Questionable Articulation Practices in the Mozart Clarinet Concerto

Title: Slurring Versus Tonguing: Questionable Articulation Practices in the Mozart Clarinet Concerto

Author(s): Linda G. Davenport

Source: Davenport, L. G. (1991, Winter). Slurring versus tonguing: Questionable articulation practices in the Mozart Clarinet Concerto. The Quarterly, 2(4), pp. 38-41. (Reprinted with permission in Visions of Research in Music Education, 16(2), Autumn, 2010). Retrieved from http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme

Visions of Research in Music Education is a fully refereed critical journal appearing exclusively on the Internet. Its publication is offered as a public service to the profession by the New Jersey Music Educators Association, the state affiliate of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. The publication of VRME is made possible through the facilities of Westminster Choir College of Rider University Princeton, New Jersey. Frank Abrahams is the senior editor. Jason D. Vodicka is editor of the Quarterly historical reprint series. Chad Keilman is the production coordinator. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning is reprinted with permission of Richard Colwell, who was senior consulting editor of the original series. Slurring Versus Tonguing: Questionable Articulation Practices In The Mozart Clarinet Concerto

By Linda G. Davenport Alton, Illinois

he Mozart Clarinet Concerto, K. denzas and trills, and choice of articulation, 622, is a major work, one which is divergent interpretations can be found. T frequently performed. I Mozart This article focuses exclusively on the ar- wrote it in 1791, just a few months before his ticulation in the concerto, since this is the death, for his friend Anton Stadler, a virtuoso area in which most modern performances are performer on the clarinet and basset horn. blatantly contrary to the practice of Mozart's Twentieth-century scholars have diligently day. With such diversity of articulation sought to reconstruct the original text of the among the various editions, it is certainly un- solo clarinet part after discovering that derstandable that performers are uncertain Mozart wrote it with Stadler's special clarinet whether certain passages should be slurred in mind. This instrument, now called a "bas- or tongued. My goal is to discover Mozart's set clarinet," has an extension allowing it to intentions regarding articulation, since my a reach notes a third below those of the nor- priori assumption is that the best perfor- mal clarinet. One thing the researchers dis- mance is the one which comes closest to covered was that an unknown editor appar- realizing them. ently altered certain passages prior to the first The clearest indication of Mozart's intentions published editions in 1801, so that the work for this particular piece is a 199-bar autograph could be played by a regular clarinet. It is in sketch for the beginning of a basset-horn con- that altered form that the concerto has al- cerro. The work never appeared in a form for ways been known. As a result of the new basset -horn, since Mozart apparently changed insights about the piece, new editions which his mind sometime after doing the sketch and restore certain passages to their original low decided that the solo instrument should be a range have been issued, and a number of clarinet (albeit one with an extended range). basset clarinets have been built so that the A facsimile of the sketch was first published in concerto can be played as originally written. 1977 at the end of the Neue Mozart Ausgabe Much less attention has been paid, how- volume (hereafter referred to as Nil1A) which ever, to performance practice considerations contains the clarinet concerto.s The sketch concerning the concerto. Through tradition, comprises approximately half of the first perhaps, certain aspects of interpretation, movement. such as tempo, seem to have become stan- The autograph is helpful in dealing with the dardized to the point where nearly all perfor- most troubling articulation question: how to mances are similar within a surprisingly nar- articulate the many sixteenth-note runs which row range. In other areas, such as the length extend over several measures in the first and and placement of appoggiaturas, types of ca- third movements, both allegros. In this autograph sketch, as well as in the old and new Linda G. Davenport recently completed tbe Mozart complete works editions, such pas- Pb.D. in Music at tbe University of Colorado. sages have no articulation markings. The only

38 17:;eQuarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning exceptions are some chromatic scale runs, different articulation for the second measure which are slurred. on its repetition. The assumption by most performers and On the following page of the autograph editors seems to be that the absence of articu- (NMA, p. 170; measures 94-96), is a passage lation markings means that the performer is which Mozart rewrote several times (rewrites free to decide how to articulate such passages, are shown above the solo line). Following which results in great diversity of interpreta- its repetition (measures 96-98), the celli and tion. In reality, however, the lack of articula- basses have the same pattern (measures 98- tion markings indicates that the sixteenth notes 100). In modern performances, most clari- are to be articulated as written: that is, they netists slur the sixteenth note passages, or should be tongued individually. This assertion use a combination of slurring and tonguing is based on the otherwise explicit nature of here, even when the low string passage fol- Mozart's articulation markings in the autograph lowing it is performed detache. For consis- sketch and on the late eighteenth-century tency and a unified interpretation, the clari- norm of a non-legato perfor- net should also play the mance style. notes detache, tonguing One might think that in the "My goal is to each note. haste of doing a sketch, The next page of the au- Mozart simply did not bother discover Mozart's tograph (NMA, p. 171) is to mark the articulations, with intentions regard- the most striking of all in its the idea of adding them at long series of sixteenth some later point. If so, the ing articulation, notes for the clarinet with sketch should be rather de- since my a priori no slurs on any of them void of articulation markings. (measures 107-111). In fact, just the reverse is true. assumption is that Certainly slurring is easier Articulation markings for the best perfor- that tonguing for the per- the soloist's first entrance former, and doing so pro- (measures 57-64)3 are clearly mance is the one duces a smooth, liquid indicated. In the next phrase, vvhicli comes sound. However, a legato the two measures of sixteenth style was not the norm in notes (measures 66-67) are closest to Mozart's day, at least in divided into two slurs, each realizing them." keyboard music. In his one measure long. How- Clauierscbule of 1789, ever, the descending clarinet Daniel Gottlob Turk incli- arpeggio in measure 69 has no articulation cates that notes without a specific slur or markings in the autograph sketch. Some edi- staccato are to be played somewhat shorter tors, though, add dots and slurs, using a pat- than indicated, followed by a short rest to tern such as two slurred and two tongued. complete the note length." However, I would suggest that if Mozart had Several important twentieth-century writers wanted that, he would have indicated it, on keyboard performance practice in the since he marked the articulation of the previ- classical period, such as Eva and Paul OLlS sixteenth notes. Badura-Skoda> and Sandra Rosenblum.v con- The next two pages of the autograph clude that the most used keyboard touch in (NlVIA, pp. 169-170) show detailed articula- the eighteenth century was non-legato: It tions for most of the clarinet part except for was the style that was assumed when no ar- the sixteenth notes. The series of sixteenth ticulations were indicated. The Badura- notes in measures 73-74 and measure 83, for Skodas believe that while Mozart expected a example, have no articulation markings. An- legato style for melodic passages, in virtuoso other passage worthy of note is measures 86- passagework he almost always wanted a 89 (the last four measures, NlVIA, p. 169). non-legato style, regardless of instrument. These measures consist of a two-measure, The clarinet passages in question would cer- repeated pattern. Mozart calls for a slightly tainly qualify as virtuoso passagework, as op-

Volume II, Number 4 39 "Where articulation markings are concerned, Hacker's editorial indications appear to be stylistically inauthentic."

posed to melodic passages. whatever markings are given: The Badura-Skodas? also state that long Slurred notes must be played as they are indi- legato slurs were apparently desired only in cated, since a particular expression is often rising chromatic scales in quick tempo. Such a sought through them. On the other hand, passage can be found in the clarinet concerto those that require tonguing also must not be slurred." in the third movement (measures 95 and 105). He demands distinct articulation for fast pas- The autograph sketch is of no help here be- sage-work: cause it does not extend this far into the piece. In the allegro the quick passage-work must However, the NMA, which is based on the ear- be played above all roundly, correctly, and liest printed editions, uses the following articu- distinctly, and with liveliness and articula- lation markings: slurs on the two chromatic tion." passages, but no markings for the other six- Quantz's writings certainly do not support teenth-note arpeggios and other runs. Most the slurring of runs in a fast movement un- performers slur all of the sixteenths. less so indicated. According to Leonard Ratner, it was not until In a slow movement, though, the notes the turn of the nineteenth century that there should be more legato. Quantz states that one was a change to a more legato style of perfor- must be careful to sustain the melody con- mance and a preference for melodies with stantly in an adagio. All the notes must be ca- more continuous and broader sweep.f Haydn ressed and flattered, and none should be and Mozart apparently wrote in the older style, tongued harshly.U The second movement of Beethoven in the newer. In fact, Beethoven the Mozart clarinet concerto is an adagio. The was critical of Mozart's piano playing on the slurs over the thirty-second notes here appear grounds that he played with a delicate but to be stylistically appropriate for the more choppy touch, with no legato. Beethoven's legato ideal of a slow movement. The tempo remarks are often used to confirm a change in is also a key factor in determining how stac- musical style and perfonnance practice some- cato or legato to make articulations. Still an- time between the eighteenth and nineteenth other factor is the general character of the centuries. movement. The final movement of the Mozart Certainly one must be cautious about apply- clarinet concerto is a rondo allegro. Here a ing principles of keyboard touch to clarinet light detached style seems in order for the articulation. However, without any specific notes with dots over them. information to the contrary, one can assume Quantz makes an analogy between tongu- that a non-legato norm or sound ideal for key- ing and bowing. He says that the tongue board music would carry over to wind music serves the same purpose on the flute as the as well. bow-stroke on the violin.l? In fact, Mozart One treatise which does deal specifically and other classical period composers did with the playing of a woodwind instrument is model their slurring practices on violin bow- the one by Joseph Joachim Quantz, entitled ing style, even when writing for instruments Versuch einer Anweisung die Flote trauersiere other than strings. zu spielen; its English translation is called On Mozart's slurs rarely extend beyond the bar Playing the Flute. By giving examples of vari- line, a practice consistent with bowing. The ous articulation patterns such as sixteenth slurs are obviously not intended as phrase notes slurred in pairs or groups of one markings since they usually serve to connect tongued and three slurred, Quantz confirms only two to four notes. Rather, these short that such combinations, similar to those used slurs provide punctuation in the rhetoric of by modern performers of the Mozart clarinet the music and indicate where gentle empha- concerto, were in use in the mid-eighteenth sis should be placed. The first note of a slur century. However, he advises adherence to received a slight accentuation; the last note

40 The Quarterlyjournal of Music Teaching and Learning of the slur was somewhat shortened, the will refer to passages by measure numbers to make amount depending on style, tempo, mood, it easier to find them in one of the many editions and other qualities of the passage. which do contain measure numbers. The slurs in the N.MA of the clarinet con- 4. As cited in Leonard G. Ratner, Classic Music: Expression, Form, and Style (New York: Schirmer certo are mostly of the short type. The only Books, 1980), p. 191. slurs which extend over the barline connect 5. Eva and Paul Badura-Skoda, Interpreting sustained chords in the accompanying instru- Mozart on the Keyboard, trans. Leo Black ( ew ments. Slurs for melodic lines never extend York: St. Martin's Press, 1962), p. 54. beyond a single measure. 6. Sandra P. Rosenblum, Performance Practices On the other hand, various other modern in Classic Piano Music: Their Principles and editions, such as Alan Hacker's.l> call for Applications (Bloomington and Indianapolis: long slurs over several measures. In many Indiana University Press, 1988), p. 149. ways, Hacker's is an excellent edition since it 7. Badura-Skoda, p. 55. 8. Ratner, p. 190. seems to be closer to Mozart's Urtext than 9. Johann Joachim Quamz, On Playing tbe Flute, most. Hacker attempted to reconstruct the trans. of Versucb einer Anueisung die Flote original solo part with its low register pas- trauersiere zu spielen by Edward R. Reilly, Second sages wherever possible. Where articulation edition (New York: Schirmer Books, 1985), p. 133. markings are concerned, however, Hacker's 10. Quantz, p. 129. editorial indications appear to be stylistically 11. Quantz, p. 166. inauthentic. He includes a number of slurs 12. Quantz, p. 70. which are not found in either the old or the 13. \V. A. Mozart, Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, K. 622, reduction for clarinet and new Mozart complete works editions. piano, ed. Alan Hacker (London: Schott & Co., One suspects that the use of long slurs is a Ltd., 1974). product of nineteenth century, rather than 14. Of the dozen or so recorded performances of eighteenth century, style preferences. The the Mozart clarinet concerto which I have listened tradition has undoubtedly been passed down to, the soloist who comes the closest to articulat- from teacher to student for many generations ing the solo part the way I think Mozart intended and is hard to break, especially since articu- is Antony Pay (accompanied by the Academy of lating the rapid sixteenths is more difficult. Ancient Music, directed by Christopher Hogwood) Still, it can be done, and I believe it is worth on a compact disc produced by L'Oiseau Lyre, the effort.H Decca Record Company Ltd, in 1986. ~ In conclusion, I feel the autograph sketch of the Mozart clarinet concerto and the non- Moving? legato norms of the eighteenth century If SO, let us know! should cause performers to rethink their articulation practices for this famous work and Don't miss a single issue of perhaps other woodwind works of the pe- Tbe Quarterly Journal oj Music riod. Since Mozart was so careful to mark Teaching and Learning other articulations, it seems unlikely that he had no preference in sixteenth-note passages Giveus a call with your new address, orsend where articulation markings are lacking. us a change-oj-address card provided by the U. S. Postal Service. We'll make sure that Notes your new issue is sent to your new address. 1. This article is adapted from a paper read at the Rocky Mountain Chapter meeting of the American Call (303) 351-2254 Musicological Society in Tempe, Arizona, March 3, OR Mail your card to 1990. 2. \V.A. Mozart, Neue Ausgabe sdrntlicber W'erke, Tbe Quarterly Journal oj Music Serie 5, \Verkgruppe 14, Band 4, ed. Franz Teaching and Learning Giegling (Kassel: Barenreiter, 1977). The University of Northern Colorado facsimile is on pp. 165-176. 123 Frasier Hall 3. NMA, p. 168. The measures are not numbered Greeley, CO 80639 in the sketch (and thus the facsimile); however, I

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