald Montanaro – 1 mm Peter Hadcock – 1.07 mm Harold Wright – 1.03 mm Keith Stein – 1.07 mm Stanley Drucker – 1.13 As usual, Stanley is the exception that proves the rule!! Both Fred Ormand and Donald Montanaro emphasize the influence o Anthony Gigliotti (the Philadelphia Orchestra’s principal clarinetist rom 1949 to 1996) on Frank L. Kaspar’s mouthpieces. In act, the entire Philadelphia Orchestra clarinet section made regular visits to the Kaspar home during the orchestra’s May Festival concerts in Ann Arbor to have their clarinets and mouthpieces adjusted. In Chicago and Cleveland, Clark Brody and Robert Marcellus went to the “other” Kaspar. Rick Sayre, the only mouthpiece apprentice o cousin Frank Kaspar (Cicero), reerred to this as the “the Midwest vs. the East Coast.” It would be very convenient to group clarinetists and the mouthpieces they played on into one neat package, but the truth is that styles, players, clarinets and mouthpieces change with the times. Several o the players listed above visited both Kaspars as well as other makers. What separates the Kaspars rom many other makers is not only the pride and dedication they brought to their work, MARCH 2016
but the decades o experience that went into each mouthpiece. Te Kaspars’ mouthpieces were not ormulaic. It is
true that many o their mouthpieces were made rom blanks ordered rom some o the major mouthpiece makers (Riffault, Sumner, Babbit, etc.), but an equal number were made rom those named Selmer, Buffet, Vito… but I am getting ahead o mysel. More on this in Part III! Figure 6 shows two parts o a series o original handwritten diagrams and instructions that apparently are the beginnings o a manual on mouthpiece reacing. Tese documents are inormative, instructional and, in a way, very poignant. What a treasure it would be to have a complete manual on the art and science o mouthpiece acing and adjusting by Frank L. Kaspar. According to Rick Sayre, “Te main idea in all these papers (over 15 drawings with instructions) was to make a systematic procedure to get a consistently flat table.” Panel 2 reads as ollows: “With short strokes up and down move mouthpiece up with tip until the star comes even line B then one long stroke down with cork end.” Panel 3 reads as ollows: “Start rom A the first ligature line with short strokes
THE CLARINET | 29
Figure 6: Mouthpiece diagrams and instructions by Frank L. Kaspar
go orward with tip until the star (B) comes in line with top edge o paper. Ten
Figure 7: Frank L. Kaspar in his Ann Arbor workshop
30 | THE CLARINET
Figure 8: Frank L. Kaspar and his prayer card
with long strokes and added preasure [sic] orward with cork end and repeat.” Once
again, my thanks go out to John Wesley or supplying these original documents; hopeully, some time in the near uture they can all be published. From 1950 to 1978, Frank L. Kaspar worked or hundreds o clarinetists: students, amateurs and proessionals. Figure 7 is a wonderul picture o Frank L. Kaspar in his Ann Arbor workshop. In 1978, ater the death o his wie Mary, he moved to the Chicago suburb o Riverside, Illinois. He lived there or about one year with his grandson Joe Kubic and his amily. On August 8, 1979, Frank L. Kaspar, pictured in Figure 8 next to his prayer card, passed away. Perhaps there is no more fitting tribute to this cratsman than his own words rom a 1962 interview in the Ann Arbor News : People come to me once in a while and say “Frank, why do you do things this way, so strenuous and time-consuming?” I tell them I learned this way and I won’t change. When I make something and see that it works, it’s worth it. On to Part III; Frank Kaspar o Cicero. v MARCH 2016
Theodore Johnson: REMEMBRANCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS by Dennis Nygren
T
heodore “ed” Johnson is best known or serving 36 years as principal second clarinet and E-flat clarinet with the Cleveland Orchestra. He also perormed with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, the Kansas City Philharmonic, Kansas City Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and the Casals Festival, and early in his career with the Chicago Symphony and the orchestras o Grant Park (Chicago) and the Ravinia Festival. Chamber music perormances included those with the aculty at the Cleveland Institute o Music, the Cleveland Orchestra Woodwind Quintet, the Venner Ensemble, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and ten years with the Cleveland Octet, to name a ew. A highly regarded teacher, ed held positions at the Cleveland Institute o Music (1960-1996) and Cleveland State University (1982-2012), as well as the Kansas City Conservatory o Music, the University o Akron, Case Western Reserve University, Baldwin Wallace College, the Kent/Blossom School and the Cleveland Music School Settlement. Born in Chicago on January 24, 1930, ed was raised on the Near West Side o the “Windy City.” Although neither o his parents was particularly musical, they encouraged young ed, and he began playing the clarinet at age 9. His first teacher, Lew Honig, was a number-one sideman in Chicago, and his teaching stressed the basics, particularly hand position. Shortly ater the Depression and with jobs hard to come by, especially or young people, ed practiced clarinet quite hard, sometimes or several hours a day. He eventually attended Harrison echnical High School, the school rom which Benny Goodman had graduated in 1922. He also perormed in both the Chicago Catholic Youth Organization Band and the Chicago Youth Orchestra.
32 | THE CLARINET
n o s n h o J e r o d o e h T f o y s e t r u o C o t o h P
Theodore “Ted” Johnson
Ater high school, ed enrolled at DePaul University to study clarinet with Jerome Stowell. Stowell was the assistant first and E-flat clarinetist o the Chicago Symphony, and was known or his acile technique and excellent E-flat clarinet playing. From him, ed learned a great deal concerning orchestral perormance – emphasizing symphonic excerpts – and the importance o accurate rhythm, intonation and good mouthpieces. MARCH 2016
During this time, ed played principal clarinet and some E-flat with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, which was considered a “eeder” orchestra or the Chicago Symphony. Tis experience prepared him or playing with the Chicago Symphony and paved the way or opportunities with the Grant Park Orchestra and the Ravinia Festival Orchestra. From 1951 to 1958, Teodore Johnson held the position o second and E-flat clarinet with the Kansas City Philharmonic. He gained much experience in Kansas City and truly refined his “chops” on E-flat clarinet. During this time, he also served as director o woodwind teaching in the Kansas City school system. In the latter part o his Kansas City tenure, he was hired to play principal clarinet in the Kansas City Lyric Opera and the Santa Fe Opera, and also perormed at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. A great opportunity arose when the position o second/E-flat clarinet became open in the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. ed won the audition and held the position or 36 years, rom 1959 to 1995. He experienced the final 11 years o the George Szell era, oten reerred to as the “Golden Age” o the Cleveland Orchestra. Beore his retirement, ed would work under the batons o Musical Directors Lorin Maazel and Christoph von Dohnanyi, Music Advisor Pierre Boulez, and an impressive list o some o the greatest guest conductors in the world. One would be hard-pressed to find better sounding orchestral clarinet duets than those by Robert Marcellus and Teodore Johnson in, or example, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 , Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 , “Te Hebrides” Overture by Mendelssohn, Perpetuum Mobile by Johann Strauss, Jr., several o the Strauss waltzes, and Piano Concerto No. 3 by Prokofiev – all conducted by George Szell – or Rhapsodie espagnole conducted by Pierre Boulez. Teodore Johnson was also regarded as one o the premier E-flat clarinetists o his generation. Superb examples o his perormance may be heard in Szell’s recording o the Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 , Szell’s and Lorin Maazel’s recordings o Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe , Maazel’s complete Romeo and Juliet ballet by Prokofiev, Ravel’s Bolero conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi, and the Boulez MARCH 2016
a r r y t s b e a h F c & r O n y n n a o m h f p u a m K : y t S i o d g e r a C c i o h t o C , h s e P v i h c r A l a h t n e s o R e h t f o y s e t r u o C o t o h P
recordings o Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps (1969 and 1991 versions). I had the opportunity to interview ed Johnson about his career and his recommendations or aspiring orchestral clarinetists.
DENNIS NYGREN: ed, how, at the age of 9, did you end up choosing the clarinet as an instrument? HEODORE JOHNSON: Well, it truly wasn’t very scientific. My mother took me to a department store – the Boston Store – where they had a small section o instruments. I honestly didn’t have any idea o which instrument to choose at first, but as I thought about it, I remembered that Benny Goodman was rom the very area in Chicago where I was raised; he was very amous at that time and I admired him, and so I thought, “why not the clarinet?” DN: Could you tell me about your first teacher, Lew Honig? J: When you purchased an instrument rom the Boston Store, you would receive 10 ree lessons. Lew was the teacher, and he had an excellent reputation perorming with swing bands in the Chicago area. I remember he was a chain cigarette smoker – this wasn’t uncommon in those days – so much so that his fingers were yellow. Anyhow, he taught me some basic techniques, but as our lessons progressed, I guess I improved to a point where he told me he couldn’t teach me anymore, and to find a different teacher. DN: Do you have any specific remembrances as to your practice as a youth? J: I had a special relationship with my Czech grandather on my mother’s side. During the summer, we would get up and have some breakast, and then about 9 a.m., I would begin practicing clarinet, sitting next to him while he read his Czechoslovakian newspaper. We’d take a break around noon or lunch, and I would resume practicing in the aternoon, while he filled his long cherry-wood, silver-bowled pipe with tobacco and enjoyed a leisurely smoke. Sometimes I’d practice the remainder o the aternoon.
Jerome Stowell in 1954
DN: Wow, that’s a great deal of practice for a young boy! J: Yes, but this was shortly ater the Depression, so I couldn’t find a summer job. Practicing was something I enjoyed and it gave me a sense o accomplishment. DN: Do you recall what solos you performed with your high school band, or anything special concerning your membership in the Chicago Youth Orchestra? J: With my high school band, I remember playing Bassi’s Concert Fantasy on Motives from Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and the Erwinn Fantasia by Meister. As or the Chicago Youth Orchestra, this was my first orchestral experience, and the orchestra was quite good, having personnel drawn rom Chicago and Chicago suburbs. I recall doing a summer retreat with the group in Champaign-Urbana. DN: What do you remember about Jerome Stowell and your music study at DePaul University? J: Jerry Stowell was an energetic, intelligent (he held degrees in philosophy and accounting) and upliting individual, in addition to being a wonderul clarinetist. His THE CLARINET | 33
n o s n h o J e r o d o e h T f o y s e t r u o C o t o h P
Ted Johnson and Robert Marcellus
enthusiasm or music and lie in general kind o rubbed off on me, and I wanted to be just like him. Inspired by him, I practiced harder – that is, more seriously and in greater detail. I do recall one unny story rom our teacher-student relationship. He always taught me as his last student or the day, I think so he could give me more time, i necessary. One particular time our lesson was in the evening, perhaps 8 or 9 p.m. He had had a long day, and he asked me i I’d mind i he laid down on the couch in his studio while listening to me. I had my back to him, and ater playing something rather lengthy and having not heard any response rom him, I turned around to find him ast asleep. I didn’t want to wake him, so I placed the $3 or the lesson on his chest and let (can you imagine paying $3
or a lesson?). Well, he called me the next day, very mad; it so happened he didn’t wake up until 4 a.m.! I’ll always remember Jerry ondly, and regret that he passed on rom cancer beore he could enjoy his retirement.
DN: What about the years in Kansas City? J: Tis was a very good orchestra, conducted by Hans Schwieger. Many fine players perormed in Kansas City beore getting major orchestra jobs. wo that come to mind are Dale Clevenger and Donald Peck o Chicago Symphony ame. I perormed in the Kansas City Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet with Donald, longtime CSO principal flute. Unortunately, back in the 1950s when I perormed in Kansas City, the season was airly short – perhaps 20 to
George Szell ran up on stage, shook my hand and said, “Don’t go away. I’ll get the manager down here right away for you to sign a contract.” Te rest of the auditions were canceled. 34 | THE CLARINET
25 weeks. o make a living, I had to seek other employment. I worked or a while in a flower arm and then, because I had done a air amount o dance band work in Chicago, I perormed in the biggest show band in town, playing saxophone, flute and clarinet. We played or big names – Jack Benny, Louis Armstrong, Liberace, Henny Youngman, Hoagy Carmichael, etc.
DN: Would you please describe your audition for the Cleveland Orchestra? J: I remember arriving at Severance Hall quite early, around 9 a.m. on, I believe, a Wednesday. It seemed like I waited orever or my turn. Eventually I was brought up to the middle o the stage at Severance Hall, and the librarian placed a stack o music in ront o me. George Szell came up on stage and sat down next to me. He was apparently looking or a “team player,” someone who he could trust to be loyal to him and the orchestra, so he asked me some questions. He asked me what book I was currently reading. I answered with Te Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky. He seemed pleased by that, so then he looked at my clarinets and noticed that they were Leblanc clarinets, not Buffets. He asked me why I played them, so I told him that I elt they were oten better than Buffets, and that they had helped me hold my job in Kansas City. George Szell returned to the hall, sitting with the audition committee, with the exception o assistant conductors Louis Lane, Michael Charry and Robert Shaw, who were seated in different parts o the balcony. Tis was so they could report back to Szell as to how an applicant sounded rom various distances. Like most auditions today, the first part o the process was to perorm a concerto o the player’s choice, and I had chosen the Mozart Concerto in A. Ater having perormed parts o the Mozart, George Szell asked me to perorm an excerpt, so I played the solo rom Night on Bald Mountain. Having gotten that ar, Robert Marcellus joined me on stage to perorm several orchestral duets to see how I would blend, balance and tune with him. I remember he would sometimes slightly change his pitch, his MARCH 2016
timbre, or his style, just to see how I would react. Finally, I was asked to perorm on the E-flat clarinet. Te first selection was Daphnis et Chloe . Ten I was asked to perorm perhaps the most amous o E-flat clarinet orchestral parts, that o Richard Strauss’s ill Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks . I played it to the best o my ability, and was surprised when George Szell ran up on stage. He shook my hand and said, “Don’t go away. I’ll get the manager down here right away or you to sign a contract.” Te rest o the auditions were canceled. I guess he elt he had ound his man.
DN: What was it like playing in the Cleveland Orchestra for 36 years? J: It was definitely a lie-altering experience. First o all, we oten traveled our to six weeks a year. In my time with Cleveland, I perormed in every state, in all o Europe including Russia, in Japan and Korea, in Australia and New Zealand, even in South America. We’d be welcomed by dignitaries o various countries, we’d be invited to various embassies, and we were treated like very important people. George Szell was an excellent conductor and musician. He could have been a concert pianist. But, he was very demanding. You may have heard the statement that “the Cleveland Orchestra plays seven concerts a week, but only two o them or the general public.” Tis was so true; when it came to the Monday morning rehearsal, you had to be totally prepared. Concerning the quality o the orchestra, there can be no doubt that it was one o the great orchestras in the world. My colleagues were superb. Szell’s concept was that o 100 musicians perorming chamber music. Blend, balance, tone quality, intonation, musicianship… it was all there. I you had an incidental solo in the music, you never had to orce your tone to be heard. I a string player moved on to another top-notch orchestra, it was oten to be a principal player. DN: What about the many recordings you made under Szell, Boulez, Maazel, von Dohnanyi and others? J: During my years in the Cleveland Orchestra, record companies were 36 | THE CLARINET
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Cleveland Octet: Eric Eichhorn, violin; Boris Chusid, violin; Edward Ormand, viola; Gary Stucka, cello; Ted Johnson, clarinet; George Goslee, bassoon; David Glazer, horn; Scott Haigh, double bass
still recording a great deal o classical music. I was so ortunate; times are so different today. We recorded or Epic and Columbia under Szell. Many o these recordings are now available on Sony. For Maazel we oten recorded on the London label, and or von Dohnanyi on elarc. Pierre Boulez recorded or Deutsche Grammophon. I was involved in Beethoven cycles or Szell and von Dohnanyi, and Brahms cycles or Szell and Maazel. Szell recorded a great deal o Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and von Dohnanyi and Szell recorded much Dvorak. Under Boulez, we recorded much Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky. It was all rather overwhelming.
DN: When you perform with a world-class orchestra, world-class conductors want to conduct your ensemble. Do you recall some of them? J: Yes, there were legendary older conductors, such as Leopold Stokowski, Pierre Monteux, Eugene Ormandy and William Steinberg, composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Aaron Copland; others included Leonard Bernstein, Karel Ancerl, Istvan Kertesz, Russian conductors Kirill Kondraskin and Gennady Rozhdestvensky, and movie, television and popular composer Henry Mancini. Also, we did a significant amount o work with Pierre Boulez. Te list o guest conductors was so long and impressive. MARCH 2016
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Venner Ensemble: Arthur Klima, viola; Eric Ziolek, piano; Diane Mather, cello; Eric Eichhorn, violin; Ted Johnson, clarinet
DN: I know you love performing chamber music involving the clarinet. Please elaborate. J: During my career I perormed a great
deal o chamber music with many high-quality players, which made the experiences especially rewarding. I played chamber music early on in
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38 | THE CLARINET
Kansas City and Santa Fe, but it was during my Cleveland years that these experiences were truly special. For example, I perormed many concerts with the aculty o the Cleveland Institute o Music, and ten years with both the Cleveland Orchestra Woodwind Quintet and the Cleveland Octet. With the Octet, we would perorm major works; or example we perormed and recorded the Schubert Octet . In addition to the larger chamber ensemble music, I perormed all the clarinet quintet repertoire. Later in my career, I ounded and managed the Venner Ensemble, which perormed much trio literature, and I toured Ohio with the Martinů String Quartet o Prague in 2001.
DN: What kind of clarinets and accessories did you play during your career? J: Jerome Stowell had a preerence or Leblanc clarinets when I studied with him. I honestly elt at that time in the late 1940s and early 1950s that Leblancs were better than most Buffets. I had a good set o Leblanc clarinets on which I perormed in Kansas City and my early days in Cleveland. I eventually switched to Buffet clarinets on B-flat and A, in part because that was Robert Marcellus’s choice o horns. On E-flat, I played the same Selmer E-flat clarinet throughout my career. As or mouthpieces, I played a Kaspar mouthpiece on B-flat and A, and a Stowell-Wells-Schneider on E-flat clarinet. Much later, when Franklin Cohen held the job o principal and played Pyne mouthpieces, I switched to a Pyne, including on the E-flat. Tis was all part o the job o being a good second clarinetist. DN: You dedicated a good deal of your career to teaching. Please comment on these experiences. J: I’ve enjoyed many years o teaching and I eel this is something that keeps you eeling young; when working with young students desiring to learn and develop, you actually develop yoursel, trying to help them with their problems. I taught, early on, at the Kansas City Conservatory, many years at both the Cleveland Institute o Music and Cleveland State University, MARCH 2016
at the University o Akron and Baldwin Wallace College, and the Cleveland Music Settlement.
DN: Would you tell us something about your clarinet accessories business? J: At least ten years ago I was encouraged by one o my ormer students and currently a music store owner – James Stahl – to consider such a business. I did a lot o experimenting with mouthpieces, finally finding a acing that suited me well, as well as one that I elt would satisy students and proessionals. We make plastic student mouthpieces, reasonably priced, which I eel are the best student mouthpieces on the market, and more expensive hard rubber mouthpieces or the serious student or proessional. Our ligatures, based ater the old Kaspar model, come in both nickel and silver – the silver producing a slightly darker tone. Our neck strap was designed to relieve the right thumb pressure rom holding a clarinet, and to be as comortable as possible around the neck.
intimately. You must know the basic repertoire – ill ; Daphnis ; Prokofiev, Mahler and Shostakovich symphonies; Stravinsky, Ravel piano concertos; etc. You should have various fingerings or each pitch in the altissimo register. You never know when a situation will call or a sharper or flatter fingering. I’ve always thought o the E-flat clarinet as an extension o the B-flat, so you should strive or a darker sound. It doesn’t have to be thin and excessively bright. A good mouthpiece is very important in one’s level o success on the E-flat clarinet, and a mouthpiece with wider rails will give you a darker tone. I also recommend practicing scales, such as those ound in Baermann, just like you would on the B-flat or A clarinets. I recommend, or example, that you play a C major scale on the B-flat clarinet, then do the same thing on the A, and finally on the E-flat. Tis will help you develop the flexibility to change rom one instrument to another, which is oten
required when perorming concert programs.
DN: Tank you so much, ed. Representing Te Clarinet journal, I want to wish you and your wife Sheila the very best health and happiness. v
ABOUT THE WRITER Dennis Nygren has contributed eight articles for Te Clarinet. Dr. Nygren is the former professor of clarinet at Kent State University, having also taught at Northern Michigan, Baldwin Wallace, Cleveland State and Oakland universities. He remains active as a professional clarinetist and teacher in Northeast Ohio and lives in Silver Lake, Ohio, with his wife Nadine and their four dogs. Also an arranger, he may be heard on his CD A Clarinet Collective (Albany Records, roy 1330).
DN: Would you please comment on the “art” of playing second clarinet? J: Well, to win a position in a great orchestra you must be willing to practice your tail off! As a member o a proessional orchestra, you must be very precise concerning rhythm, intonation, and technique. As or second clarinet, your job is to make the first clarinet sound good. You cannot overblow and you must quickly learn the principal clarinetist’s body language, as well as knowing the tendencies o the first player regarding intonation, trying to match his or her sound, and so on. Some second clarinet parts can be more difficult than the first parts, or example the “Scherzo” rom A Midsummer Night’s Dream or parts o Daphnis and Chloe . So you must know the second clarinet repertoire. DN: What particular skills must one develop to excel on the E-flat clarinet? J: First, look or a teacher who has been “through the fire,” someone who is experienced with the repertoire and can relate it to you. Study the instrument’s intonation and know your instrument MARCH 2016
THE CLARINET | 39
A Short History of the Clarinet in New York City in the 18th and 19th Centuries by Jane Ellsworth
PART 2: THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC AND BEYOND Part 1 of this article, which appeared in the June 2015 issue of Te Clarinet, examined the history of the clarinet in New York City from 1758 to the early 1840s. Part 2 continues the story through the end of the 19th century.
1842-1860: THE PHILHARMONIC AND VISITING ORCHESTRAS n 1842 the Philharmonic Society o New York (today’s New York Philharmonic Orchestra) was ounded, the first permanent, proessional orchestra in the United States. In its earliest days it was a cooperative venture, with annual profits that were divided equally among the musicians, and it presented just three or our concerts a year. Te orchestra roster o the Philharmonic’s inaugural season does not survive, but in the annual report o the second season the clarinetists are listed as Göller and Gröneeldt. 1 (A table o the clarinetists o the New York Philharmonic is given as Figure 1.) For the first three seasons Goeller played second clarinet, and rom 1845 to 1849 he played principal. A musician named George Goeller is listed in New York City directories in the years 1844-48, 1850, and 1852-54, but nothing urther is known about him. A great deal more inormation is available about “Gröneeldt.” Teodore W. Groenevelt (the spelling o his surname varies widely in early newspapers and other documents) was not only a clarinetist but also a cellist, and played in both sections o the New York Philharmonic during the first two decades o its existence. As principal clarinet rom
I
40 | THE CLARINET
1842-45 and again in 1853-54, he perormed not only in the orchestra but also as a soloist on a number o occasions. Perhaps the most lauded o these solo perormances was on January 11, 1845, when he played Weber’s Concertino. Several glowing reviews appeared in newspapers the ollowing week, including this one: We never heard this artist to so great advantage as on the occasion here alluded to; the evenness and purity o his tones, his distinct and perect articulation, the care and taste with which he gave due elasticity to his passages, his requently rapid but distinct passages, and the pathos o his slow movements marked him an artist o the highest standing in his department… Tis perormance was a perect musical gem, and richly deserved the enthusiastic applauses [sic] which were poured upon it.2
O the same perormance, a writer or the Broadway Journal praised Groenevelt’s tone and style, and stated, “his expression is that o a man who eels the power o music in his heart.”3 Groenevelt also perormed on concerts besides those o the New York Philharmonic, including perormances with the New-York Sacred Music Society, the German Society o New York and the German Jefferson Band, and as a guest artist MARCH 2016
on concerts given by other individual musicians. He may also have been in the orchestra at Palmo’s Opera House. Despite these activities Groenevelt must have been looking or greener pastures, because or the next several years (1846-48) he worked in Boston as both a clarinetist and a cellist. No inormation exists or the years 184953, but by 1853 he was back in New York City, once again as principal clarinet in the Philharmonic. Ater 1854 he seems to have played mostly in the cello section. Another important clarinetist in the early history o the New York Philharmonic was Frederick Starck. Starck played regularly as the Philharmonic’s second clarinetist rom 1846 to 1860. He also played as a soloist with the orchestra in 1846, 1848 and 1850, despite the act that he was not principal. Like Groenevelt, Starck played on concerts outside the Philharmonic, but not always to unequivocally good reviews. On a concert given by the pianist H.C. imm in February 1847, Starck played a solo work by Ivan Müller, about which a reviewer had the ollowing to say: Mr. Stark is a very good perormer on the clarionet, both in point o execution and tone, and his playing gave great satisaction; but he has not a perect command o his instrument, and now and then, both to his mortification and to that o the audience, his clarionet gave a squeak which is peculiar to it and unpleasant to the ear.” 4
An individual named George Schneider played principal in the Philharmonic between 1850 and 1853, but nothing urther is known o him. From 1854 to 1858 the principal clarinetist was Xavier Kieer (1821-c.1858). Kieer had already been playing in New York since 1851 as a soloist with bands and orchestras, and as a chamber musician. He even played a basset horn solo o his own composition on a concert by the Dodworth Band in 1852.5 On his first solo appearance with the Philharmonic, Kieer played a Concertino composed by the orchestra’s conductor, Teodore Eiseld.6 He seems to have made something o a specialty o this work, since he perormed it again in 1855 and several times in 1858. He also played other concerts in New York, and in the all o 1858 toured with an orchestra managed by the impresario Bernard Ullman. Upon Kieer’s death in 1858 the New York Philharmonic finally hired its first MARCH 2016
long-term principal clarinetist: Edward Boehm (1825-1885). Boehm occupied the post until 1885, or a total o 27 seasons – longer than any other clarinetist until Stanley Drucker. He was one o New York City’s most prominent musicians during that time, perorming as a soloist as well as an orchestral player, and he holds a position o great importance in the history o the clarinet in America. Nothing is known or certain o Boehm’s lie beore he came to the U.S., except that he came rom Germany.7 He appeared in New York beginning in 1853, playing a solo at a concert given by the Dodworth Band at Metropolitan Hall on January 22 o that year.8 Data is spotty regarding his activities in 1854-58, but he certainly perormed as a soloist and chamber musician on concerts in 1856, and continued to do so ater his appointment to the Philharmonic. He perormed on the Mason-Tomas
chamber music soirées, in the orchestra or the 50th anniversary o the Handel & Haydn Society in Boston, and as a soloist with various orchestras including the New Haven Philharmonic, Teodore Tomas’s orchestra, the Ninth Regiment Band, and the Liederkranz Society, as well as on miscellaneous concerts given by other musicians. One o the highlights was undoubtedly his perormance o the Beethoven Septet with Wieniawski as the violinist, on May 30, 1873.9 In 1871 Boehm took up the bass clarinet. He played a solo on that instrument on concerts by both the Brooklyn Philharmonic (January 28) and the New York Philharmonic (February 4). Te latter concert spurred a number o reviews, almost none o them avorable. Te work he played was called Recitativ and Romanze , composed by Carl Bergmann, who also conducted the perormances (see Figure 2). Many o
DATES
PRINCIPAL CLARINET
SECOND CLARINET
NOTES
1842–45
Groenveldt
Goeller
Presumed for 1842-43; roster for that year not extant.
1845–49
Goeller
Starck
1849–53
Schneider
Starck
1853–54
Groenveldt
Starck
1854–58
Kiefer
Starck
1858–60
Boehm
Starck
1860–64
Boehm
Bahls
1864–65
Boehm
Drewes
1865–68
Boehm
Bahls
Goepel replaces Bahls on 2 concerts; Wendelschaefer replaces Bahls once and Boehm once.
1868–85
Boehm
Drewes
When Boehm plays bass, Drewes plays principal and Goepel plays 2nd. Sometimes Wendelschaefer or Bahls plays second.
1885–91
Schreurs
Drewes
Kohl plays bass and sometimes extra; other extras are Freund, Penzel, Giese.
1891–94
Reinecke
Drewes
Kohl plays bass; Foerster plays extra.
1894–96
Stockigt
Drewes; Foerster at end of 95–96
Toward the end of each season Scheck plays principal.
1896–97
Scheck
Freund
1897–1900
Scheck
Streit
H.A. Goepel and Schmeltz on 2 concerts in 1863–64.
Kohl and Freund continue to play bass.
Fig. 1: Table of New York Philharmonic Clarinetists, 1842–1900. Some details omitted. (Compiled from materials at the New York Philharmonic Archive)
THE CLARINET | 41
alls into the hands o some proessor o the ordinary clarionet, who has not practiced it sufficiently to acquire complete mastery over its special difficulties. We have noticed this ma ny times in European orchestras, and the perormance on the present occasion offered a similar cause or regret. Mr. Boehm, as everyone knows, is an excellent artist, but he was obviously not “at home” with his unwieldy instrument. His phrasing and expression were ull o musical purpose, but, unortunately, his intonation was never as good as his intention, and no amount o style or eeling can compensate or constantly playing out o tune.
In spite o this, Boehm went on to play bass clarinet solos on several other occasions, and played the instrument in the orchestra when it was called or. In addition to perorming in the orchestra, Boehm served administratively on the Philharmonic board, as a director rom 1865-69, and vice president rom 1870-74 and 1876-80.10 He also seems to have taught clarinet, first at the Mason and Tomas Conservatory o Music (1867) and then later at the New-York College o Music (1878).11 News o Boehm’s death in late October o 1885 reached newspapers as ar away as Salt Lake City; Te Deseret News o November 4, 1885 recounted it thus: Edward Boehm, the widely-known clarionet player, died last week in New York rom lung disease. He was 60 years o age, and had been or fiteen years the first clarionet player o Tomas’ orchestra. He was first a member and lately vice-president o the Philharmonic Society. Mr. Boehm was a remarkable musician and an exquisite clarionet player, in act one o the best in this country.
Figure 2: Program of the New York Philharmonic Concert, February 4, 1871, documenting the first appearance of the bass clarinet with the Philharmonic. (Courtesy of the New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives)
the reviewers commented on the effectiveness o the piece itsel, which had the unusual accompaniment o two clarinets and two bassoons; but most were o the opinion that Mr. Boehm, though a fine musician, was not comortable with the bass clarinet. Te ollowing excerpt, rom the periodical Orpheus (March 1, 1871), is representative o critical reaction. Te composer’s principal object was apparently to display the peculiar powers and capabilities o the bass-clarionet, an instrument which stands an octave lower than the ordinary clarionet in B flat, and is scarcely known in America where it has rarely been heard except in the “Huguenots” and “L’Aricaine” o Meyerbeer. Its lower tones are somewhat sepulchral, and the upper ones decidedly ineffective in cantabile passages. For certain effects, especially o a weird, solemn, or mystic character, the lower tones o this instrument cannot be matched; but a little o the bass-clarionet goes a great way, and we much doubt the possibility o it being rendered interesting through a long solo. Moreover, in consequence o its being so seldom required, it nearly always 42 | THE CLARINET
In addition to the Philharmonic, many other opportunities also existed or clarinetists in New York City in the 1840s and ’50s. Te usual “season” o concerts and opera perormances had expanded greatly by the middle o the century. Clarinetists working outside the Philharmonic included Giulio Macchi, J.E. Drescher and Esuperanzio Belletti. Macchi appeared or the first time in 1847, playing or the Italian opera company o Sanquirico and Patti at the newly-built Astor Place Opera House; by the next year he was touring with a concert troupe ormed o members o that same company. Macchi and Drescher played together on at least one occasion in New York City, but Drescher seems to have had a rather more active career. Drescher was known not only as a clarinetist, but also as a basset horn player; his perormance on that instrument at a concert or the American Musical Fund Society in 1850 was lauded by a reviewer.12 He played solos with the New York Philharmonic on two occasions, in 1851 and 1852, and also traveled with an orchestra that accompanied the “Swedish Nightingale,” Jenny Lind, or some o her U.S. touring, during which he perormed the Weber Concertino on concerts in Baltimore and New Orleans.13 Belletti was also associated with Lind, playing solos on her concerts in 1851 in New York and elsewhere. He was still perorming in New York in 1853, but ater that went south to Charleston, New Orleans and Havana. 14 In the 1840s several European orchestral ensembles toured the main cities o the East Coast. Most pertinent to this study were the so-called “Steyermarkische Company,” under Frances Riha (arrived 1846); the Germania Musical Society under Carl Lenschow (arrived late September 1848); and Joseph Gungl and his orchestra (arrived early November 1848). Te Steyermarkische Company, appearing in New York in 1847, traveled with at MARCH 2016
least one clarinetist, K. Ingerstein, who sometimes played as a soloist. 15 Te clarinetists o the Germania orchestra during their six-year stay in the U.S. were I. Shultz (principal), A. Haenel and H. Albrecht; Shultz received a positive review when he played a clarinet solo by Baer on a New York concert in 1848. 16 Gungl’s clarinetists were named Bohme and Herwig; no evidence has yet suraced identiying these individuals with either Edward Boehm, mentioned earlier, or with William Herwig, mentioned in part 1 o this article. 17 Te last clarinetist to begin his career beore the close o the 1850s was August Henry Goepel. His first appearance was in 1859 on a concert in the series chamber music soirées organized by William Mason and Teodore Tomas, when he was the clarinetist in a perormance o the Schubert Octet .18 Goepel played principal clarinet in the New York Philharmonic on two concerts in the 1863-64 season when Boehm was absent, and deputized or absent second clarinetists on numerous occasions between 1866 and 1877. Goepel’s other concert appearances included a perormance o Mozart’s Quintet for Piano and Winds on a MasonTomas soirée in 1862, and a perormance as a soloist with Graulla’s band in 1871.
minstrel band (banjo, fiddle, tambourine, and bones), but no mention has been made o the use o the clarinet in these and other types o popular entertainment. Newspaper advertisements ound in New York and elsewhere make it clear, however, that clarinetists sometimes perormed and traveled with minstrel shows. William Christy, or example, advertised in the New York Herald o August 11, 1860, that he wanted “gentlemen to orm a first class quartette, first and second violinist, violincello [sic], flute or clarionet player,
and a first class tambourine end man.” Other groups o this type using clarinets in the early 1860s included Cowley’s Minstrels, Buckley’s Serenaders, and the San Francisco Minstrels, who played in New York requently. Another popular attraction was Van Oeckelen’s clarinet-playing automaton, which was on display in 1865 and was described thus: Te automaton itsel is a very remarkable affair. Te figure, somewhat larger than lie, is dressed in the old
FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE END OF THE CENTURY Te advent o the American Civil War brought military bands back into action. Scholars o American music oten speak o the bands o this era as consisting entirely o brass instruments, and certainly many did, but there were also bands o mixed winds and brass that included clarinets. Advertisements recruiting clarinetists or military regiments appeared in newspapers in New York and elsewhere throughout this period. Wind bands in general were experiencing a golden era in American towns and cities in the 19th century, and New York was no exception. Clarinetists perormed as soloists with the Dodworth band, and as members o bands conducted by Lothian, Noll, Graulla and other wellknown bandmasters. Band concerts provided both “highclass” and “popular” entertainment or the general public. Audiences also flocked to minstrel shows. Writers on American minstrelsy usually discuss the typical MARCH 2016
THE CLARINET | 43
“A little of the bass clarionet goes a great way, and we much doubt the possibility of it being rendered interesting through a long solo.” court costume o three centuries ago. In response to the applause which greets its appearance, it bows to the audience, turning its head slowly in doing so. At the proper moment it places the instrument, to all appearances an ordinary clarionet, to its lips, and plays a ew musical phrases, lowers the instrument to allow an interlude on the piano-orte, surveys the audience, nods, and soon resumes its playing. Te inventor asserts that the music is really made by the clarionet, and in view o this, the manipulation o the fingers o the automaton is truly astonishing, or scales and rapid chromatic passages are played with unerring acility and correctness.19
By the mid-1860s, orchestral music was flourishing in New York City. Te New York Philharmonic was well established, and other orchestral ensembles began to emerge as well. Te most important o these was the orchestra ormed by Teodore Tomas (1835-1905), widely recognized as one o the most important figures in the history o the orchestra in America. Te Tomas Orchestra was the resident orchestra o the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society, and played in many other locations within and outside o New York as well, including or a series o “Popular Concerts” in Central Park. Te clarinetist most closely associated with Tomas was Edward Boehm, who played or him requently as a soloist at the Central Park concerts and on the Mason-Tomas chamber music soirées mentioned earlier. Boehm may have traveled with Tomas’s orchestra on its many tours beginning in 1869; he certainly played with the group at the Cincinnati Music Festival in 1880. Ater Boehm’s death in 1885, a new group o clarinetists came to prominence in New York City, including John Drewes, Joseph Schreurs, Carl Reinecke (not the well-known composer, but possibly a relation), Louis Stockigt, Emil Scheck and others. John Drewes served a long period as second clarinetist o the New 44 | THE CLARINET
York Philharmonic, first in the 1864-65 season and then continuously rom 1868 to 1896. He also played principal when the regular principal was absent, or, under Boehm, when Boehm moved to the bass clarinet chair.20 Drewes perormed on numerous occasions as a soloist with the 7th Regiment Band o New York and other groups as well. Schreurs (1863-1921) succeeded Boehm as principal clarinetist in both the Philharmonic (through 1891) and the Tomas Orchestra, playing oten as a soloist. He was also associated with Liberati’s band, and was a ounder and member o Te New-York Reed Club, a group devoted to chamber music or winds.21 In 1891 he moved to Chicago to play principal in Tomas’s newly ounded Chicago Symphony. Carl Reinecke perormed as principal clarinet o the Philharmonic rom 1891 to 1894. In addition, he was a member o Te Mozart Club (a woodwind quintet) in 1892, and in 1895 he perormed the Brahms Quintet with the Maud Powell string quartet (not the first New York perormance o the work – see below).22 Stockigt (his surname appears in various spellings) was playing as a soloist with a resort orchestra at Long Beach, New York, in the summer o 1880. He perormed as an extra clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic off and on between 1881 and 1894, and played principal or good portions o the 189496 seasons. Stockigt was also a member o the Gilmore band, with which he perormed as solo clarinetist rom 1882 until at least until 1894, and o the Seidl Society orchestra. Emil Scheck took over as principal o the Philharmonic in 1895, having substituted or Stockigt on a couple o concerts in the previous season; he remained principal through 1908. Scheck also played with the Seidl Society orchestra and, along with our other principal wind players rom that group, ormed the Seidl Quintet. 23
In 1877 a new orchestra called the New York Symphony was started by Leopold Damrosch. Te original principal clarinetist o this orchestra was Henry Kayser, who also sometimes appeared as a soloist with Teodore Tomas’s orchestra in New York and on tour. Kayser perormed with the New York Symphony until 1898 (ater 1886 playing bass clarinet). Stockigt played principal rom 1888-90, beore joining the Philharmonic, and other clarinetists associated with the Philharmonic (Henry Giese and Gustav Penzel, or example) also perormed with Damrosch’s orchestra. Te New York Symphony merged with the Philharmonic in 1928. Other important clarinetists active in New York rom 1870 to the end o the century were Luigi Schneider, who appeared as a soloist in 1872-73 beore being named director o the Marine Band; Carl Kegel and the E-flat clarinetist Matus, who were both important soloists with the Gilmore Band (Kegel also sometimes played bass clarinet with the Philharmonic); and Otto Fritzsche, who played as a soloist as well as serving as principal with the New York Symphony rom 1897 to 1902. A concert worth mentioning took place on November 1, 1892, on which both the rio, Op. 114 and Quintet , Op. 115 o Brahms received their earliest American perormances; the perormer is unortunately not named in the advertisement.24 A ew months later the Quintet was perormed by the amous Kneisel Quartet with a clarinetist named Goldschmidt (probably G. Goldschmidt, who was principal clarinet o the Boston Symphony rom 1889 to 1894). A reviewer or the New York imes admired the work, but panned Goldschmidt’s playing.25 Brahms’ Sonata in F minor was played in New York in 1896 by Léon Pourtau, who had taken over rom Goldschmidt as principal clarinetist o the Boston Symphony.26 By the early 20th century, the names o clarinetists in New York begin to sound more amiliar to modern clarinetists: Alexandre Selmer, Gustave Langenus, Simeon Bellison. Te activities o these players have been well documented. It is to be hoped that this article has succeeded in bringing to light their many predecessors, and in demonstrating how MARCH 2016
important these earlier perormers were in establishing a tradition o serious clarinet playing in New York City. v
ENDNOTES 1 Howard Shanet, Philharmonic: A History of New York’s Orchestra (New Orchestra (New York: Doubleday, 1975), 73; also Henry Edward Krehbiel, Te Philharmonic Society of New York (New York (New York and London: Novello, Ewer & Co., 1892), 41. Some annual reports containing roster inormation are held by the New-York New-York Historical Society, while a uller set is held at the New York Philharmonic Archive. Te New York York Philharmonic Archive also holds a complete set o programs and other sources, which have been consulted by the author. 2 Te Anglo American, January American, January 18, 1845, p. 309. 3 Broadway Journal, Vol. Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3 (January 18, 1845), p. 46. 4 Te Anglo American, February American, February 1, 1847, pp. 405406. 5 A handbill or this concert is reprinted in John John H. Mueller, Te American Symphony Orchestra: (Bloomington: A Social History of Musical aste (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1951), plate acing page 102. 6 Adrienne Fried Fried Block, “New York’s York’s Orchestras and the ‘American’ Composer: A NineteenthCentury View.” In European Music and Musicians in New York City, 1840-1900, ed. 1840-1900, ed. John Graziano (University o Rochester Press, 2006), 130. Te perormance and the work were positively reviewed in the Musical the Musical World, December 9, World, December 1854, 178. 7 Te 1855 New York State Census (accessed through Ancestry.com) lists Edward Boehm, musician, aged 30, living in the 8th ward o New York York City with his wie Harriet, aged 28. His birthplace is listed as Germany. His length o residence in New York is listed as six years, so he must have arrived in 1849, although no evidence or his musical activities has been ound beore 1853. 8 New York Daily imes, January imes, January 21, 1853. 9 New York Herald, May Herald, May 27, 1873. 10 Krehbiel, 167-70. 11 An ad or Mason and Tomas’s Tomas’s Conservatory Conservatory appeared in the Evening Post, August Post, August 21, 1867; the New-York New-York College o Music was advertised in the New York imes, September imes, September 17, 1878. 12 Te Message Bird, February Bird, February , 1850, p. 218. 13 Te concerts with the New York York Philharmonic are documented in Krehbiel, 106-7; the Lind concerts are mentioned in Te Sun, Baltimore, Sun, Baltimore, December 12, 1850, and Te Daily Picayune, New Orleans, February 22, 1851. 14 Reerences to Belleti’s Belleti’s perormances appear in numerous New York York newspapers and periodicals in 1851. Secondary sources that mention him are Adriano Amore, Il Clarinetto in Italia nell’Ottocento (Academia nell’Ottocento (Academia Italiana del Clarinetto, 2009), 37, 108, 138-41, 142, 147, 174 (n. 637); Pamela Weston, More Weston, More Clarinet Clarinet Virtuosi Virtuosi of the Past Past (London: Te author, 1977), 45; idem, Yesterday’s (Ampleorth, Yorkshire: Yorkshire: Clarinettists: A Sequel (Ampleorth, Emerson Editions, 2002), 33. 15 Te name o this clarinetist is ound in a concert
MARCH 20 2016 16
advertisement in Boston’s Daily Atlas, December Atlas, December 18, 1847. 16 Te review appeared in Te Literary World, Vol. World, Vol. 3, No. 90 (October 21, 1848), 753. 17 See Roger L. Beck and Richard K. K. Hansen, “Jose Gungl and his Celebrated American our: November 1848 to May 1849,” Studia Musicologica Academiae Academiae Scientarium Hungaricae Hungaricae 36, vol. 1-2 (1995): 53-72. 18 A review o the concert appeared in the New-York o April 30, 1859. Musical Review Review and Gazette o 19 Evening Post, March March 20, 1861. Post, 20 According to programs held at the New York York Philharmonic Archive. 21 Numerous notices o Schreurs’ Schreurs’ss activities with the Tomas Orchestra can be ound in the New in the second hal o the 1880s, York imes in and his time as principal with the New York Philharmonic is documented in programs at the New York York Philharmonic Archive. Te first (and perhaps only) perormance o the New-York Reed Club was reviewed in that same newspaper on March 2, 1889. 22 Reinicke’s Reinicke’s time as principal o the New York York Philharmonic is documented in programs at the New York York Philharmonic Archive. A notice o the Mozart Club appeared in the New York imes, January 24, 1892; the Brahms perormance was reviewed in the same newspaper on January 4, 1895. 23 Te ormation o the Seidl Quintet was was announced in the New York imes, November imes, November 30, 1897.
24 New York imes, November 1, 1892. 25 New York imes, February imes, February 12, 1893. 26 New York imes, January imes, January 7, 1896.
ABOUT THE WRITER Jane Ellsworth Ellsworth is associate professor of music at Eastern Washington University, where she teaches music history and directs the graduate music program. program. She is both a musicologist and a professional clarinetist. She earned her Ph.D. in musicology in 2004 from Te Te Ohio State State University, University, and also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clarinet performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a D.M.A. from Ohio State. Dr. Ellsworth Ellsworth is bass clarinetist with the Spokane Symphony, and has performed on modern and historical clarinets in Europe, Asia, and South America. She is currently at work on a book tracing the history of the clarinet in 18th- and 19thcentury America.
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THE CLARINET | 45
MASTERWORKS FOR BASS CLARINET –
A Pe Person sonal al Expe Experien rience ce by Rocco Parisi
W
hen the composer Saverio Mercadante first met Catterino rifono Catterini who played the gliciba the glicibarifono (the oreather o the modern bass clarinet) in “La Fenice” Teater Orchestra in Venice, he immediately became ascinated by this instrument and recognized its great potential. Mercadante was so moved by Catterini’s virtuosity that he wrote a solo or him in the opera Emma di Antiochia , commissioned or the 1834 carnival season and played in March o the same year. Tis is the first solo ever written or bass clarinet. was considered a masterpiece. Emma di Antiochia was Tis solo impressed and interested critics o the day who reerred to the bass clarinet sound as “voce “ voce del clarinetto e insieme del fagotto vale a dire che ha le note dell’uno e dell’altro” dell’altro” (like the sound o a clarinet and a bassoon at the same time). Te solo is in the Italian aria style with a brie cadenza at the beginning, a main theme and a coloratura section. A similar situation happened when Luciano Berio first listened to me playing my bass clarinet
Donatoni loved the bass clarinet sonority and compared it with velvet: soft on one side but rough and scratchy on the other! 46 | THE CLARINET
version o Paganini’s Paganini’s Capriccio 24 or or violin. I remember his gaze ranging between astonishment and surprise, as i he was listening and seeing something extraordinary. Some days later he phoned me, asking i I was available to work with him on a bass clarinet version o his Sequenza IXa or or clarinet. Te main theme o every Berio Sequenza or or solo instrument is the required virtuosity both in conceptual and technical aspects. Tese were the elements that really amazed Berio in my version o Paganini’s Capriccio 24 . I worked with him or our days in his house in Florence in 1997. He was ascinated by the versatility o my bass clarinet playing and loved the low sounds and high sounds at the same time. Tese are the parameters that inspired the new version, Sequenza IXc or bass clarinet. Compared with the previous version or clarinet, everything has been shited down by a 10 th and distributed across a great range o our-and-a-hal octaves in the Sequenza IXc or or bass clarinet. Te first long note is a low C, a sound particularly loved by Berio. Te entire piece was developed taking into account the skill o the bass clarinet player to change rom the low notes to the highest notes with great ease. For example, at letter M, the score reaches a high F – one o the highest notes o the instrument – and is immediately ollowed by a low C, thereby including the entire sound range in which Sequenza IXc is is written. An interesting situation occurred when I asked Berio about the multiphonics between letter J and L. I was concerned about whether I could play them, especially in a context o a piano a piano sonority. sonority. I MARCH 20 2016 16
h c s t i n i r a M c i r E / n o i t i d E l a s r e v i n U © : t i d e r C o t o h P
Luciano Berio
remember that Berio looked me straight in the eyes and told me to find a solution that I could manage. A ew days later, I ound some easier and accessible fingerings based on natural harmonics: the Maestro had already guessed I would! Berio told me that he preerred this new version to the clarinet version, because it was much more varied and interesting. Tis has become a masterpiece o our small literature! Another bass clarinet masterpiece is by Franco Donatoni. I contributed Soft by to this piece, commissioned and written or Harry Sparnaay, a great pioneer o the bass clarinet who collaborated with great musicians like Berio, Donatoni, Ferneyhough and Yun. (Learn more about the antastic musician Harry Sparnaay in Sparnaay’s book Te Bass Clarinet .) .) Donatoni loved the bass clarinet sonority and compared it with velvet: sot on one side but rough and scratchy on the other! In act, Soft is is played two times, starting with a low-sound-based section MARCH 20 2016 16
at a ppp a ppp dynamic, dynamic, which slowly grows up to a long C-sharp in the high register, ollowed by a gradual decrease to the deep register accentuated by the use o a slap tongue, resulting in a complete extinction o the moti. On a different line is the second time: scratchy as velvet’s back, and aggressive, characterized by the use o ast staccato, flutter tongue and slap tongue. When Donatoni died, I was invited to play Soft during during his uneral in Milan. Another jewel o our musical literature is Come un’onda by by Ennio Morricone. Morricone listened to me play and was immediately impressed by my bass clarinet and its sounds. He was so ascinated that he dedicated the bass clarinet version u n’onda , which was originally o Come un or cello, to me. It is a short but very intense piece! Morricone used every single instrumental peculiarity o my bass clarinet, writing or a our-octave range, using a variety o timbres and articulations, creating a remarkable work u n’onda with great sound effects. Come un
starts with a strong sonority – like a tsunami, Morricone said – characterized by forte by forte tremolos tremolos in the low register, register, ollowed by a short series o slap tongues, a virtuoso section, and implied polyphony at the end. v
ABOUT THE WRITER Bass clarinetist Rocco Parisi, born in San Pietro a Maida (CZ) Italy, Italy, is recognized as a talented interpreter of contemporary music and an innovator of new techniques for the bass clarinet. He gave the world premiere of Sequenza IXc for IXc for bass clarinet and the Italian premiere of Chemins IIc for IIc for bass clarinet and orchestra, both by Luciano Berio, as well as the world premiere of Come un’onda by by Ennio Morricone. He has performed at ClarinetFest® conferences in New Orleans, Stockholm, Salt Lake City, Austin, Austin, Assisi, Assisi, Baton Baton Rouge Rouge and and Madrid. Madrid. THE CLARINET | 47
Report
from Norway
Music Reviews Editor Gregory Barrett reports on his recent trip to Norway to learn about its clarinetists and its music. by Gregory Barrett
I
n Norway, an ot-heard boast equates the distance rom Oslo north to the tip o Norway with the distance rom Oslo south to Rome. I the size o Norway ails to impress you, have you sailed up a ford lately or attended a production in the new Opera House that sleekly glides into Oslo Fjord? My clarinet journey in Norway began with a concert by the visiting Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra at the Snøhetta-designed Opera House.
Flying over the mountainous spine o Norway rom the west coast to Oslo is something the Bergen Philharmonic does with regularity. It also tours internationally, including a 2007 concert at Carnegie Hall with its music director, Andrew Litton. Teir concert I attended in Oslo eatured two works, Unsuk Chin’s Scenes from Alice in Wonderland or soprano, mezzo-soprano and orchestra, and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.
Oslo Opera House
48 | THE CLARINET
MARCH 20 2016 16
Bergen Philharmonic Principal Clarinet and ICA National Chairperson or Norway Christian Stene beautiully played the lilting introduction or soprano Sally Matthews in the Mahler last movement, “Wir genießen die himmlischen Freuden.” Matthews mesmerized the audience with her sensitively inflected perormance. Another highlight o the evening was unexpectedly running into my riend rom ClarinetFest® 2011 and 2013, Stig Eide. He is a ull-time administrator and counselor at Lørenskog Upper Secondary School and teaches clarinet and piano in the evenings at Lørenskog Music and Culture School.
CLARINET WORKS IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NORWAY One ocus o my time in Norway was to investigate Norwegian clarinet music past and present. Te best place in Norway to get an overview o all published and unpublished clarinet music is at the National Library in Oslo. Law requires all published Norwegian works to be deposited in the library, and many composers belonging to the Norwegian Society o Composers have also done so with their unpublished
Peer Gynt welcomes visitors to the National Library
MARCH 2016
Oslo Konserthus
scores. o aid the researcher, an expert staff is on hand and highly detailed catalogs or woodwinds and mixed ensembles have been produced. All works in the catalogs are available either directly rom a publisher, the National Library or its publishing service “NB noter” (www. nb.no), a digitized collection o thousands o Norwegian scores in PDF ormat or study or or purchase as sheet music. I am in the process o preparing an online annotated listing o repertoire most interesting to clarinetists; or example, works by Johan Kvandal, rygve Madsen and Finn Mortensen. NB noter is most thorough with works by Norwegian composers active rom the mid-20th century to the present. Tat covers almost all clarinet solo and chamber works, but to check or any now-orgotten earlier works I also examined every volume o the Norsk Bogfortegnelse. Since 1885 all newly published Norwegian books or music scores have been cataloged in the Norsk Bogfortegnelse . Te earliest mention o repertoire with clarinet (other than in works or symphony orchestra) is in works rom the early 1930s or salon orchestra by composers including Sørensen, Johan Halvorsen, David Monrad Johansen and Arvid Kleven. Te first published chamber music with clarinet is Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen’s Suite for 3 treblåsere I fem små satser , Op. 10 (composed 1933, published 1946). Te Norwegian Wind Quintet recorded the five short movements o Olsen’s work on a Philips LP in 1974. It is currently
available on CD rom Simax. Like other music by Olsen, the Suite is influenced by Norwegian olk music. Te Norwegian Wind Quintet was ormed in 1955 rom members o the Oslo Philharmonic, who were also teachers at the Norwegian Academy o Music. One result o the decades-long activity o this ensemble is the large number o woodwind quintets composed in Norway and now ound cataloged in NB noter. Currently, the oremost quintet in Norway is the Bergen Wind Quintet. Tey annually tour outside Norway and are comprised o our members o the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and clarinetist Fredrik Fors o the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Tere is a lot o collaboration among musicians in Norway. Te flight between the two largest cities, Oslo and Bergen, is just an hour. In this country o considerable distances and mountainous terrain, air routes are numerous and convenient. Works ound on the Bergen Wind Quintet’s numerous recordings include the three quintets by David Maslanka, two dedicated quintets by Harald Sæverud and much o the standard repertoire. I met up with Fredrik Fors o the Bergen Wind Quintet and Oslo Philharmonic at the Oslo Konserthus, rom where we meandered to a harborside cae serving bowl-size “cups” o coffee. From this sunny vantage point we perused the library catalogs to help me understand which composers and works are the most noteworthy. THE CLARINET | 49
Up until a few decades ago it was stated in the musicians’ contracts that as a member of the Oslo Philharmonic you were not allowed to go skiing the same day you were playing a concert! FREDRIK FORS AND THE OSLO PHILHARMONIC Swedish by birth (1973), Fredrik studied at the Royal College o Music in Stockholm and later with Yehuda Gilad, Karl Leister, Anthony Pay and Richard Stoltzman. He perormed the Jean Françaix Clarinet Concerto in 1990 with the Austrian Radio Orchestra and joined the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in 1995 as associate principal clarinet. Next season he will premiere a clarinet concerto being written or him by Bjørn Kruse. In addition to quintet and orchestra responsibilities, Fredrik teaches at the Norwegian Academy o Music along with his colleague in the Philharmonic, Lei Arne Pedersen, and Björn Nyman o the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Fredrik praises his native Norwegian students, citing the high level o Norwegian military bands contributing to the elevated level o wind playing. Beyond his recordings with the Bergen Wind Quintet, Fredrik has recorded several clarinet recital repertoire CDs. His recent recording Black Bird mixes outstanding Norwegian works by Johann Kvandal, Kyrre Sassebo Haaland,
rygve Madsen and Finn Mortenesen with standard works by Schumann, Stravinsky and Saint-Saëns. Prior to this he recorded well-known French works and the Busoni Suite for Clarinet and Piano on a Harmonia Mundi CD in the “Les Nouveaux Musiciens” series, a recording that resulted rom his selection as a prizewinning Juventus Laureate. Tat evening I had the pleasure o hearing Fredrik play in a concert by the Oslo Philharmonic eaturing Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 . Te 87-yearold legend Herbert Blomstedt conducted, and the orchestra expressed in their playing their ondness or Blomstedt. Te Wagner tubas augmenting the brass section created the special sound or which this work is known. When I asked Fredrik what might surprise someone about the Oslo Philharmonic, he said: I think people would be surprised to know that, up until a ew decades ago, it was stated in the musicians’ contracts that as a member o the Oslo Philharmonic you were not allowed to go skiing the same day you were playing a
Custom Clarinet Reed Blanks
Diego Lucchesi and Fredrik Fors
concert! Older colleagues o mine have told me this and I think it’s a bit unny. Perhaps they were araid the musicians would get lost in the woods! As you know, the surroundings o Oslo are a paradise or skiing and I oten go crosscountry skiing when I have the chance – even on concert days! Personiying the back-and-orth between Oslo and Bergen was visiting Oslo Philharmonic section clarinetist Diego Lucchesi. Diego has been a permanent member o the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra since 2003 and is originally rom Piacenza, Italy. He perormed with his Bergen Philharmonic clarinet section at the 2013 Assisi ClarinetFest®,playing Håvard Lund’s Clarinet Quartet and rygve Madsen’s Clarinet Marmalade. Next season with the Bergen Philharmonic, Diego will premiere a bass clarinet concerto being written or him by Henrik Hellstenius.
THE BERGEN PHILHARMONIC AND THE GRIEG ACADEMY
www.aurora-winds.com 50 | THE CLARINET
Te next day it was my turn to make the trip rom Oslo to Bergen to reunite with Christian Stene, and to meet his colleagues in the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and their students at the Grieg Academy, University o Bergen. Bergen is a lovely rain-soaked city on the Atlantic coast surrounded by seven impressively MARCH 2016
Christian Stene and Katy Whitelaw at Edvard Grieg’s waterside composing hut at Troldhaugen
high mountains. Bergen will always be connected with Edvard Grieg, whose home, roldhaugen, is not ar south rom the city center. Christian personified Norwegian hospitality and drove my spouse, Katy Whitelaw, and me to visit this site sacred to all Norwegians. Grieg was artistic director o the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra rom 1880 to 1882 and the orchestra’s architecturally striking hall is named ater him, as is the Grieg Academy o Music o the University o Bergen. Bergen was historically the center o the Norwegian kingdom, and its orchestra, ounded in 1765 (!) is among the world’s oldest. Trough Christian I was invited to give a presentation at the Grieg Academy. Clarinet students and several proessors, including department head Frode Torsen, shared an hour with me as I described what I had learned so ar investigating Norwegian clarinet music at the National Library. Like most university clarinet students around the world, my new acquaintances in the clarinet classes o Christian Stene and Håkon Nilsen were conversant in the core German, Austrian and French pieces in our repertoire, but were mostly unaware o works penned closer to home. Christian played in the Norwegian National Opera beore joining the Bergen MARCH 2016
Philharmonic in 2010 as principal clarinet. A recent highlight or him was premiering in February 2015 Shadows and Shields , a concerto or clarinet by Terese Ulvo, his ormer classmate in the Skjold School Band. Christian said about the concerto: Terese’s piece was a true challenge and she deliberately set out to push my limits. Some o the
multiphonics were notoriously hard with a fixed bass note and changing upper register partials. It was a very interesting process working together with Terese, as I really needed to rethink most o my basic playing technique to find the sounds and colors or which she was asking. Shadows and Shields is being released on a live CD this all alongside other works rom the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra’s 250th anniversary season. Christian is a native o Bergen and began his studies with Lars Kristian Brynildsen, ormer principal clarinet o the Bergen Philharmonic. Students rom Norway enjoy the benefit o governmentunded education, whether at home or abroad. Making the most o this, Christian earned his bachelor’s degree with George Pieterson, the ormer principal o the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and his master’s and soloist diploma with Lee Morgan o the Royal Danish Orchestra. Rounding out his study was work with François Benda in Basel and a graduate certificate with Yehuda Gilad in Los Angeles. Reflecting on his years o study Christian said: Looking back, all my teachers had very different backgrounds and teaching methods. ... Tis meant that I wasn’t conormed to just one
Grieg Hall
THE CLARINET | 51
school or method o playing, but had to create my own. wo concepts o playing that I constantly strive or are Lee Morgan’s embodiment o “Beauty o Sound” and Yehuda Gilad’s “Musical Mission.” Christian’s colleague at the Grieg Academy is Håkon Nilsen, who is a member o the contemporary music ensemble BI20 and since 1994 has been the associate principal/E-flat clarinetist in the Bergen Philharmonic. Håkon exclaimed how his first concert with the orchestra was playing E-flat clarinet in Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé. Quite a trial. He was born in Bodø, which lies just north o the Arctic Circle and is the northern terminus o the rail system in Norway. Håkon studied with Lars Kristian Brynildsen at the Grieg Academy and then with Hans Christian Bræin at the Norwegian Academy o Music in Oslo. (On a side note related to Hans Christian, clarinetists looking or engaging and accessible solo works with string orchestra will find our appealing pieces in his 2001 CD release Norwegian Concertinos for Clarinet and Strings.) Bergen Philharmonic section clarinetist since 1987, one Hagerup is a native
Grieg Academy clarinet students (on left) with professors Christian Stene, Håkon Nilsen and Gregory Barrett
o rondheim in Sør-røndelag, one o Norway’s 19 administrative counties. one began her clarinet studies in rondheim with Knut Lauritzen and continued in Oslo at the Academy o Music with Bendt Neuchs Sørensen and Richard Kjelstrup (the dedicatee o the concertinos on Hans Christian Bræin’s CD) beore concluding her clarinet study with Guy Deplus in Paris. With Diego Lucchesi currently playing in the Oslo Philharmonic, French clarinetist Alexis Baldos has been his substitute in the Bergen Philharmonic. Previously Alexis played in southern Norway in Stavanger. Ater an evening concert I socialized with all the clarinetists in the orchestra’s canteen. And yes it is true, like most everything in Norway, it is very expensive to have a drink – unless your new riends are buying. akk ! My second day in Bergen was devoted to six hours o master classes with Christian and Håkon’s students. Staff pianist Anne Nitter Sandvik energetically accompanied their perormances o Brahms, Lutosławski, Weber and Mozart. Well done all!
NORTH TO TRONDHEIM AND TROMSØ
Christian Stene and Tone Hagerup
52 | THE CLARINET
I was sad to leave behind my new riends in Bergen, but like so many beore me, I was off to the north and one Hagerup’s hometown, rondheim, to see its amous medieval cathedral, Nidaros – a pilgrimage goal or centuries on a bend
o the river Nid – and to visit the Ringve Musikkmuseum. Downstream rom the cathedral, with its concert hall acing the river Nid, the rondheim Symphony Orchestra plays 100 concerts a year. Teir young music director Krzyszto Urbański occupies the same post in the U.S. with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In addition to the cathedral, what is singular to rondheim is its extensive Ringve Music Museum. Housed in several historic buildings in a park-like complex a ew miles rom the city center, it is home to over 2000 musical instruments, only about one-third o which are Western classical instruments. Te first-rate exhibit o instruments is brought to lie by recordings accessed over personal headphones. At 63 degrees north latitude, rondheim is considered in the midregion o Norway. My next stop northbound, romsø, 200 miles north o the Arctic Circle, is the coastal gateway to the Arctic. romsø straddles the romsøya Strait with the mainland on one side and the island romsøya on the other. I first met University o romsø clarinet proessor Håkon Stødle in warm and sunny Los Angeles at our 2011 ClarinetFest®. He has been a fixture in the music department at the University o romsø since 1972, has been solo clarinet in the romsø Symphony Orchestra and the Finnmark Symphony Orchestra, and has perormed with the Harmonien Orchestra and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. His primary studies MARCH 2016
Håkon and Tori Stødle
were in Oslo with Olav Rimstad and Richard Kjelstrup but also beyond Norway with David Weber, Ib Eriksson, Gervase de Peyer, Walter Boeykens and Jacques Lancelot. Håkon’s spouse, pianist ori Stødle, is also on the University o romsø aculty. Several works were written or them, which they included on their 1987 record Musikk Fra Nord . Te recording eatures pieces by Ketil Vea, Folke Strømholm, Ivar Antonsen and Søren Hjorth. When asked about the recording, Håkon said: Te important idea behind making this record was to show that the music rom the northern part o Norway was multi-stylistic and worth listening to. Yang og yin II by Søren Hjorth is a piece written in the style o the Danish composer Per Nørgård’s “infinity series,” which in this piece results in beautiul melodies. Te Prelude and Fugue by Ivar Antonsen is in a more modern harmonic and melodic style with stylistic elements rom Stravinsky and jazz. At the time I did not know any work written in the orm o a Bach prelude and ugue or clarinet, so I asked Ivar to write one or me. And then there is the Suite by Ketil Vea, and by Folke Strømholm the Karakeino farvel . Te Suite , in the very personal style o the composer Ketil Vea, was inspired by the Sami people’s music, the joik, MARCH 2016
without use o any specific Sami melody. Te Karakeino farvel on the other hand uses specific Sami joik rom the region where I was born and is written in Messiaen’s quartet instrumentation. Dovetailing with Håkon exiting his duties in the music department o the University o romsø, Rol Borch was appointed the new associate proessor o clarinet in 2014. Rol belongs to the leading edge o our clarinet community by perorming groundbreaking works such as Brian Ferneyhough’s clarinet concerto La Chute d’Icare and Helmut Lachenmann’s Mozart Concerto-quoting Accanto, and by commissioning works rom composers exploring new sounds and expressive possibilities. On Rol’s 2007 Aurora CD Step Inside he perorms the classic Lachenmann solo clarinet work Dal Niente (Interieur III) and works written or him by Mark Adderly, Sven Lyder Kahrs and Magne Hegdal. Te CD’s name reers to the “…new approach to the timbral subtleties o the clarinet – its ‘inside,’ so to speak.” Rol explained how he became interested in the experimental side o the clarinet: I think it was when my wonderul teacher through my six years o studying at the Norwegian Academy o Music, Hans Christian Bræin, encouraged me to play ‘something contemporary’ that I discovered both a reedom and a
talent. I played Clair by Donatoni and Berio’s Sequenza , and both pieces became kind o successul or me and I really enjoyed playing them. I guess I got a reputation as a contemporary music talent. I went on to play Lachenmann’s Dal Niente and studied this with the composer (who became a good riend – I later played his Accanto with the Oslo Philharmonic, and met him again recently when we played two o his pieces in the Oslo Sinonietta) and I started commissioning new music, first solo pieces rom Norwegian composers. And so on… It is really important or me that I never let the classical music behind, I have only expanded, I have never quit playing anything. Like Step Inside , Rol’s second album Inside Out was nominated or a Spelleman Award (oten called a “Norwegian Grammy”). It contains works ranging rom solo clarinet to clarinet concerto with orchestra, all by Ørjan Matre. Rol’s desire to expand the clarinet’s boundaries extends to his love and promotion o the contrabass clarinet. He was a research ellow at the Norwegian Academy o Music rom 2011 to 2014, and one o the outcomes o his activities was the CD Rolf Borch plays Houvenaghel’s Organ. Charles Houvenaghel was a Belgian acoustician employed by LeBlanc (Paris) when he developed the Houvenaghel/Leblanc contrabass clarinet in the 1930s. A limited number o these sought-ater instruments were manuactured, and Rol has the last one! And to what does “Houvenaghel’s Organ” reer? Why, to a amily o clarinets rom high sopranino to the one-o-akind octocontrabass clarinet designed by Houvenaghel. Rol plays a range o clarinets rom soprano down to contrabass in his overdubbed arrangements o organ works by Bach, Reger, Frescobaldi and himsel. What a sound! Another product o Rol’s research is the book he published in 2015 through the Norwegian Academy o Music: Contrabass Clarinet Orchestral Excerpts and a Brief History . Following a brie history o the instrument, he edited chronologicallyarranged orchestral excerpts rom Vincent d’Indy’s Fervaal , Op. 40 to several THE CLARINET | 53
Woodwindiana A resource for great clarinet music and CDs Home of The Clarinet Doctor book and a place to purchase unique clarinet duets, trios & quartets from around the world. Visit our website for full catalog and ordering information: www.woodwindiana.com For interesting and informative articles on a variety of pedagogical topics, visit the Forum section at: www.howardklug.com Woodwindiana, Inc.
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Gregory Barrett, Rolf Borch and clarinet/saxophone students at the University of Tromsø
contemporary Norwegian orchestral works or which he was the contrabass player at the premiere. Te conclusion o my Norwegian clarinet journey was soon at hand. Tere
was no better place to close my memories than in romsø. Te scenery was magic: islands, snow-covered mountains and the sea. Tese elements o nature and the sense o peace that pervades romsø contribute to the success o a university in such a distant corner o the world. In romsø, between looking or reindeer and eating heart-shaped pancakes with lingonberry jam, I enjoyed a class with clarinet and saxophone students at the Department o Music. We played music by Debussy and others, and it was clear that the clarinet, in all its diversity, was alive and well in Norway. v
ABOUT THE WRITER Dr. Gregory Barrett is professor of clarinet at Northern Illinois University, a Buffet Group Artist and music reviews editor for Te Clarinet. Barrett takes special pride in the achievements of his students who have performed in groups such as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra – Beijing, and who have gone on to advanced study at the Curtis Institute of Music and the universities of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri-Kansas City and Yale. 54 | THE CLARINET
MARCH 2016
Don’t Give Me
Daphnis:
An Injury Recovery Guide for Clarinetists by Mary Alice Druhan, with Kristin Keesey and Debbie Gillespie
Part one of this three-part series (Dec. 2014) examined evaluation of musculoskeletal injury, and part two (March 2015) covered treatment of the injury through medication, physical agent modalities and massage.
PART THREE – TREATMENT OF THE INJURY, CONTINUED STRETCH uring rehabilitation, heat is applied prior to active or passive stretching and/ or exercise. Te benefits o stretching include relaxation o tightened, restrictive muscles, improved flexibility o muscles, improved range o motion, relaxation o the mind and body, aid in the prevention and rehabilitation o muscular injuries, improved circulation, and promotion o the tissue “remolding” process ollowing injury (Jameson, 203). Terapeutic stretch is oten used as a treatment or myoascial trigger points (MrPs) and myoascial pain syndrome (MPS). A therapist will perorm active stretching and mobilization to increase mobility where the nerves are most likely to be pinched or compressed (Damany, 111). Intermittent cold and heat-stretch is oten used as a treatment or MrPs and MPS as is postisometric contraction-relaxation exercise which can be coupled with respiratory acilitation techniques. Gentle contraction-and-relaxation exercises can be perormed with deep ischemic compression and may be ollowed by local trigger point massage, myoascial release, therapeutic stretch and seldirected stretch (Gerwin, 135).
D
56 | THE CLARINET
Stretching should be stopped i warning signs (increased pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness or sensations o cold in the extremities) are detected.
ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND ACUPUNCTURE Electrical stimulation through the subcutaneous or intramuscular needle can inactivate trigger points (Gerwin, 135) and the use o an acupuncture or dry needle can yield similar results. Te ancient theory behind acupuncture claims that the lie-orce energy called qi flows through pathways that connect all the tissues and organs o the body through twelve main meridians. It also claims that disease is caused by the disruption o this flow o energy. Acupuncture claims to normalize the electrical energy o the body. Recent study has confirmed many o the ancient principles upon which acupuncture is based (Jameson, 154). Acupuncture works through nerve reflex action which is transmitted through the neural pathways to harness energy. It can be an effective treatment or pain management. In addition, the minor traumatic irritation o local tissue allows those nerves which are excessively stimulated to cease firing and rest while at the same time causing the release o an anti-inflammatory hormone (cortisol) into the bloodstream. Another desired effect o acupuncture MARCH 2016
is that it aids in cell respiration by causing capillaries to dilate around the injured tissues.
EXERCISE According to Lowe, “postural reeducation is initiated ater the acute response to injury is controlled and begins with exercises to improve extension o the midthoracic spine to place the head and neck in a more balanced position over the trunk and with exercises to improve the patient’s ability to stabilize the scapula to decrease abduction” (Lowe, 87). Range o motion (ROM) exercises are typically prescribed once inflammation subsides. In addition, low-resistance strengthening exercise can be added. In treatment o serious injury to a musician, a gradual “return to play” schedule is considered a strengthening activity and additional exercise may place too much stress on the recovering body. I active ROM exercises elicit pain, the patient begins a program o isometric exercise which generally consists o a brie, repetitive, isometric, maximal exercise program (Liberson, 236). Postisometric contraction-relaxation exercise is oten used as one o the treatments or MrPs and MPS. Glides are exercises perormed or the prevention o nerve entrapment. In a glide, the patient moves rom one position to another without any orce or resistance (Damany & Bellis, 111). Te glide should put a nerve or tendon through its maximum range o motion. A sedentary liestyle has many risks, but specifically or someone with a musculoskeletal disorder, it can lead to poor circulation and escalated pain. Poor circulation and stagnant lymphatic tissue can result in an increase o overuse symptoms. In defining treatment o repetitive strain injury, Jameson states, “maintaining good aerobic fitness beore, during, and ater a repetitive strain injury cannot be emphasized enough” (Jameson, 257). Aerobic exercise (any activity that raises the heartbeat 60 to 80 percent or at least 20 minutes) increases cellular activity and induces a hormonal response which reduces insulin levels and increases glucagon levels. Gerwin adds, “use o aquatic programs, swimming, yoga, tai chi, and specific resistive strengthening programs help MARCH 2016
to condition muscle, to restore normal reciprocal inhibition in the affected unctional muscle unit, and to restore the patient’s confidence” (Gerwin, 136).
with herbs and utilizes specialized or applied kinesiology to test the body’s needs.
LOCAL INJECTION AND SURGERY
Occupational therapists coach patients through saely perorming critical daily tasks while recovering rom and preventing injury. In general, this includes activities like dressing and writing, ergonomics, work environments and posture. Many disease states o the body can be created by dysunction in the nervous system. Te chiropractic philosophy is based on maintaining a proper nerve balance through spinal and extremity joint adjustments. Chiropractic treatment or musculoskeletal injury may include spinal and extremity adjustment, physical agent modalities, rehabilitation techniques and nutritional advice. Specialized kinesiology is a orm o muscle testing which can quickly detect many emotional, structural, spiritual and nutritional imbalances, while applied kinesiology is used within the chiropractic proession and differs in the type o muscle testing used, the assessment, and the treatment. Homeopathy is based on the “law o similars” which states that “like cures like.” Homeopaths believe that a substance in minute quantities will heal the body, whereas the same substance in large quantities will cause symptoms (Jameson, 176). Homeopathic remedies are made rom substances ound in nature and are considered by some to be entirely sae. As with the use o herbal supplements, patients should consult a health care provider who is amiliar with homeopathy. Meditation has been used or thousands o years to affect human physiology. wo
In addition to therapeutic techniques, injection o local anesthetic or dry needling techniques have proven successul in the treatment o the MrP (Hong, 205-217; Chu, 106-121). A high velocity jet-stream injection technique (without needle) is also effective (Gerwin, 135). Te Perorming Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) generally relies on a conservative approach to the treatment o musician injury, but states that, “when conservative methods ail to produce satisactory results, corticosteroid injection or surgery may be reasonable alternatives or certain musculoskeletal problems” (Sataloff, 215). reatment plans may also include injection o muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories or the patient’s own Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).
DIET AND NUTRITION Every cell o the body relies upon proper nutrition to grow, divide and unction, and whether or not these cells are optimally nourished depends upon the person’s diet (Jameson, 118). Cells inside the body constantly grow and die, replacing themselves completely over time. Te state o health o the newly-replaced cells also depends upon a properly unctioning nervous system and genetics. Herbal supplements can have a potent and wide range o effects on the body and should be treated as a prescription medication. Patients should consult a natural health care provider who is amiliar
ADDITIONAL TREATMENT OPTIONS
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major orms are mindulness meditation, which allows the patient to become aware o all o the senses, and concentrative meditation, during which the patient ocuses on a mantra, an image, or their own breathing. Te effects o meditation include lowered blood pressure, decreased heart rate, decreased breathing rate and decreased cortisol in the blood. Clinical hypnosis is an altered state o awareness used by licensed therapists to treat both psychological and physical problems. Recent research supports that hypnotic communication and suggestion effectively change aspects o a person’s physiological and neurological unction. Hypnosis has a reliable and significant impact on acute procedural pain and chronic pain conditions (Patterson, 521). More inormation can be ound at www. asch.net. Craniosacral therapy (CS) is a method o evaluating and boosting the unction o the craniosacral system. It can be used individually or in conjunction with other therapies as a preventative health measure to effectively treat a number o medical problems associated with pain, dysunction and trauma.
EMOTIONAL IMPACT Emotional repercussions o chronic injury include second-stage denial, anger, depression, suicidal thoughts, ear, anxiety, guilt, sel-recrimination and grie. Musicians recovering rom injury may develop a sense o hopelessness, nervousness or insecurity about the quality o their perormance. Tey can be earul o repercussions rom their peers or conductors and may try to hide their injury or postpone getting the necessary help. Tis and the possibility o lost income during an injury can lead to high levels o stress. Te effects o chronic stress include adrenal atigue which affects every organ and system in the body. More inormation can be ound at www. adrenalatigue.org. Proessional psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers are trained to help patients struggling with emotional wellbeing. Approaches to emotional health include finding a sae way to express emotions, avoiding isolation, associating with positive people, practicing positive sel-talk, reusing to be a victim, and taking charge o the recovery process (Quilter, 58 | THE CLARINET
51-57). Emotional well-being in patients can be aided by exercise, pets, pampering, empathy and involvement in alternate musical activities. Other emotional healing treatments include “Golden Light Healing” or “Tree-in-One Concepts.”
RETURN TO PLAY Following an injury, returning to practice is oten considered an exercise regimen. Musicians must be mindul o additional exercises while they also increase practice time. Te practice routine must be continually monitored and analyzed or each patient in order to prevent recurrence o injury, specifically i a significant time was spent away rom the instrument. Regardless o the plan used, musicians must be cautious to not add time or intensity to their “workout” i they experience discomort in their current routine. v
WORKS CITED Brummit, Jason. “Te Role o Massage in Sports Perormance and Rehabilitation: Current Evidence and Future Direction,” North American Journal of Sports Physical Terapy 3.1 (2008): 8. Chu, J. “Dry needling (intramuscular stimulation) in myoascial pain related to lumbosacral radiculopathy,” European Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 5 (1995): 106-121. Damany, Suparna and Jack Bellis. It’s Not Carpal unnel Syndrome ! Philadelphia: Simax, 2000. Gerwin, Robert D. “Myoascial Pain Syndromes in the Upper Extremity.” Journal of Hand Terapy 10.2 (1997): 130-136. Hong, C. “Myoascial trigger point injection,” Critical Review Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 5 (1993): 205-217. Jameson, imothy J. Repetitive Strain Injuries: Alternative reatment & Prevention. New Canaan, C: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1998. Liberson, W. “Brie Isometric Exercises,” Terapeutic Exercise , 3rd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1981. Lowe, Colleen. “reatment o endinitis, enosynovitis, and other Cumulative rauma Disorders o Musicians’ Forearms, Wrists, and Hands... Restoring Function with Hand Terapy,” Journal of Hand Terapy . 5.2 (1992): 84-90. Patterson DR, Jensen MP. “Hypnosis and Clinical Pain,” Psychology Bulletin. 129.4 (2003): 495521. Quilter, Deborah. Te Repetitive Strain Injury Recovery Book . Bloomington: iUniverse, Inc., 1998. Sataloff, Robert ., Alice G. Brandonbrener, and Richard J. Lederman. Performing Arts Medicine . 3d ed. Narberth, PA: Science and Medicine, Inc., 2010. eBook.
* * * * * MEDICAL DISCLAI MER
Tis article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Te information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call consultation or the advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never rely on information contained in this article in place of seeking professional medical advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article. You should also ask your physician or other healthcare provider to assist you in interpreting any information in this article, or in applying the information to your individual case. Medical information changes constantly. Terefore the information in this article should not be considered current, complete or exhaustive, nor should you rely on such information to recommend a course of treatment for you or any other individual. Reliance on any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk.
ABOUT THE WRITER Mary Alice Druhan is associate professor of clarinet at exas A&M University – Commerce and recipient of the James ‘Jim’ Vornberg Award for eaching. She has performed with orchestras and opera companies, chamber ensembles and premiere bands for more than twenty years in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. She is a Backun Musical Services Performing Artist. Dr. Druhan has suffered from and is in recovery for a serious playing-related injury which inspired her research, writing, lectures and advocacy for musician injury, prevention and recovery. Kristin M. Keesey received her degree from exas Woman’s University School of Occupational Terapy in 1995. She is a Certified Hand Terapist and a graduate of the Dr. Vodder School of Manual Lymphatic Drainage. For eight years she was an instructor of orthopedic continuing education to fellow therapists in the Dallas and Houston areas in exas. At present she is working at Covenant Hand Terapy in Plano, exas. Debbie Gillespie graduated from exas Massage Institute in 2004 and has worked as a full time massage therapist for 10 years. She has served as the exclusive massage therapist for Cirque Du Soleil “Kooza” show in Dallas and now owns Massage Rockwall. She is proficient in many modalities including sports massage, trigger point, deep tissue, hot stones, MJ Release and Lymphatic Drainage. MARCH 2016
Au���� 3-7, 2016 am thrilled to invite you to the International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest® 2016 at the University o Kansas (KU) in beautiul Lawrence. Located in the picturesque rolling hills 45 minutes west o Kansas City, Lawrence boasts one o the greatest main streets in the nation, bustling with shops, restaurants and galleries. Te University o Kansas, an integral part o this diverse and educated community, is situated on Mount Oread, just minutes rom downtown via a lovely walk through tree-lined historic neighborhoods. As one o the major research centers o the region, KU has a reputation or excellence in all academic areas. All ClarinetFest® activities will take place on the University o Kansas campus, including in the worldamous Lied Center, the Craton-Preyer Teatre and the newly-renovated Swarthout Recital Hall. Plentiul and comortable accommodations are available, including the luxurious and awardwinning Oread Hotel located directly on the KU campus. SpringHill Suites o Lawrence, a Marriott property, is a little over a mile rom campus in the heart o downtown Lawrence, with easy access to a diverse selection o dining, shopping, galleries, and museums, all convenient to KU’s campus. Every suite has a view o the Kansas River. Campus residence hall accommodations, located directly on the KU campus, are also available or budget travelers. Tese reasonably priced rooms include a daily three-meal plan. Additional inormation concerning accommodations is available on the ICA website.
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Come experience the latest instruments, mouthpieces, sheet music and accessories, as well as the newest recordings and much more rom world-class exhibitors. rying some o the newest products while visiting with our industry’s highestlevel clarinet equipment specialists is always one o the highlights o the estival. Tese exhibits are open throughout the conerence, so be sure to visit as oten as you can! Tis is also a wonderul opportunity to connect with other clarinetists, manuacturers and leading innovators. Te theme or ClarinetFest® 2016 is INSPIRAIONS and the event is indeed going to be quite inspiring. With an impressive roster o perormers, presenters and educators, some o the finest clarinetists rom all over the world will be under one roo. Te Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines one aspect o inspiration as “a person … that makes someone want to do or create something.” ClarinetFest® 2016 is partially centering around the five clarinetists that inspired so much o our significant repertoire throughout the ages: Anton MARCH 2016
Stadler rom the 18th century; Heinrich Baermann, Johann Hermstedt and Richard Mühleld rom the 19th century; and Benny Goodman rom the 20th century. In addition to perormances o the music they inspired, there will be opportunities to learn more about their lives and circumstances. Also on the schedule will be an interesting series o daily concerts, Forgotten Gems , which will eature many masterworks that have been underplayed but are wonderul and significant additions to the canon o clarinet repertoire. Te roster or this summer’s ClarinetFest® is especially impressive. With an all-star line-up filled with perormances, master classes and presentations, this event will be one to remember. Several o the epic artists this year include the principal clarinetists rom some o the world’s leading orchestras, including the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Paris National Opera, Cleveland Orchestra and the eatro dell’Opera di Roma. David Shirin will be joined by acclaimed pianist André Watts, the Miró Quartet and noted television actor Jack Gilpin in his program “An Unlikely Muse.” Tis dramatic musical tribute explores the relationship between Brahms and his clarinet muse, Mühleld. Eddie Daniels will give a sizzling jazz perormance and many others will give memorable concerts o MARCH 2016
everything rom classics to contemporary works throughout the week. Beyond experiencing one o the greatest perorming lineups o clarinetists ever assembled, those attending the conerence this summer can participate as a member o one o our ClarinetFest® clarinet choirs. Te ollowing groups will rehearse during the conerence and perorm on the last day: • Festival Clarinet Choir: Open to all attending. For more inormation,
contact director Raphael Sanders (SUNY – Potsdam) at sanderrp@ potsdam.edu. • Collegiate Clarinet Choir: Open to all college, university and conservatory students. For more inormation, contact director od Kerstetter (Kansas State) at
[email protected]. • Professors Ensemble: Open to all collegiate proessors and instructors. For more inormation, contact director Mitchell Estrin (University o Florida) at mestrin@ufl.edu. Plan air travel through the convenient Kansas City International Airport (MCI), a one-hour drive rom Lawrence. Ground travel options rom the airport include shuttle and rental car. Lawrence also has an Amtrak station with travel options rom several major hubs. More inormation on travel will be available on the ICA website. We are so excited to welcome you to KU this summer. Join us or a great week o music, innovation, ideas, trying the latest gear and meeting new riends. Pack your bags and your best reeds, and we’ll see you soon in Lawrence! v Dr. Stephanie Zelnick Associate Proessor o Clarinet University o Kansas For the latest information, please visit the ICA ClarinetFest® 2016 website at www.clarinet.org.
HEADLINING ARTISTS Boris Allakhverdyan – Metropolitan Opera, principal Sauro Berti – Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, bass clarinet J. Lawrie Bloom – Chicago Symphony, bass clarinet Henri Bok – Renowned bass clarinetist Philippe Cuper – Paris National Opera, principal Eddie Daniels – Preeminent jazz clarinetist Pierre Génisson – First Prize, 2014 Tokyo International Clarinet Competition Richard Hawkins – Oberlin Conservatory, artist faculty Bil Jackson – Vanderbilt University, artist faculty Benjamin Lulich – Cleveland Orchestra, principal Jacques Merrer – Noted E-flat clarinet specialist Eugene Mondie – National Symphony, assistant principal Ricardo Morales – Philadelphia Orchestra, principal Fred Ormand – University of Michigan (retired) David Shifrin – Renowned soloist and chamber musician Eddy Vanoosthuyse – Brussels Philharmonic, principal Michele Zukovsky – Los Angeles Philharmonic, principal (retired)
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MUSIC Jean Françaix . Concerto pour clarinette et orchestra . Éditions musicales transatlantiques, Paris (
[email protected]; rights transerred to Première Music Group:
[email protected]). No. ER003001. Piano reduction by
Claude Françaix (composer’s daughter) and iziana de Carolis, 2013. $25.00 Jean Françaix’s exquisite and colorul clarinet concerto was first
published in 1968 and premiered that year by Jacques Lancelot in Nice, France. Te original edition contained a significant number o errors, as listed in two articles written in 1998 by the highly respected French clarinetist Philippe Cuper, in the British Clarinet & Saxophone and the French Clarinette Magazine . Additionally, the original piano reduction was extremely difficult to perorm, with some pages requiring the pianist to read complex chords on up to our lines simultaneously instead o two. Yet again, with this 2013 edition, editorial collaborator Philippe Cuper notes a air number o errors (see below). Tis new edition is good news or accompanists, though, because it has a simplified piano part, albeit still quite complex and challenging to perorm. Te clarinet part was reorganized to simpliy
ERRATA FOR THE 2013 EDITION OF THE JEAN FRANÇAIX CONCERTO FOR CLARINET by Philippe Cuper MOVEMENT I M. 8 – The last note is fourth-space E (not D). M. 20 – The first three notes should be marked staccato. M. 41 – Should read “Ne pas ralentir” (not “Ne pas refentir”); translation: Don’t play rallentando. M. 111 – The last note is E (not D). M. 171 (cadenza) – The second note of the third beat should be A-natural (not A-sharp). MOVEMENT II M. 113 – The third note should be third-space C (not A). M. 160 – The third note should be fourth-line D-sharp. M. 170 – The third note should be C-natural (not C-flat). MOVEMENT III No errors.
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MOVEMENT IV M. 1 – The first note of the second beat should be D-natural. M. 82 – Add the number 3 under the three sixteenth notes to indicate sixteenth-note triplets. M. 168 – Add � = � M. 198 – The first note should be a staccato C-sharp, the following B-sharp and C-sharp should be slurred sixteenth notes, and the next B-sharp should be a staccato quarter-note. M. 203 – There is a half rest on the second beat; delete the half rest before the third beat. Mm. 213-215 – All the notes should be an oc tave higher with an indication of “octava bassa ad libitum.” M. 216 – Add � = � M. 232 and m. 236 – The first and second beats should be slurred.
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page turns. Some notes were corrected rom the original edition, and all tempos were reduced (the composer explained that his wind-up metronome was inaccurate). When the work was first introduced, some players ound it almost unplayable. Te clarinet part is in B major, leading me to believe it was composed on the piano in A major, without immediate regard or difficulties posed to the soloist. Some clarinetists experiment to simpliy fingerings by using and interchanging both B-flat and A clarinets, but I preer this light and rereshing music to be played on the intended B-flat to match tone with its light character, even though the key is very challenging. In act, Jean Françaix once wrote a tongue-in-cheek apology to clarinetists because o its difficulty. However, today’s advances in technique make it an increasingly popular work or perormances and competitions all over the world. Jean Françaix (1912-1997) is one o the most well-known and oten-perormed composers in France. He studied in Nadia Boulanger’s composition class along with Ravel, Milhaud, Stravinsky, Poulenc and Roussel. His works are played by the world’s greatest orchestras and his clarinet concerto is now considered a staple in our repertoire. o listen to Jean Françaix perorm one o his works on piano visit www. JeanFrancaix.org. On another video a ew clicks away, the composer’s grandson describes him as a man who never ollowed new trends and who created some o the most beautiul music in France. In 1994, Jean Françaix was awarded the Arthur Honegger Prize by Honegger himsel, who reerred to Françaix’s music as simple, transparent, light, yet deep, youthul, humorous, resh and distinguished. Since I studied this work with Lancelot in Nice only 12 years ater he premiered it there with the Nice Chamber Orchestra, Françaix’s concerto has always been close to my heart. It is a antastically challenging, beautiul and meaningul work. – Michele Gingras
Mike D’Ambrosio. Super Groove or clarinet and piano. Potenza Music, 2014. Duration: 7’30” $24.95 Potenza Music has championed new music by American composers since MARCH 2016
2003. Bassoonist Mary Stuckemeyer and her spouse Pat own the record label and publishing company. Tey also coounded Just or Winds, an online sheet music, instrument and musical accessory retailer or woodwinds. One o their eatured composers is Mike D’Ambrosio, associate proessor o music theory and composition at Murray State University in Kentucky. Previously, he taught at Jacksonville State University (Alabama), Oklahoma State University and the University o Dayton. He received his doctoral and master’s degrees in music composition rom the University o Cincinnati College-Conservatory o Music where he studied with Joel Hoffman and Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon. Originally rom Long Island, New York, D’Ambrosio did his undergraduate work at Lehigh University where he double-majored in music and accounting. D’Ambrosio has won many awards and his works have been perormed by wellknown brass groups, youth orchestras and college ensembles in the United States, and at the 2008 Cultural Prelude to the Olympics concert at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. Originally composed or oboe and piano, Super Groove was commissioned by oboist Celeste Johnson Frehner (Oklahoma State University) and premiered in 2012. Te composer writes: “I was trying to bring together my worlds as composer and music theory proessor by taking some o the un theory topics I get to teach (sonata orm, chromatic mediants, ostinato, polyrhythms and set theory) and squeezing them into a driving, energetic and highly rhythmic texture. Te piece is extremely un to play and has been very well received by audiences.” D’Ambrosio arranged Super Groove or clarinet and piano in 2014 or his colleague Scott Locke. Te clarinet version is almost identical to the original except or a ew changes in registers. Whereas a ew bits and pieces are indeed “groovy,” most o the musical material is quite “modern legit” in style. Te writing is both lyrical and rhythmically energetic. It contains polyrhythms, such as three against two in the piano, has powerul moments and holds together well. In terms o audience riendliness, I would agree with the composer that the piece has appeal, most especially i the audience
consists o serious music lovers, new music explorers, and woodwind enthusiasts. Visit the composer at www.mikedambrosio.net. – Michele Gingras
Joseph Küffner (adapted by Simeon Bellison). Fifty Progressive Duets from the Klosé Celebrated Method for Clarinet . Carl Fischer. $12.99 Best known or compositions or guitar, Joseph Küffner also wrote a set o duets or oboe and clarinet, Op. 80. Adapted by Simeon Bellison and included in the Klosé Celebrated Method , these became standards or generations o students. Here they are presented in an easy-to-read edition extracted rom the larger pedagogical source. For teacher/student and student/ student playing, these duets cover all the necessary skills required or the myriad combinations o articulation and slurs in perormance, while allowing time or development o hand position, finger movement and tone development. – Robert Riseling
Nathan Ivan Kaplan. Concert Etudes , 18 unaccompanied etudes or B-flat clarinet. Edited by Lawrence Sobol. Kendor Music. $14.50 Tese etudes resulted rom the collaboration o two riends during their days at the Manhattan School o Music. Nathan Kaplan enjoyed success as a composer and Lawrence Sobol received recognition and numerous awards as a perormer, educator and author. “Exploiting the clarinetist’s large and luscious-toned chalumeau register,” the etudes were written or Sobol who recorded them at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios under Kaplan’s supervision. Tey are available at www.KendorMusic. com. Tis new, revised edition is dedicated to Kaplan’s memory. Each etude is preceded by a short commentary on the substance and nature o the piece with perormance suggestions. As mentioned in the description above, emphasis is on the lower range o the clarinet and altissimo writing is limited. Successive etudes expand the demands on the perormer in range, rhythm, articulation, dynamics, rhythmic organization and musical styles. Meant to be included on concert programs, each is a separate musical entity – or the perormer THE CLARINET | 63
could choose a ew and group them. Te layout and printing are well-planned. Tere are practical suggestions or a ew rhythmic and fingering problems. Tis is a good collection or students who have established a solid grasp o the instrument. It can be used over several years. – Robert Riseling
Amir Zaheri. wo Girls and a Boy , or oboe, clarinet and bassoon. Potenza Music. Duration: 4’15” $21.95 Amir Zaheri is proessor o theory and composition and director o the Contemporary Ensemble at the University o Alabama. A prolific composer or choral ensembles and solo voices, his more recent works include those or solo instruments, chamber music and electronics. Tis trio is dedicated to the Cavell rio. Scott Hannah writes on the Potenza Music website: Zaheri describes wo Girls and a Boy as a musical conversation, or which he first wrote a story, then created a musical setting. He likens the piece to the film work o Woody Allen, which requently eatures overlapping conversations, with characters finishing one another’s sentences. Te musical material is based on two octatonic scales beginning on C, the first in the oboe, the second in the bassoon. Te clarinet employs notes rom both. As in conversation, eventually all three instruments trade notes rom both scales in a give-and-take exchange. Conflict and agreement are expressed both rhythmically and in musical material. Independent lines suggest the players ignoring each other, but they are brought together with the same patterns, i not pitches rom the same scale, and the reiteration o the initial C. Resultant harmonies fluctuate between thirds, sixths, triadic mixing and strong dissonances. Individual lines alternate between passages o lyricism and those o active rhythmic figures. Scott Hannah’s preace to the score describes the ending as ollows: “As the piece closes, each instrument gravitates to the second scale, the rhythms uniy, and ultimately each part has the satisaction o its individual final say, all on the starting pitch o C.” – Robert Riseling 64 | THE CLARINET
Bach, Johann Sebastian. Air on the G String , or clarinet quartet (3 B-flats, bass). Arranged by Richard Johnston, edited by Alan Woy. Kendor Music, 2013. $8.95 Gounod, Charles Francois. Funeral March of a Marionette, or clarinet quartet (3 B-flats, bass). Arranged by Richard Johnston, edited by Alan Woy. Kendor Music, 2013. $12.50 Chopin, Frederic. Minute Waltz , or clarinet quartet (3 B-flats, bass). Arranged by Richard Johnston, edited by Alan Woy. Kendor Music, 2013. $12.50 Richard Johnston has had an impressive career as a perormer, educator, instrument repairman and arranger. He transcribes music primarily or clarinet quartet. Bach’s Air on the G String , Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette and Chopin’s Minute Waltz are truly classics, and Johnston has done a superb job o arranging them or the clarinet. Heard at many a wedding, Bach’s Air on the G String has a sustained adagio tempo. Te beat note is the eighth note, and the melody is passed around to each part. Te our parts unction independently, and the rhythms can be tricky, so our strong players with a good sense o rhythm would be essential. Te bass clarinet carries the oundational bass line, and would require a good player to master the part with finesse. Marked Grade 4, it is not an easy piece, and the players would need to be o a solid intermediate level. Te duration is 2’20”, and it would be a good piece to program on a concert, church service, or an occasion where more somber music is required. Brought to popularity by Alred Hitchcock, the Funeral March of a Marionette is a classic, and this arrangement is delightul. Te first clarinet has the melody throughout, while the second, third and bass parts contain the harmonic and rhythmic oundation. Each part becomes more independent and engaged in the theme as the piece draws to an end. Despite the nature o the parts, the piece is challenging or all – there are consistent staccato notes throughout different registers at all dynamics. Tis arrangement could be done with an
intermediate group o high quality, but would be better with an advanced group that could handle the nuance well – perhaps a high school or college group. Without question, this would be a welcome addition to any program, in a concert or as an encore. Te tune is appealing, the arrangement lays well on the clarinet, and the timbre o the instrument complements the tune. Tis arrangement o this classic piece will have the audience and the players asking or more! Te Minute Waltz by Chopin has a duration under two minutes. Te astmoving melody begins in the first clarinet, then transers to the second clarinet. Te third clarinet has the sustained melody in the B section. Te bass unctions as the harmonic and rhythmic oundation. Because this is in the key o E-flat, fingerings might be awkward – the melodic line crosses the break repeatedly rom B-flat to D in the first eight measures, which might prove challenging, but helpul to a clarinetist needing practice going over the break. echnically, this is the most difficult arrangement o the three and requires advanced intermediate players; however, the players would enjoy the piece so much that they might overlook the fingering challenges! My hat is off to Johnston or these wonderul arrangements! Tey are suitable or a variety o venues due to the diverse styles and popularity o the pieces. Paper quality is excellent and printing easy to read. Each quartet includes a score in which the printing, although smaller than in the parts, is readable. All are housed in a laminated older. – Alice A. Meyer
Antonio Gervasoni. Te Garden of the Shadows or wind octet. Cayambis Music Press, 2013. Score and parts $36.90 Duration: 8’30” Focused on promoting Latin American chamber music, Cayambis Music Press offers several works by Peruvian composer Antonio Gervasoni. He is proessor o music composition or film at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas in Lima. Gervasoni’s our-movement octet or two flutes, two oboes (second oboe doubles on English horn), two clarinets and two bassoons was inspired by two MARCH 2016
works rom English literature, H. G. Wells’ Te ime Machine and Robert Graves’ I, Claudius . Each brie movement in the octet effectively portrays a mood. Te first movement, “Te Garden,” is somber, legato and in slow tempo. Gervasoni uses each instrument in a comortable register and sensitively blends their colors. “Te Hunt” emphasizes staccato rhythmic pulse in ast tempo. Simple meter changes keep the thrill in the hunt. “Te Adoration o the Black Moon” is languorous at its outset with a streamlined texture o just one flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon. Te English horn is added and then goes mute again. Te concluding movement, “Te Feast,” recalls the motoric orientation o “Te Hunt” but is ar richer in variety o meter – a conductor would be a great aid. Gervasoni’s harmonic style is moderately dissonant and his score is nuanced with regard to dynamic markings and articulations. Tis is a moderately difficult work within reach o college-level chamber ensembles. – Gregory Barrett
Phillip Brookes. Concerto for Clarinet and Strings , Op. 30 (1979). Version or clarinet with piano reduction. Musikproduktion Höflich, 2015. €28.00 Musikproduktion Höflich is a Munich-based consortium o musicians, musicologists and amateurs dedicated to expanding the available perormance literature through expertly-produced first editions o masterworks that were not published upon completion. Every score has a scholarly preace (which can also be viewed online) to help bring to lie the orgotten work. In 1979, Phillip Brookes (b. 1952), composer, conductor and lawyer, was in love with clarinetist Anne Ferrige. In the spring, during what he describes as a “period o continuous sunshine,” he wrote the central “Romanze” movement. Being English, the Finzi Clarinet Concerto was a avorite o both Brookes and Ferrige, and Finzi’s lilting melodiousness and piquant harmonizations are echoed in Brookes’ work. Te sustained lines in the clarinet and accompaniment are expressively heightened by several sweeping arpeggio passages in the clarinet traversing two to three octaves. Te main theme in MARCH 2016
the “Preludio” Andante con moto first movement is scalar in G melodic minor and came to Brookes while on a avorite walking route with Ferrige. Te 6/8 “Scherzo-Rondo” Vivace third movement is built upon a six-note cipher o the dedicatee’s name. Tis rapid-paced motive propels the movement rom beginning to end, though it is offset by several meno mosso passages o great beauty. Te piano reduction is satisying and its moderate technical demands complement the medium difficulty level o the solo clarinet writing. Both part and score are beautiully typeset in a spacious style. Musikproduktion Höflich also publishes a ull score and string parts or those wanting to perorm the original version with orchestra. – Gregory Barrett
World Music: Balkan. Clarinet with piano or play-along CD. Arrangements by Hidan Mamudov. Universal Edition, 2013. U.S. distribution by Carl Fischer/Teodore Presser. $23.95 Clarinetist Hidan Mamudov has made arrangements o seven traditional pieces rom Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, urkey and Bulgaria and compiled them in a collection that ranges rom easy to moderately difficult. wo eature additive rhythms and most include non-Western scales. From the included CD that contains at least two selections with Mamudov’s playing, it is evident that he is an expert in this genre. Each o the approximately one-minute pieces is presented twice on the accompanying CD. First is a ull perormance with an ensemble o bass guitar and varying melody instrument (clarinet, violin, flute), harmony instrument (accordion, guitar) and oten percussion, then a second ull perormance with the recorded melody instrument still in the mix, but greatly attenuated. Alternately, the live clarinetist can play with the printed piano part that includes useul chord symbols i additional arrangements are desired. Te score includes a page o brie notes encouraging the clarinetist to experiment with unwritten phrasing and ornamentation that is a eature o Balkan music. Examples are provided rom three o the tunes. – Gregory Barrett
ango Clarinet Duets. Carlos Gardel, arranged by Diego Collatti. Universal Edition, 2014. U.S. distribution by Carl Fischer/Teodore Presser. $19.95 Argentinian Carlos Gardel (18901935), born Charles Romuald Gardés in oulouse, France, is renowned or making tango music internationally popular and especially or successully setting words to the music. His international ame ended with a tragic airplane crash in Columbia. All the eatures o Gardel’s style are ound in the five medium-difficulty duet arrangements by Diego Collatti: sentimental melodies, syncopation, chromatic inflection and a back-and-orth ebb and flow to the line. Collatti makes both clarinet parts equally interesting to play. In Melodía de arrabal he several times joins a fleetly moving 16th-note line to the melody. Por una cabeza is distinctive or its slinky melody and contrasting minor-key middle section. El dia que me quieras (Te Day You Love Me) is amed or the beauty o its melody. Collatti could not resist adding several bars o clarinet-idiomatic arpeggios leading to the climax. Mi Buenos Aires querido is less successully arranged due to several measures o awkward, large-interval pianistic tremolos. Volver , the slower, empo rubato final selection, uses harmonically-gliding, flowing triplets in counterpoint to the melody. Articulations, dynamics and phrasing are careully notated throughout. Highly recommended – the rhythmic/stylistic complexity is engaging. – Gregory Barrett
Johannes Brahms. Danses hongroises no. 1 et no. 5 , originally or piano ourhands, arranged or two clarinets by Joachim Forlani. Edited by Gérard Billaudot. Collection Jean-Marc Fessard, 2013. U.S. distribution Carl Fischer/Teodore Presser. $12.95 Both o these boisterous dances are notated in A minor. Te melodies are shared between the perormers and there are plenty o audience-pleasing broken arpeggios, colorul use o all registers (up to altissimo A) and large accompagnando leaps. Clarinetist and arranger Joachim Forlani was a prize winner at the ARD contest in Munich, and is a member o the Orchestre de Chambre du Valais and THE CLARINET | 65
the Sinonietta de Lausanne, and regularly plays with the Orchestre National du Capitole de oulouse. He has also been a soloist at the Opéra Comique o Paris. – Gregory Barrett
Tis unky, rhythmic “Carl Maria von Weber meets heavy metal” concerto or two bass clarinets is available with several different accompanying orces. Who can resist the Russell touch?
ADDITIONAL NOTEWORTHY PUBLICATIONS: Keiron Anderson. Marsden Moor or
Claudio De Siena. Martha Lullaby or clarinet and piano. Potenza Music, 2015. $14.95
clarinet ensemble (E-flat, 4 B-flats, alto, alto or bass clarinet, 2 bass clarinets, optional contrabass). Forton Music, 2014 Appealingly independent parts in a pastoral, 144-bar, easy grade 2 or 3 composition.
Daniel Dorff. Tree Little Waltzes or flute and B-flat clarinet. enuto Publications, distributed by Teodore Presser Company, 2015. Duration: 6’ $11.99 Little gems with a Peter Schickele-esque whimsical quality. Tese duos rise above the mundane with interesting harmonic twists. Medium-easy.
Armando Ghidoni. Yellow Green or 3 B-flat clarinets and bass clarinet. Alphonse Leduc, 2014. Another winner rom Ghidoni. Here, the blues meets Baroque ugue. Medium difficulty (or harder i the Vivace tempo really flies).
Jonathan Russell. Bass Clarinet Double Concerto or bass clarinet duo and wind ensemble. Potenza Music, 2014. Full score and CD containing printable parts: $99.95 Duration: 15’
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A tender A-B-A lullaby in flowing 6/8.
Musikverlag Bruno Uetz. Halberstadt, Germany. I you are not amiliar with the quality arrangements and original compositions in the Uetz catalog, know that you will find a variety o light, entertaining, moderately priced works or a range o ensembles with clarinet: duos, works with piano or organ, as well as chamber music with other woodwinds. My current avorite is Chopinaise –Potpourri nach Melodien von Frederic Chopin or flute, clarinet, bassoon and piano arranged by Leslie Searle. Melodies rom eleven Chopin works float by in rapid succession supported by syncopated beguine vamps.
Črt Sojar Voglar. Arabesque or clarinet sextet (E-flat, 2 B-flats, alto or basset horn, bass clarinet, contrabass or contralto). Alry Publications, 2013. $15.00 Duration: 6’40” A little bit o everything in this manysectioned, modally inflected work: prominent contrabass clarinet, mixed meter, hocketing interplay, chains o trills and varied moods. Medium advanced. – Gregory Barrett
RECORDINGS Mozart 1791. Charles Neidich, basset clarinet and clarinet, conductor; Ayako Oshima, clarinet; Ensemble Clarimonia: Jochen Seggelke, Bernhard Kösling and Ekkehard Sauer, basset horns; Orchestra Solamente Naturali. W. A. Mozart: Concerto in A, K. 622; Adagio in B-flat , K. 411; Adagio in F , K. 580a; J. Družecký: Concerto in F or three basset horns and orchestra. Bremen Radiohall Records BRH CD1402. otal time 51:51. www. bremenradiohallrecords.de
Tis new CD released by Bremen Radiohall Records eatures works o Wolgang Amadeus Mozart and a single work o the relatively unknown and pioneering Bohemian composer Jiří Druž ecký . First up on this recording is the Mozart Concerto in A eaturing Charles Neidich perorming on a Schwenk & Seggelke basset clarinet with Orchestra Solamente Naturali. Tis recording, perormed entirely on historical instruments, is likely the most authentic 1790 instrumentation available to date. For the first time, the work is perormed on a basset clarinet reproducing the likely specifications o Anton Stadler’s instrument. Tis design is based on a drawing o Stadler’s basset clarinet in a concert program rom 1794. Tis perormance opens with a stunning orchestral introduction by the Orchestra Solamente Naturali. Ater hearing their incredible sound, I immediately went to their website and ound this quote: … Solamente Naturali uses period instruments, finds inspiration in historical documents and is united through passion, creativity, MARCH 2016
and proessionalism. But the special treat o the ensemble – as its artistic leader and concertmaster unveils – is spontaneity and naturalism, hence the name Solamente Naturali – Simply Natural, as their version o the musical past. Tis perormance clearly affirms their mission. Teir playing is extremely artistic with flawless intonation, thoughtul phrasing and natural classical style. Tis group is clearly comprised o artists that have mastered these instruments and perorm regularly together in this style. At times, I orgot that these were not modern instruments. Neidich’s perormance o the work is extremely confident and genuine. However, this recording misses the target or me in a ew areas. Inconsistent phrasing styles between the orchestra and soloist create a eeling at times o “soloist versus orchestra.” Although balance is excellent, an incredible eat in itsel with a basset clarinet, I would have preerred a more cohesive interpretation. Te basset clarinet intonation in this recording also wavers too much or my taste and I ound mysel oten distracted rom an immersion in Mozart’s emotional message. Next is the Concerto in F or three basset horns by Jiří Druž ecký. Tis wonderul work is rarely perormed. Artully perormed by Ensemble Clarimonia, this work is reminiscent o the Johann Melchior Molter (1696-1765) concertos. Te group does a beautiul job transorming these simple melodies into a wonderul blended sound that only three basset horns can achieve. Unortunately, the intonation is a hindrance and the challenges o the instruments detract rom an otherwise good perormance. Te orchestral playing is again virtuosic and first rate, which is especially evident in the finale o the third movement. Concluding the disc are two Mozart Adagios; the Adagio in B-flat or two clarinets and three basset horns and the Adagio in F or clarinet and three basset horns. Tese short, six-minute works exempliy the incredible compositional technique o Mozart. Effortless-sounding melodies are showcased in both o these Adagios, and the beautiul vocal quality o this writing is achieved by the period clarinet and basset horn. I ound these pieces to be upliting, yet tender. At times, MARCH 2016
the group is a bit heavy-handed with dynamics that seem slightly affected, but the ensemble perorms with clarity and thoughtulness throughout. Tis CD is highly recommended or the period clarinet completist. – Robert DiLutis
Fine une. Calvin Falwell, bass clarinet; University o South Florida (USF) Faculty Chamber Ensemble, conducted by odd Craven (Hallman); USF Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Robert McCormick (Tomas); USF Symphony Orchestra, conducted by William Wiedrich (Goodman). J. Hallman: Concerto or bass clarinet; D. Bennett Tomas: Fine une or bass clarinet and percussion ensemble; . Goodman: Concerto or bass clarinet and orchestra. Potenza Music PM1041. otal time 50:00. www.potenzamusic. com
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Calvin Falwell is currently third and bass clarinet o the Sarasota Orchestra and proessor o clarinet and bass clarinet at the University o South Florida and Te College o New Jersey. During the summer months, he perorms with the Ash Lawn Opera Festival in Charlottesville, VA, and Green Mountain Opera in Barre, V. His ormer teachers include Paul Demers (Philadelphia Orchestra), Ron Samuels (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra), im Zavadil (Minnesota Orchestra), Dallas idwell (Louisville Orchestra), Daniel Lochrie (Nashville Symphony) and Scott Locke (Murray State University). Falwell holds degrees rom the University o Louisville and Duquesne University. He is devoted to urthering new music through the premiere and perormance o new
Want to see repair projects, unusual instruments, newly arrived products, and cute-yet-cynical shop mascots? Become a fan! http://www.facebook.com/hkarlssonwoodwinds
THE CLARINET | 67
works. Here, he presents a recording o three recently-commissioned concertos or bass clarinet by Joseph Hallman, David Bennett Tomas and odd Goodman. Philadelphia composer Joseph Hallman has penned a concerto that wonderully showcases the bass clarinet’s unique attributes. Hallman, recently named by National Public Radio as one o their “100 Composers Under 40,” has composed a series o chamber concertos “akin to Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and Hindemith’s Kammermusik.” Tis noteworthy live recording rom 2011 o Hallman’s Concerto or bass clarinet eatures assured playing by the USF Faculty Chamber Ensemble and well-coordinated direction by odd Craven. Falwell plays boisterously where needed, with an enviable evenness and control o tone throughout all registers. Hallman’s writing requires remarkable flexibility, and Falwell meets the challenge. David Bennett Tomas’ 2012 piece Fine une , the title work or this recording project, is scored or bass clarinet and percussion ensemble. Tomas teaches at the University o the Arts in Philadelphia and holds degrees rom West Chester University and the Peabody Conservatory. His primary teacher is Lukas Foss, with additional study with Steven Mackey, Ron Tomas, Jacques Voois, Michael Connell and Donald Chittum. Tomas’ work shows that the bass clarinet timbre melds well with percussion instruments. Falwell adeptly handles the contemporary technical challenges presented here, such as pitch-bending, delay effects and altissimo. Te USF Percussion Ensemble, led by Robert McCormick, maintains great balance with the soloist in this work o complex rhythm and harmony. odd Goodman’s Concerto won third place in the 2011 American Prize or Orchestral Composition. Another Pennsylvania composer, Goodman holds degrees rom the University o Colorado at Boulder, Duquesne University and Kent State University. He currently serves as the resident composer or the Lincoln Park Perorming Arts Center located outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From the liner notes, this piece is a “passionate journey o the relationship between a child and a parent.” O the three works, this is my least avorite presentation; the recording seems less clear than the other two works, highlighting the challenge o recording 68 | THE CLARINET
a work that equalizes three markedly different ensembles – chamber ensemble, percussion ensemble and symphony orchestra. In addition, the bass clarinet writing here seems the least inspired. However, virtuosic bass clarinetists such as Calvin Falwell continue to expand the instrument’s capabilities and inspire composers to consider it as a solo voice. I highly recommend this recording or those interested in new bass clarinet repertoire and fine bass clarinet perormance! – Gail Lehto Zugger
Many Languages – One Soul: Balkan Clarinet Summit. 14 perormances o music or instruments o the clarinet amily rom Athens, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Sofia, Salonika and Brașov, presented by S. Pazarentsis, S. rkulja, S. Balutel, O. Büyükberber, O. Pamukov, . Klein, C. Puntin and S. Schorn. Pirhanha Musik Berlin. otal time 72:57. www. piranhashop.de and www.Amazon.com
Tis first offering by the Balkan Clarinet Summit is a antastic gaze into the depths o gypsy and Balkan clarinet music with artists rom Greece, Serbia, Moldavia, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Switzerland and Germany. Te project’s recording label, Piranha Records, is an independent music label based in Berlin, and this is their first release o clarinet music. Aside rom the music itsel, one o the most ascinating elements o the disc is the story o how the players o the Balkan Clarinet Summit came together to rehearse and record. Te director o the Athens branch o the Goethe-Institut, Wolgang Pöhlman, sought out local experts in clarinet perormance rom different
cultural heritages and enlisted Guenther Huesman, Claudio Puntin and Steffen Schorn to urther refine the project. Stavros Pazarentsis, Slobodan rkulja, Sergiu Balutel, Oguz Büyükberber, obias Klein and Orlin Pamukov joined Puntin and Schorn to orm the clarinet choir utilized throughout the disc. Each eatured work is an outstanding arrangement o an original composition rom one o the artists themselves. Since the players are rom throughout Europe and the Balkan countries, no single idiom o clarinet playing is dominant and the listener is treated to a great deal o variety. I was particularly taken by the lyrical sweeping gestures o Nostalgic Dances , one o two compositions by Stavros Pazarentsis, and the outstanding virtuosity o Sergiu Balutel (as well as the rest o the group) in his high-energy contribution titled Breaza . Because each o these compositions is a new arrangement o traditional Balkan music, I was not previously amiliar with any o the content ound on this disc. Te recordings are taken rom live perormances, so listeners will occasionally encounter applause in unexpected places. However, the high quality o the players’ perormances is unaffected, as they produce a live recording with studio polish. As a whole, the Balkan Clarinet Summit’s work on this recording is remarkable and it should serve as a valuable resource or students, instructors and aficionados. Tose unamiliar with the clarinet’s rich history in the nations o Southeast Europe will find it particularly stimulating. It is my sincere hope that the compositions recorded on this disc are published so that clarinetists may explore the pieces or themselves! – Joel Auringer
Clarinet at Maryland. Robert DiLutis, clarinet; Yin Zheng, piano. J. Horovitz: Sonatina ; G. Donizetti: Etude ; F. Poulenc: Sonata ; J. Brahms: Sonata in F Minor , Op. 120, No. 1. Artist produced JD 005. otal time 52:26. www.reedmachine.net and gumroad. com/reedmach Robert DiLutis is currently proessor o clarinet at the University o Maryland at College Park and principal clarinet o the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he has served as proessor o MARCH 2016
clarinet at Louisiana State University and the Eastman School o Music, and as assistant principal clarinet o the Rochester Philharmonic. His teachers include William Blayney at the Peabody Conservatory and David Weber at the Juilliard School. Tis is a new recording o our standard works rom the clarinet’s traditional repertoire. In addition to this disc, one may download a video o DiLutis and Zheng perorming these works on DiLutis’ website. According to the website, a third part o this project, which will include an instructional video about both collaboration and clarinet technique, should be available soon. Troughout the recording, DiLutis’ sound is pleasing. It combines darkness with enough brightness to make the technical passages shine. Te balance between the piano and the clarinet is quite good. However, at times, such as the third movement o the Horovitz Sonatina , I would have preerred the clarinet to be more prominent. Teir interpretation o the Horovitz is energetic. In particular, the chosen tempos in the outside movements are very exciting. Te first movement o the Horovitz begins aster than the composer’s marking. Although I preer a calmer tempo or this movement, this perormance presented a convincing rendition at this lively pace. Te Donizetti study, a technical challenge or most clarinetists, is perormed with sensitivity throughout. DiLutis is true to the dynamic markings and the character o the lines, which is rereshing. One must approach works by composers steeped in Italian opera with lyricism, drama and flexibility. DiLutis succeeds with this recording. 70 | THE CLARINET
In the Poulenc Sonata , once again the duo’s energy abounds. Te first movement begins with the appropriate vigor and the last movement is as ast and clean as possible. Te duo’s approach to the second movement particularly stands out. Te colors both DiLutis and Zheng achieve are lovely, and it is a pleasure to hear DiLutis’ lyrical and emotional approach to shaping the melodic lines. Te duo’s interpretation o the Brahms Sonata in F Minor does not stray rom the composer’s intent. A standard tempo and approach to expressive design are clear in the first movement. In the second movement, the duo’s rubato and shaping o the lyrical lines hold close to a traditional perormance practice. Te third movement flows beautiully between the clarinet and the piano. Te tempo or this movement is tricky. I too slow or too ast, one loses the character o a Viennese waltz. Te duo’s tempo was perect. Te ourth movement, once again, is held to its customary interpretation. Tis recording provides the listener with traditional interpretations o staples o the clarinet repertoire. I would not hesitate to recommend it as an example o one convincing way to approach these works. In particular, the Donizetti is a distinctive contribution. DiLutis approaches this work in a charming and operatic manner, rather than as a mere technical exercise. – Amanda McCandless
Viktor Kalabis. Tomas Martin, clarinet; Richard Sebring, horn; Kai-Yun Lu, clarinet; Vytas J. Baksys, piano. V. Kalabis: Variations for Horn and Piano, Op. 31; Invocation for Solo Horn, Op. 90; Suite for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 55; Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 30; Tree Impressions for 2 Clarinets , Op. 87. erezin Music Foundation MF140227. otal time 56:09. www. terezinmusic.org and Amazon, iunes, CD Baby When Czech composer Viktor Kalabis visited Boston rom Prague, he was enchanted by the orchestra and Symphony Hall. His wie, Zuzana Ružičková, remembers him wistully sighing, “Would that a work o mine could be played here.” Clarinetist Tomas Martin and hornist Richard Sebring, associate principal and principal players in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops
Orchestra respectively, recorded this disc in Symphony Hall in 2013, thus ulfilling Kalabis’ wish. One o the most distinguished th 20 -century Czech composers, Viktor Kalabis’ music and artistic voice were suppressed or much o his lie. Initially, this persecution was the result o the Nazi occupation o Prague during World War II. Later, his rejection o communism was the cause. Kalabis revered Bohuslav Martinů and served as president o the Martinů Foundation. Additionally, he was a great admirer o elder contemporaries such as Bartók, Kodály and Stravinsky. His style is distinctive with strident, colorul, contrasting harmonies and lyric chromaticism, showing the influence o Stravinsky and Bartók. However, Kalabis developed his own distinctive and appealing compositional voice. Te first work on this CD, Variations for Horn and Piano, begins and ends with the same plaintive, elegiac melody, raming a section o building tension and agitation. In the Variations as well as the Invocation or solo horn, Richard Sebring conveys Kalabis’ dramatic intent by building intensity and momentum, while demonstrating fine dexterity and a no-nonsense approach to execution. Te works or clarinet share dramatic similarities and the Suite for Clarinet and Piano shows the influence o Stravinsky. Te first movement progresses rhythmically with plentiul color and contrast between the clarinet and piano. Te second movement, in the character o an elegy, evokes a eeling o proound sadness. Te third movement could have been extracted directly rom Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat . Te dryness o the melody creates the mood o the movement with sharp, MARCH 2016
biting staccato, crisp rhythm and quick tempo. Tis light and energetic movement let me desiring additional movements. In the Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, the individual lines o the clarinet and piano evoke emotion and depth in the first movement. Te melody abounds with chromaticism and strong rhythmic drive. Frequent tone clusters and bitonality in the piano are strongly laced with chromatic melodic content. Te second movement contrasts with a plaintive quality in the clarinet melody. Te piano is subservient to the clarinet in this movement, acting mainly as a bed o subtle harmonic color. When compared to the other works on the disc, this sonata’s third movement shares a sense o strong inner emotion in its slow, melancholy middle section. Tis movement, which is twice as long as the prior movements, is a kaleidoscope o temperaments. Te sudden changes provide the listener with an array o tonal color and unexpected direction. Tree Impressions for 2 Clarinets is a brilliant work that shows Kalabis’ inspirations with his use o bitonality, tonal palette and dissonant harmonic language. Te agility o both Martin and Lu is impressive. Ater listening to this work, I ound mysel contemplating the obscurity o Kalabis’ music, as it is captivating, skillully written and gratiying. I ound this CD quite enticing with good variety in the programming. Troughout, I ound mysel wanting to hear more. Tomas Martin is obviously a skilled and talented artist. His interpretation and proficiency surmount the technical obstacles in these works to make this recording memorable. Te talents o Kai-Yun Lu, Vytas J. Baksys and Richard Sebring are impressive and earn high commendation. I highly recommend this CD and will consider works o Kalabis or my next recital program. – Lori F. Ardovino
RECENT ARRIVALS À La Carte. Jan Jakub Bokun, clarinet; Jakub Kościuszko, guitar. J.S. Bach: Arioso; F. Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata , D. 821; C. Debussy: Arabesque No. 1; P. Smutný: Dolor Amoris ; Piotr Szewczyk: MARCH 2016
Jay Jay Bee for Clarinet Solo; Yom: Moïse ; Yom/trad.: Rêve de l’Enfant ; D. Pajdzik: It Gets Worse . JB Records JBR 017-2; QBK Records QBK 011. otal time 51:40. www.jblrecords.com.pl and www. qbkrecords.com Agents of Espionage. Brian Viliunas, clarinet; Jeffrey Flaniken, violin; Donald Sanders, piano; Kathryn Fouse, piano. M. Lackey: Paths of the Seas , Particles ; R. Springler: Spectacular ime ; Z. Bramble: o American Innovation, Sonata , Agents of Espionage . Potenza Music PM1045. otal time 52:00. www.potenzamusic.com Spring Fantasy. Jeremy Reynolds, clarinet; Gal Faganel, cello; Caleb Harris, piano. N. Rota: rio; P. Merkù: Astrazioni, Op. 23; R. Muczynski: Fantasy rio; C. Früling: rio in A Minor , Op. 40. Potenza Music PM1044. otal time 69:19. www.potenzamusic.com Link at His Very Best. Larry Linkin, clarinet; erry Harrington, saxophones; Murray Middleman, saxophones; Bobby Shew, trumpet; Roy Wiegand III, trumpet; Dan Fornero, trumpet; ony erran, trumpet; Roy Wiegand, Jr., trombone; Don Vincent, piano; Ross ompkins, piano; Richard Simon, bass; Ernest McDaniel, bass; Doug MacDonald, guitar; Ron Anthony, guitar; Jack LeCompte, drums; Elvio Ditta, drums; Billy Hulting, percussion & vibraphone. Tirteen tracks consisting o Dixieland, jazz, and blues standards in big band arrangements by Don Vincent. Whoelsebut Records. otal time 47:05. www.whoelsebut.com Follow the Stick. Sam Sadigursky, clarinet; Chris Dingman, vibes & marimba; Bobby Avey, piano; Jordan Perlson, drums, percussion; Jason Palmer, trumpet; Ljova, viola. J. Grey/E. de Lange: String of Pearls ; S. Sadigursky: Fast Money, 3+2, Mule, Do the Dance, Austerity Measures, Looks Can Be Deceiving, Reach, Life’s Flowering, Deadly Sins, ouché, Heart, Math Music. Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records BJUR 056. otal time 75:11. www.bjurecords.com Clarinet Music by J. & A. SemlerCollery. Hedwig Swimberghe, clarinet; Dana Protopopescu, piano. A. SemlerCollery: Cantabile et Allegro; J. SemlerCollery: Fantasie et danse en forme de gigue, Lied et final, Reverie et scherzo, 10 THE CLARINET | 71
Etudes de concert . Artist produced. otal time 47:23. Clari 10 – X Curso Julián Menéndez, Ávila 2005. Henri Bok, Radovan Cavallin, Silvye Hue, Philippe Leloup, Alberto Rodríguez, Pedro Rubio, Luis San Sebastián, Justo Sanz, Hedwig Swimberghe, Cuarteto Alhambra, Alumni o the 10th Julián Menéndez Clarinet Course, clarinets. R. Boutry: Aires Abulenses ; D. Loeb: Fantasía sobre “Por qué lloras blanca niña” ; P. Iturralde: Miniatura Impromptu; M. Castelló: Madre eresa ; M. Ravel: Pavana para una infant difunta ; Rodrigo/C. Corea/R. van Bavel: Adagio/Spain; J. Van der Roost: Rikudim. Artist produced. otal time 50:05. Why Not? Hedwig Swimberghe, clarinet; Inna Poroshina, piano. A. Lonque: Introduction et danse rustique ; J. Bauer: Rondo kwartowe ; J. Absil: Sicilienne ; J. Feld: Scherzino; B. de Crepy: Repliques ; J.M. Ruera: Meditacio; L. Cahuzac: Cantilene ; W. Hildemann: Ritmi Dispari ; M. Reger: Romanze in G Major ; I. Bazel: Elegie and Scherzo; G. Bacewicz: Easy Pieces ; M. Deroo:
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alifornia
Impromptu, Op. 72; V. Nossow: Walz “Junior” ; N. Marchenkova-Frei: Augurio; G. Lyashenko: Con Amore ; H. Swimberghe: My une 1, Le Printempos s’annonce, My une oo! Artist produced. otal time 61:36. Pages of Life. Hedwig Swimberghe, Sabine Schmitz and Philip Sierens, clarinet; Isidro Santos, bass clarinet; Emilia Zenko, bassoon; Laure Campion, soprano; Inna Poroshina, piano. Nadiya Poklad: Pour oi or solo clarinet; Danse Fantastique or solo clarinet; Variations or clarinet, bassoon and piano; Les Pensees or solo clarinet; Sonata or clarinet and piano; Une endresse or solo clarinet; Una Imagen Espanol or solo clarinet; La Lune et Les Etoiles or bass clarinet and piano; Derwish’s Prayers or solo clarinet; Agnus Dei or soprano, clarinet and piano; Les Versions or solo clarinet; Partite or clarinet quartet. Artist produced. otal time 58:08. Brussels Clarinet Choir. Arrangements and original works or clarinet choir. Hedwig Swimberghe, clarinet and conductor; Evy Roelants, soprano. . Albinoni: Sonata in G Minor ; N.
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Marchenkova: Sommer Farbenspiel über dem Bodensee ; G. Rossini: Introduction, Teme and Variations ; P.I. chaikowsky: Andante cantabile ; J. assyns: Vocalise ; M. Ravel: Pavane pour une infant défunte ; G. de Kerpel: Clarichor ; R. Boutry: Aires Abulenses ; F. Mendelssohn: arantella , Op. 102, No. 3. World Wind Music WWM 500.106. otal time 74:25. www.mirasound.nl/wwm East Meets West. Jun Qian, clarinet; Kae Hosoda-Ayer, piano; Hu Jianbing, sheng; Scott Steele, percussion; Jing Zhou, guzheng. J. Zhou: Te Four Gentlemen Among Flowers or clarinet and guzheng; K. He: Soliloquy – Wings or solo clarinet; A. Wang: Te Feeble Breeze, Te Sullen Spring or clarinet, percussion and guzheng; Z. Long: aiping Drum or clarinet and piano; C. Yi: Tree Bagatelles from China West or E-flat clarinet and sheng; J. Qian/J.B. Hu: New York Improvisatory Dialogue or clarinet and sheng; Q. Li: We Song Fights the iger or clarinet and electroacoustic music. Albany Records ROY1528. otal time 59:12. www. albanyrecords.com CrossOver. Andrew DeBoer, clarinet; Qing Nadia Feeken, piano; with Katherine Palmer, clarinet; Melissa Vaughan, clarinet; Matthew Miracle, bass clarinet. Nikola Resanovic: Sonata or clarinet and piano; Te Ox and the Lark or two clarinets; Four Miniatures or clarinet trio; Tunder-Blossom or solo clarinet; Analogues or clarinet and bass clarinet; alt.music.ballistix or clarinet and recording. Artist produced. otal time 55:57. www.potenzamusic.com Violet Convergence – Viola Works on Clarinet. Andrew DeBoer, clarinet and arranger; Qing Nadia Feeken, piano; Gail Novak, piano. Y. Bowen: Sonata No. 1 in C Minor , Op. 18; Phantasy in F , Op. 54; Romance in D-flat ; Sonata No. 2 in F Major , Op. 22. Artist produced. otal time 70:28. www.Amazon.com, iunes, and www. cdbaby.com/cd/andrewdeboer3 Atonement. Kimberly Cole Luevano, clarinet; Midori Koga, piano; Lindsay Kesselman, soprano. J. Higdon: Clarinet Sonata ; K. MacMillan: Te Country Wife ; K. Bunch: Cookbook ; E. Chambers: Atonement . Fleur De Son Classics FDS58028. otal time 63:26. www.fleurdeson.com ornado Project. Esther Lamneck, MARCH 2016
clarinet; Elizabeth McNutt, flute. R. Climent: Russian Disco; R. Rowe: Primary Colors ; P. Wilson: Beneath the Surface ; A. May: Still Angry ; E. Lyon: rio or flute, clarinet and computer; R. Pinkston: e++. Ravello Records RR7908. otal time 58:47. Additional content including study scores, liner notes, biographies and credits is available at www.ravellorecords.com/ tornadoproject Payne/Lindal/Liebowitz. Bill Payne, clarinet; Eva Lindal, violin; Carol Liebowitz, piano. B. Payne/E. Lindal/C. Liebowitz: Ever Since , It Happened Tis Way , Unspoken, B/E , If Ten, Glissade , Preludes , Holus Bolus , What We Are Saying , Blue Flame , ‘til Always . Line Art Records A1001CD. otal time 56:33. www.lineartrecords.com Te Snake Charmer. Tis project explores a very special moment in India’s history through words and music. Kim Maerkl,
clarinet; Calvin E. Burke, narrator; Christian Gruber, guitar; obias Ott, tabla. K. Maerkl: Te Snake Charmer . Atlantic Crossing Records ACR 0007. otal time 36:25. CD, manuscript and sheet music are available at www. atlantic-crossing.com Piotr Moss. Jean-Marc Fessard, clarinet; Jadwiga Rappé, alto; Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice; Michal Klauza, conductor (D’un silence ); Jerzy Maksymiuk, conductor (Loneliness ). P. Moss: D’un silence ; Loneliness . Dux Recording Producers DUX 1118. otal time 68:03. www.dux.pl riple Dutch. Kurios Clarinet Quartet: Boujke Musch, E-flat and B-flat clarinet; Peter Koetsveld, clarinet; Corien Hoepman, clarinet and basset clarinet, Mark Snitselaar, bass clarinet. J. Andriessen: Clarinet Quartet ; H. omp: Clarinet Quartet No. 2 ; F.
den Herder: Clarinet Quartet . Artist produced. otal time 51:40. www. kuriosklarinetkwartet.nl Te Lyric Clarinet. F. Gerard Errante, clarinet and arranger; Philip Fortenberry, piano; Voltaire Verzosa, piano; D. Gause, piano. C. Guastavino: La rosa y el sauce , El Sampedrino, Milonga de dos hermanos ; J. Duke: I Carry Your Heart ; C. Debussy: Beau soir , Mandoline , Clair de lune ; F. Poulenc: Bleuet , Les Chemins de l’amour , Hôtel , Voyage à Paris ; D. Gause: Lunar Lace ; R. Schumann: Widmung , Er der Herrlichste von allen; J. Brahms: Wie Melodien zieht es mir , Vergebliches Ständchen, Botschaft ; F. Schubert: Nacht und räume ; S. Barber: Sure on Tis Shining Night ; L. Laitman: Te Apple Orchard ; A. Ginastera/S. Sondheim: riste/Send in the Clowns . Ravello Records RR7886. otal time 60:28. www.ravellorecords.com
orchestras throughout Europe under conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti and Kent Nagano. Since 2008, Bandieri has promoted the Collection Davide Bandieri project, which is a set o new works or E-flat clarinet published by Perieria Music. A more detailed biography is available at www. davidebandieri.com. Il Clarinetto Piccolo all’Opera: th 19 -Century Italian Music for Piccolo Clarinet and Piano will delight the E-flat clarinet enthusiast, particularly those in search o quality solo repertoire or this instrument. Nearly every selection was new to me, with the exception o Luigi
Bassi’s Gran Duetto Concertato Sopra Motivi dell’Opera “La Sonnambula” or E-flat clarinet, B-flat clarinet and piano. Along with Bassi and Ernesto Cavallini, amiliar composers o Italian opera antasies, Bandieri introduces works by two obscure composers, Giuseppe Cappelli and Giacomo Panizza. A summary o the disc’s contents is available in the Recent Arrivals section o June 2015’s “Audio Notes.” Bandieri perorms on the E-flat clarinet at a level many hope to achieve on the soprano clarinet. His perormance throughout is exceptional. Virtuosic passages are executed with ease; intonation and ensemble with pianist Duncan Gifford are excellent. Bandieri intimately understands the meaning o the text in each antasy, expressing the ull gamut o human emotion embodied by the source material. Te perormance o Ernesto Cavallini’s treatment o the revered Il Carnevale di Venezia is a particular standout, as Bandieri flawlessly negotiates extreme register leaps between the chalumeau and altissimo registers. He transcends the instrument, with only fleeting moments o timbre and intonation issues one commonly associates with the E-flat clarinet. My only criticism concerns the final track, Bassi’s Gran Duetto Concertato
AUDIO NOTES by Christopher Nichols Since my appointment in September 2015 as Audio Reviews Editor or Te Clarinet , I have had the privilege o examining and listening to numerous quality offerings rom artists around the world, many previously unamiliar to me. I am totally enamored with the depth and breadth o excellent clarinet perormance in recorded music today! I received three excellent recordings rom Italian clarinetist Davide Bandieri: Il Clarinetto Piccolo all’Opera , entative Winds 2006-2011 and Ferruccio & Ferdinando Busoni: Complete Music for Clarinet . Each is a remarkable contribution in its own right to the scholarship and discography o the clarinet. Bandieri currently serves as principal solo clarinet o the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland. His pedigree is impressive, citing Fabrizio Meloni, Karl Heinz Steffens and Alessandro Carbonare as principal teachers. Prior to his position in the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Bandieri served as piccolo clarinet (as the E-flat clarinet is known in Italy) in the Madrid Symphony rom 2004 to 2011. He has perormed with a wide variety o MARCH 2016
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Sopra Motivi dell’Opera “La Sonnambula,” when Bandieri and Gifford are joined by clarinetist Javier Balaguer Doménech. I would have liked to hear Doménech’s contribution to this perormance more clearly; he sounds distant in comparison to Bandieri. However, this is a relatively minor complaint.
Te next disc, entative Wings 2006-2011: 21st Century Music for Piccolo Clarinet , presents contemporary compositions or E-flat clarinet in a variety
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o instrumentations. Tese contributions to our repertoire are the result o Davide Bandieri’s commissioning activities between 2006 and 2011 during his employment with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra. Tis disc opens with Eduardo MoralesCaso’s (b. 1969) Hiranyagarbha or E-flat clarinet, violin and piano, composed in 2010. Here, Bandieri is joined by violinist Yoshiko Ueda and pianist Duncan Gifford. In the liner notes, Morales-Caso cites his inspiration or Hiranyagarbha in “the Hindu cosmological conception emerging rom the ‘golden ratio.’” He describes the work as a antasy which “delicately unveils a marvelous dreamlandscape in which the ‘colour’ leads us, like a cyclic personage, through the subtle combinations o timbre revealed to us by the discourse.” Te composer’s impetus is irreutably realized in a technically and musically virtuosic perormance by Bandieri, Ueda and Gifford. Next, Ailem Carvajal’s (b. 1972) Eón (2009) or E-flat clarinet and electronic tape combines Bandieri’s E-flat clarinet
with sonorities rom various types o transportation, the sounds o Havana, Cuba, and the infinite flow o water. o ully experience the overall effect created by this work’s use o binaural recording techniques, a fine stereophonic setup is essential! Willy Merz (b. 1964) contributes the single work or unaccompanied E-flat clarinet on this disc, titled Points: Espace (2008). Merz exploits the ull expressive range o the instrument, both in regard to traditional and extended techniques. Bandieri easily negotiates every challenge, demonstrating his mastery o flutter tonguing, portamento and acility in every extreme available on the instrument. Marcello Bonanno (b. 1975) joins Bandieri or his work Spettri (2010) or E-flat clarinet and piano. He attributes Davide’s pure sound on the instrument as an inspiration or the composition. Poised at the midpoint o the disc, the work’s reliance on minimalist simplicity is a welcome respite rom the complexity o the first three works. O special note: the pitch perormed at 3:10 or 15 seconds – a written sixth-ledger-line altissimo D – makes, perhaps, its world premiere in E-flat clarinet literature. Other moments in this extreme register appear throughout the work and Bandieri’s perormance seems effortless. In res Palabras (2009), Massimo Botter (b. 1965) joins the timbres o the E-flat clarinet and a flamenco percussion instrument, the cajón, which is struck by the clarinetist’s oot! Botter divides his composition into three distinct parts. Te first part introduces a sustained and static pitch which alternates with moving pitches to represent “panting speech.” Te arrival o the second part is marked by the introduction o the cajón. Its meditative nature contrasts with the outer parts. Te work has an epilogue eaturing diminution, which comes to a renzied conclusion. Bandieri executes this work with the utmost conviction and ease. Te punctuation rom the cajón provides an effective addition to the principal texture o unaccompanied clarinet. Luigi Abbate (b. 1958) constructed his Homage to W.O.L.S. (2011) or clarinet and electronics in collaboration with Marco Biscarini and Guido Ponzini. Te electronics created with Biscarini and Ponzini exclusively use samples provided MARCH 2016
by Bandieri. Te opening palette o sonorities oten seems entirely abstract rom clarinet tone, which creates a ascinating variation o texture. It is likely that Biscarini and Ponzini omitted the natural beginning and end o samples to create this effect. Later, the work becomes ar more active and the characteristic sound o clarinet articulation abounds. o close this disc, Bandieri is joined by Gianluca Cascioli to perorm Cascioli’s Fantasia (2011) or E-flat clarinet and piano. Cascioli constructs Fantasia around a theme based on a hexachord, which is introduced with a clarinet cadenza ollowed by a “melody-carillon” or solo piano. Te remainder o the work is a series o expansion and variation on this material, which the composer cites as a significant aspect o his compositional technique. Cascioli’s collaboration with Bandieri, who is the dedicatee o this work, is artistically convincing in all aspects o perormance.
conducted by Jonathan Webb. Bandieri’s resonant sonority, phrasing and style are beautiul throughout. Te collaboration with Alessandra Gentile and Quartetto di Roma is stunning in regard to unity o phrasing, intonation, balance and ensemble. However, the recording o Busoni’s Concertino, Op. 48 alls short o the superlative standard demonstrated throughout the remainder o the set. Intonation flaws rom the Camerata Strumentale Città di Prato sometimes detract rom the overall effect, but
Bandieri’s beautiul sound and musical approach to phrasing still make this track worthwhile listening. Clarinetists interested in lesser-known romantic recital literature will welcome the addition o this Busoni two-disc set to the clarinet discography. Bandieri’s commitment to the expansion and visibility o the E-flat clarinet in solo and chamber music is evident in these recordings o 19 th and 21st century literature. I will certainly seek opportunities to hear Davide Bandieri in live perormance as the result o these wonderul recorded contributions!v
Wenzel Fuchs first solo clarinettist
of the Berlin Philharmonic Ferruccio & Ferdinando Busoni: Complete Music for Clarinet , a twodisc set rom Brilliant Classics 94978, is the first complete reerence recording o clarinet works rom the Busoni son and ather (Ferruccio and Ferdinando, respectively). Te complete content is listed in the September 2015 “Audio Notes” in the Recent Arrivals section. Particularly significant is the premiere recording o the recently published edition by A. Manuel de Col o Ferruccio Busoni’s Sonata in D Major , K. 138, o which only three movements are extant in manuscript. Te liner notes by Michele Napolitano are well-written and inormative. Bandieri is joined by pianist Alessandra Gentile, the Quartetto di Roma and Camerata Strumentale Città di Prato MARCH 2016
has been appointed professor of clarinet at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg.
The entrance exam for the academic year 2016/17 will be held on 22 June 2016. Closing date for registration: 30 April 2016 Registration and further details: www.uni-mozarteum.at THE CLARINET | 75
ICA Ofcer Election
C andidates
he ICA election will be held online rom March 15 to May 1, 2016. Te election will be administered by Lynn Fryer, ICA executive director. ICA members without an email address in the ICA database will be mailed a paper ballot. Please reer to www.clarinet.org and ollow the link on the home page to vote online. Ballots submitted by regular mail must arrive in the office o Lynn Fryer by May 1, 2016, to be counted. Please review the candidate statements and biographies or the offices o president-elect, secretary and treasurer. All ICA members in good standing are encouraged to participate in the election by casting a vote or the candidate o their choice in each o the open positions.
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PRESIDENT-ELECT DIANE BARGER Diane Barger is Hixson-Lied proessor o clarinet at the University o Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) where she received the 2013 Annis Chaikin Sorensen Award or Excellence in eaching in the Humanities and the 2001 College Distinguished eaching Award. She is an internationally-acclaimed soloist and chamber musician, Diane Barger master class clinician and adjudicator, member o UNL’s Moran Quintet, principal clarinet o Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, and artist/clinician or Buffet Crampon and D’Addario Woodwinds. Barger is eatured on her solo compact disc Bling Bling and as editor o 13 editions o Bellini operatic antasies on the Potenza Music label; she can also be heard with the Moran Quintet on the Crystal Records label. Actively involved in the International Clarinet Association or 30 years, Barger is currently the Nebraska state chair and previously served as artistic director or the 2012 ClarinetFest®, ICA treasurer (2004-2010), and coordinator o the High School Solo Competition (2001-2005). STATEMENT
In my third decade o membership in the International Clarinet Association, I am honored to be nominated as a candidate or your president-elect. I enjoyed several years o service in ICA leadership roles that ostered me with a unique and valuable insight into our global alliance. My organizational skills and creative vision – put to the test as artistic director o the 2012 ClarinetFest® – along with my enthusiasm and unwavering passion or our cause establish a firm oundation rom which I would serve. I am eager to work alongside you, our board o directors, and our stalwart industry sponsors to ensure our continued growth by pursuing groundbreaking initiatives. Expanding our worldwide membership and discovering innovative ways to engage 76 | THE CLARINET
every one o you through the online website and social media, journal content, and conerence activities are critical components o my vision or our healthy and prosperous uture. I would greatly appreciate your support.
PRESIDENT-ELECT MITCHELL ESTRIN Mitchell Estrin is proessor o clarinet at the University o Florida and artistic director o the Vandoren Clarinet Ensemble Festival. He was education and creative development manager or Buffet Crampon or eight years and ounder o the Buffet Crampon USA Summer Clarinet Academy. Mitchell Estrin He perormed or 25 years with the New York Philharmonic in over 2,000 concerts as principal, second, and E-flat clarinetist, as well as in chamber music perormances with the Chamber Music Society o Lincoln Center, Amadeus Ensemble, and New Arts rio, and at the Newport Music Festival. Estrin has an extensive discography o solo and chamber music and recorded over 100 Hollywood motion-picture soundtracks. He served as director o ICA clarinet choirs seven times, and directed clarinet choirs or the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, United States Navy and exas Clarinet Colloquium. His University o Florida Clarinet Ensemble has perormed throughout the United States and Europe, including three recitals at ClarinetFest®. Te ensemble has produced three Grammy Entry List appearance recordings or Mark Masters. Mitchell Estrin studied with Stanley Drucker at Te Juilliard School and is a Buffet Crampon Clarinet Artist and Vandoren Perorming Artist. STATEMENT
I am honored to receive the nomination or ICA president-elect. My 40 years o proessional experience as a perormer, educator and administrator have given me a strong and diverse background MARCH 2016
in the music industry. As a member o the ICA since 1975 (then International Clarinet Society), my activities with this great organization include perormances, presentations, adjudication, committee service (as member and chair), directing clarinet choirs and contributing articles or Te Clarinet . My positive long-term relationships with members o every constituency o the ICA will allow me to understand the broad range o perspectives needed or continuing the effective leadership o the organization. I am not araid o challenges and will consider all sides o an issue when working to identiy and implement solutions or a particular situation. I am an experienced and flexible administrator with an established record o fiscal management and responsibility. My sole interest would be the continuing global success o the ICA. I would welcome the opportunity to serve the ICA membership and thank you or considering my candidacy.
SECRETARY DENISE GAINEY Denise Gainey is associate proessor o clarinet and instrumental music education, and coordinator o graduate studies in music at the University o Alabama at Birmingham. She is a Backun Artist/Clinician, a D’Addario Woodwinds Artist, and serves as the secretary o the board o directors or the International Denise Gainey Clarinet Association. Gainey is an active clinician and perormer throughout the United States and abroad. She has compiled and edited a collection o clarinet solos, Solos for Clarinet , published by Carl Fischer in 2001, and is currently writing a book on master teacher Kalmen Opperman. She received a Bachelor o Music Education degree rom Florida State University, a Master o Music degree in clarinet perormance rom the University o North exas and a doctorate in clarinet rom the University o Kentucky. Gainey’s major teachers include Kalmen Opperman, James Gillespie, Frank Kowalsky and Fred Ormand. STATEMENT
I am honored to be considered or re-election to secretary o the ICA. My strong organizational skills, ability to work with and motivate people in a positive, proactive manner, and an eagerness to serve the ICA will be o great benefit to our organization. I am currently ICA secretary and served as state chair coordinator, Alabama state chair, and as a member o the artistic team or ClarinetFest® 2012. During 23 years o university teaching, I have held leadership positions on numerous committees. I hosted one o three regional estivals sponsored by the ICA this past February, and have also organized and hosted a successul clarinet symposium or many years that continues to grow in attendance. As secretary, I have enjoyed working with my colleagues on the board as our organization makes several major positive changes to help take the ICA in new and exciting directions. MARCH 2016
SECRETARY MAUREEN HURD HAUSE Maureen Hurd Hause is coordinator o woodwinds and associate proessor o clarinet at the Mason Gross School o the Arts, Rutgers University. She has appeared in concerts and master classes in New York City and Europe, Asia and North America. She has perormed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Alice ully Maureen Hurd Hause Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Merkin Hall, with the American Symphony Orchestra, New York City Opera Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and Chamber Music Society o Lincoln Center, and in the current production o Te King and I at Lincoln Center. Hause perormed at ClarinetFest® conerences in Italy, Japan, Canada, and the United States and at the Norolk, Skaneateles, and Lancaster Festivals. She has recorded or Naxos, MSR Classics and Marquis Classics. She holds degrees rom Iowa State University and the Yale School o Music, where she worked with the Benny Goodman Papers o the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library and received recognition or this research and related perormances. STATEMENT
I am honored to be nominated or the position o secretary o the ICA. I have previously served the ICA as New Jersey state chair or several years and as a judge or the Young Artist Competition at the 2011 ClarinetFest®. I have enjoyed perorming at several ClarinetFest®conerences, and I was a prizewinner in the 2001 Research Presentation Competition. I have been a member o the ICA or about 25 years and have ound this organization to be a vital and innovative connector and acilitator or clarinetists around the world. Te ICA promotes and encourages deeper understanding o our instrument(s) and our literature, and I would be glad to work with this outstanding group to help urther perormance and research. I believe my leadership and administrative experience as coordinator o woodwinds at the Mason Gross School o the Arts will serve me well on the ICA board. I enjoy working with people and helping bring ideas to ruition. I thank you or your consideration.
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TREASURER
STATEMENT
TOD KERSTETTER od Kerstetter serves as proessor o clarinet and as a member o the resident Konza Wind Quintet at Kansas State University. od has been a requent perormer at ICA ClarinetFest®, including perormances at recent conventions in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. A graduate o Furman University, Indiana Tod Kerstetter University and the University o Georgia, od has perormed with the clarinet sections o orchestras in Charleston, Evansville, Kansas City, Nashville and Savannah, as well as on two tours with the American Wind Symphony. He enjoys traveling, and has perormed internationally in Australia, Austria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. od has enjoyed being involved in recent commissioning projects or new music or clarinet by such composers as David Maslanka (Desert Roads , Eternal Garden), Mauricio Murcia (Colombian Suite , rio Suite Colombiana ), Kevin Walczyk (Concerto Scion) and Craig Weston (Still on the Antipodes , Stehekin Sonata ).
As current ICA treasurer, I eel doubly honored to have been elected twice by our membership to this important position. During my term, we have been conronted by several actors that have severely challenged our financial status. Te ICA board has addressed these issues by making significant changes to our administration, in how Te Clarinet is published, and in reducing board meeting expenses through teleconerencing. We now receive financial management rom the C.P.A. firm o Rick Westbrook – a company with years o experience in working with nonprofit organizations. With Rick’s help, along with my experience in analyzing our budgetary trends, we have developed new budgetary and financial policies or the ICA that should return us to a very strong financial position by the end o our financial year in August. As treasurer, I will continue using my experience and dedication to do everything possible to keep the ICA financially viable or years to come. v
CLARINET ACADEMY
JUNE 12-16 2016
Program Director: Professor Caroline Hartig The Ohio State Clarinet Academy is a five-day resident experience where high school musicians focus on enhancing musical and performance skills. Participants engage with Professor Caroline Hartig and Ohio State students in private lessons, master classes, chamber ensemble experiences and more! Eligibility: For students who are entering grades 9-12 in the 2016-2017 school
year, as well as 2016 high school graduates. Program Fee: $450, includes room and board Deadline to Register: May 20, 2016
Registration and details at music.osu.edu
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MARCH 2016
by Spencer Prewitt, Jesse Krebs, Kristy Nichols and Eric Salazar
ave you ever wondered where to find out things like:
H • • • • • • • • •
How do you make or adjust your reeds? What do clarinetists do in their ree time? What exercises can help you tongue aster? How can you keep your clarinet rom cracking in the winter? What can you do with all your old and worn-out reeds? What are some helpul tips or auditioning successully? Where can you find ideas or your next contest solo or recital program? Are scales really that important? Who invented the clarinet and how did auxiliary clarinets develop?
BuzzReed will be an exciting new space or sharing inormation about the clarinet’s pedagogy, equipment, culture, literature and history in a ormat designed with younger clarinetists and nonproessionals in mind. Trough regular blog entries and a new column in Te Clarinet , this initiative will oster lively discussions about all things clarinet and provide inormation that will be both un and educational. It will eed your obsession or the clarinet and keep you coming back or more! Look or updates in the ICA e-newsletter and at www. clarinet.org. v MARCH 2016
THE CLARINET | 79
Message from the Dear ICA Members, he ICA Board is busily preparing or many upcoming events. We are excited to share all that is happening and to express our appreciation or your continued support o our organization. We are planning several membership drives and initiatives, and growing our membership remains our greatest goal. Please encourage
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your students, colleagues and clarinet enthusiasts o all ages to join the ICA. We are offering new incentives, including access to Te Clarinet online and an updated website. Also, the ICA/James Gillespie Online Resource Library continues to be a avorite “go to” or clarinetists o all levels. Te ICA is pleased to welcome our new Executive Assistant Kathleen D. Chau. She is a retired member o the U.S.
A ARIA
2016
International Summer Academy Mihai Tetel - Director
2016 Boot Camp Session at
Mount Holyoke College, MA, USA
�
Session: July 1-12
FACULTY:
Deborah Chodacki - Louisiana State University Ken Grant - Eastman School Jonathan Gunn - Principal, Cincinnati Symphony & faculty
�
A Cincinnati College-Conservatory
Ron Samuels - Pittsburgh Symphony & Duquesne University Guy Yehuda - Michigan State University Intensive session on technique, intelligent practicing, musicianship, auditions, and career.
For more information please contact Prof. Mihai Tetel at
[email protected] or visit our website at www.ariaacademy.com Telephone
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765.212.0327
Navy Band in Washington, D.C., where she served as a clarinetist and in several important organizational posts (see her bio and photo on p. 2). ClarinetFest® 2016 is ast approaching and promises to be a wonderul gathering o clarinetists rom all over the world. We are grateul to Bob Walzel, Stephanie Zelnick and Lynn Fryer or their leadership, as well as to the countless volunteers behind the scenes working together to make a great event. Please encourage your students and colleagues to participate in the ICA ClarinetFest® 2016 competitions. Tese competitions provide a valuable opportunity or students and young proessionals to compete on an international level, meet people rom around the world, and develop lielong riends and proessional colleagues. As you will note, we have secured wonderul sites or uture ClarinetFest® conerences, with ClarinetFest® 2017 scheduled or Orlando, Florida and hosted by Keith Koons and his team. At the time o the tragic passing o beloved Guido Six last October, plans had been underway and unding secured by Guido to host ClarinetFest® 2018 in Ostend, Belgium. We have heard rom our membership that some o the finest and most memorable ClarinetFests have been held outside o the United States. While it is fiscally advantageous or our organization to host ClarinetFests within the United States, the ICA is committed to working with our international members. We are pleased that Eddy Vanoosthuyse, along with the Six amily, will continue to plan and carry through with hosting ClarinetFest® 2018 in Ostend. We are now searching or exciting and inviting U.S. locations or ClarinetFest® 2019 and 2020. Please see page 15 in this issue or proposal details and guidelines. As always, we value your membership and enjoy hearing your comments and ideas as we all share a great passion or the clarinet and our clarinet community! We hope to see you in Lawrence or what will surely be an inspirational ClarinetFest® 2016. v MARCH 2016
