Vol. 46 • No. 4 September 2019 MARTIN FROST

Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer: Hook or Lefèvre: Who Wrote The First Female Soloist the Concerto in E-flat? Tom Martin and André Previn Performer’s Guide to Air Travel with a Dialogue de l’ombre double

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EDITOR Rachel Yoder [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dear ICA Members, Jessica Harrie [email protected]

hope everyone enjoyed a great summer. It was EDITORIAL BOARD wonderful to see so many members in Knoxville Mitchell Estrin, Heike Fricke, Denise Gainey, at ClarinetFest®! We heard so many remarkable Jessica Harrie, Rachel Yoder performances by superb clarinet artists from around MUSIC REVIEWS EDITOR Ithe world. I must once again thank Artistic Director Victor Gregory Barrett Chavez and the artistic leadership team for producing such [email protected] a memorable festival. Congratulations to the three new AUDIO REVIEWS EDITOR ICA Honorary Members: Ron Odrich, Alan Stanek and Kip Franklin Eddy Vanoosthuyse. The ICA is also very grateful for the [email protected] generous support from all of the sponsors in Knoxville, Mitchell Estrin ASSOCIATE AUDIO REVIEWS EDITOR including , D’Addario, Rovner Products, RZ Jeffrey O’Flynn Woodwinds, , Vandoren and Yamaha. Stay [email protected] tuned to the December issue for complete coverage of ClarinetFest® 2019. GRAPHIC DESIGN The ICA board and the 2020 ClarinetFest® artistic leadership team led by Leslie Karry Thomas Graphic Design Moreau are busily working on ClarinetFest® 2020 in Reno/Lake Tahoe. Please note [email protected] the dates of June 24-28, 2020 in your calendars! Hosted at the AAA Four-Diamond Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada, ClarinetFest® 2020 will be just a short drive away INDEX MANAGER Emily Kerski from scenic Lake Tahoe, which is located on the state line of California and Nevada in [email protected] a region of spectacular natural beauty. The ICA has made special with the Peppermill Resort to offer the conference rates for hotel rooms from Sunday, June THE CLARINET ONLINE Jessica Harrie 21 to July 1, 2020, so that ICA members can enjoy visiting the area both before and [email protected] after ClarinetFest®. Don’t forget to reserve early, as the number of rooms is limited. ICA members will receive many special amenities at the Peppermill, including a waived ABOUT THE COVER: daily resort fee (a $25 per day savings), free shuttle service to and from the Reno Tahoe

Vol. 46 • No. 4 International Airport (from 4 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. daily), free valet or onsite self-parking, September 2019 complimentary wireless internet, in-room refrigerator and two bottles of water per day. MARTIN FROST The Peppermill Resort has 16 restaurants onsite (some open 24/7), featuring a variety of dining options sure to please everyone. Looking forward, ClarinetFest® 2021 will take place in historic downtown Fort Worth, Texas, at the deluxe Omni Fort Worth Hotel which has a 4.5 TripAdvisor rating. Artistic Team Leader Mary Druhan and the artistic leadership team are looking forward to Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer: Hook or Lefèvre: Who Wrote The First Female Clarinet Soloist the Concerto in E-flat? Tom Martin and André Previn Performer’s Guide to welcoming ICA members back to the great state of Texas! Please note the dates of June Air Travel with a Bass Clarinet Dialogue de l’ombre double

30-July 3, 2021, for ClarinetFest® 2021. Martin Fröst; Photo by Mats Bäcker Please be sure to take advantage of all of the great benefits of your ICA membership. © Sony Music Entertainment With free use of the Naxos Music Library, discounted insurance through Anderson Musical Instrument Insurance Solutions, free classified ads, and access to The Clarinet (ISSN 0361-5553) is published 4 times a year by the International Clarinet Association the ICA Research Center, your association membership provides many valuable resources. I thank our membership, all of the volunteers, the ICA staff and the ICA board for International Clarinet Association 829 Bethel Road, #216, Columbus, OH 43214 their commitment to the continuing success of the association! [email protected] Musically yours, +1 888-983-5441 www.clarinet.org ICAclarinet facebook.com/icaclarinet

© Copyright 2019, International Clarinet Association. Views expressed by writers, reviewers and advertisers in Mitchell Estrin The Clarinet are not necessarily those of the staff of the President, International Clarinet Association journal or of the International Clarinet Association.

2 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 President: Mitchell Estrin – [email protected] ICA LEGENDS Past President: Caroline Hartig – [email protected] President Elect: Denise Gainey – [email protected] Daniel Bonade (1896-1976) (1880-1960) Secretary: Christopher Nichols – [email protected] (1909-1986) Treasurer: Tod Kerstetter – [email protected] (1906-1981) Chair of International Relations: Luca Saracca – [email protected] Executive Director of Operations: (1928-1996) Evan Lynch – [email protected] Harold Wright (1926-1993) E-Newsletter and Social Media Coordinator: Jessica Harrie – [email protected] Historian: Jean-Marie Paul – [email protected] ICA Research Center: University of Maryland – www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/scores HONORARY MEMBERS Research Coordinator and Library Liaison: Joshua Gardner – [email protected] Ben Armato (1928–2015) Pedagogy Chair: Paula Corley – [email protected] (1938–2013) Webmaster: Kevin and Sonya Morgan – www.morgansites.com Betty Brockett (1936–2003) Clark Brody (1914–2012) CONTINENT CHAIRS (1915–2003) , Evanston, Illinois Europe: Friedrich Pfatschbacher (Austria) Africa: Danre Strydom (Republic of South , Santa Fe, New Mexico Israel and the Near East: Ilan Schul (Israel) Africa) Buddy DeFranco (1923–2014) Asia: Zhen Sun (China) North America: Catherine Wood , Frankfurt, Germany & Bobbio, Italy Asia: Masaharu Yamamoto (Japan) South America: Marco Mazzini (Peru) Guy Deplus, Paris, France Asia: Hyung-Jik Yoo (Korea) , New York, New York F. Gerard Errante, Las Vegas, Nevada David Etheridge (1942–2010) NATIONAL CHAIRPERSONS Lee (1915–2013) Argentina: Carlos Céspedes Hungary: Bence Szepesi James Gillespie (Editor Emeritus), Denton, Texas Armenia: Alexandr G. Manukyan Iceland: Kjartan Óskarsson Paul Harvey, Twickenham, Middlesex, U.K. Australia: Floyd Williams India: Dr. Pandit Narasimhalu Vadavati Stanley Hasty (1920–2011) Austria: MSDir. Mag. Ireland: Paul Roe Ramon Kireilis, Denver, Colorado Béla Kovács, Budapest, Hungary Dr. Friedrich Pfatschbacher Israel: Eva Wasserman-Margolis Frank Kowalsky, Tallahassee, Florida Belarus: Vladimir P. Skorokhodov Italy: Luigi Magistrelli Japan: (1920–2009) : Hedwig Swimberghe Masaharu Yamamoto Luxembourg: Sébastien Duguet , Berlin, Germany Brazil: Ricardo Dourado Freire Mexico: Luis Humberto Ramos Mitchell Lurie (1922–2008) Bulgaria: Bobo Yotzov Moldava: Victor Tihoneac John McCaw (1919-2015) Canada, National Chair: Netherlands: Céleste Zewald John Mohler (1929-2019) Dr. Catherine M. Wood New Zealand: Marie Ross , New York, New York Canada, St. Lawrence Region: Norway: Christian Stene Ron Odrich, New York, New York Lorne Buick Panama: Alexis Fong Castillo Fred Ormand, Lawrence, Kansas Canada, Great Lakes Region: People’s Republic of China: Yi He Bernard Portnoy (1915–2006) Barbara Hankins Peru: Marco Antonio Mazzini Alfred Prinz (1930–2014) Canada, Central Region: Poland: Jan Jakub Bokun , Santiago, Chile Margaret Wilson Portugal: António Saiote Harry “Bud” Rubin (1928–2018) Canada, Pacific Region: Patricia Kostek Puerto Rico/Carribean: Kathleen Jones António Saiote, Porto, Portugal Chile: Luis Rossi Serbia: Andrija Blagojević James Sauers (1921–1988) Colombia: Javier Asdrúbal Vinasco Slovakia: Július Klein James Schoepflin, Spokane, Washington Slovenia: Costa Rica: Lenin Izaguirre Cedeño Joze Kotar Selim Sesler (1957–2014) South Africa: Danre Strydom Croatia: Davor Reba , Norwalk, Connecticut South Korea: Imsoo Lee Czech Republic: Stepán Koutník William O. Smith, Seattle, Washington Spain: Carlos Jesús Casadó Tarín Denmark: Harry Sparnaay (1944-2017) Anna Klett Sweden: Stefan Harg Finland: Juhani Valtasalmi Hans-Rudolf Stalder (1930-2017) Switzerland: Matthias Müller Alan Stanek, Papillion, Nebraska France: Jean-Marie Paul Taiwan: Chien-Ming Milenko Stefanović, Belgrade, Serbia Germany: Prof. Johannes M. Gmeinder Thailand: Cassandra Fox-Percival , Boston, Massachusetts Great Britain: Dr. Sarah Watts Uruguay: Martín Castillos Ralph Strouf (1926–2002) Greece: Paula Smith Diamandis Venezuela: Victor Salamanques Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, East Lansing, Michigan Hong Kong: Maria Wong Bernard Van Doren, Paris, France Contact information for national chairpersons is available at www.clarinet.org Eddy Vanoosthuyse, Kortrijk, Belgium Himie Voxman (1912–2011) George Waln (1904–1999) For advertising rates and specifications or to join the David Weber (1913-2006) International Clarinet Association, visit www.clarinet.org. Pamela Weston (1921–2009) , Los Angeles, California

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 3 Features Advertiser Index AMB Clarinet ...... 41 30 Tom Martin and 54 Kalevi Aho’s Clarinet Ann Arbor Clarinet Connection ...... 28 André Previn Concerto Arizona State University School of Music . .47 by Bruce M. Creditor by Eric Schultz Buffet Crampon Summer Academy . . . . 35 38 Air Travel with a Bass 56 A Concerto for Clarinet and Buffet Group USA ...... IFC Clarinet – What Today’s Bass Orchestra in E-Flat Major Chedeville ...... 1 Clarinetist Needs to Know by James Hook or Clark W Fobes ...... 61 by Tod Kerstetter and Josh Ng Jean-Xavier Lefèvre: Classical Collection Inc...... 8 44 Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer: A Question Of Authorship Crystal Records ...... 21 The First Female Clarinet by Juan José Molero Ramos David McClune Mouthpieces ...... 40 Soloist 62 A Performer’s Guide to DePaul University School of Music . . . . .26 by Nicola Buckenmaier Boulez’s Dialogue de l’ombre Editions Bim ...... 67 Freewing ...... 40 48 Martin Fröst: A Conversation double by Suzu Enns James M. Pyne – Pyne Clarion ...... 19 with a Legend J.L. Smith & Co...... 53 by Erin Vander Wyst 66 ClarinetFest® 2020 Keiser Southern Music ...... 37 Lisa’s Clarinet Shop ...... 43 Lomax Classic ...... 13 Muncy Winds ...... 15 P. Mauriat Music Instruments ...... 18 Patricola Brothers ...... 26 Precision Products ...... 80 ReedGeek, Inc...... 61 Retro Revival Mouthpieces ...... 79 Rice University – The Shepherd School . . .43 RJ Music Group ...... 21 Rodriguez Musical Services ...... 12 Rovner Products ...... 33 44 48 Royal Musical Collection, Inc...... 5 Taplin-Weir ...... 41 The Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University ...... 23 University of Arizona ...... 27 Departments Vandoren ...... IBC Wichita Band Instrument Co...... 29 2 The President’s Message 24 Equipment Matters Yamaha Corporation of America . . . . .OBC by Mitchell Estrin by Walter Grabner NEWS 28 The Clarinet Enthusiast 6 Clarinotes by Jules Elias Announcements 14 Letter from the UK REVIEWS by Paul Harris Call for Honorary Membership Nominees . 33 68 Reviews 2020 Research Competition ...... 33 PEDAGOGY 78 Audio Notes 2020 Orchestral Audition Competition . . 35 16 Pedagogy Corner by Kip Franklin Call for Proposals – ClarinetFest® 2020 . . . 36 by Paula Corley 2020 Composition Competition ...... 41 20 Historically Speaking 80 Clarinet Chronicles 2020 Research Competition ...... 41 by Deborah Check Reeves by Jenny Maclay 2020 High School Solo Competition . . . .65

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NEWS

2019 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION by Jean-Marie Paul From the six semi-finalists, Aron Chiesa, Víctor Díaz Guerra and Blaz The 2019 Carl Nielsen International Sparovec were selected as finalists. The Competition for Clarinet began its finalists performed the Mozart Concerto judging on October 15, 2018. The first movement and the Nielsen Concerto. preliminary jury – Martin Fröst (Sweden), Jorgensen Knud by Photo Prizes were awarded as follows: (France), Svante Wik First Prize: Blaz Sparovec (24, Slovenia). (Sweden), Finn Schumacker (Sweden) He received 12,000 euros, a solo and Claudio Bohórquez (Germany, recording with the Odense Orchestra cellist) – selected 24 candidates from the and the chance to perform with up to video submissions. Candidates submitted 10 orchestras. He was also awarded videos of performances of the Schumann the Odense Symphony Orchestra Prize Fantasiestücke, the third movement of the (1,500 euros) and the Junior Jury Prize Mozart Concerto and the second and third (1,500 euros) – chosen by a jury of movements of the Stravinsky Three Pieces. young clarinetists (14-20 years old). The live competition occurred in March Second Prize: Aron Chiesa (22, Italy). He 2019 in Odense, Denmark. The final jury First Prize Winner Blaz Sparovec received a prize of 10,000 euros. listened to 24 candidates aged 19 to 27 from 15 countries. Paul Meyer (France) was president of the jury with Svante Wik (Sweden), Michael Collins (United Kingdom), Michel Portal (France), Boris Allakhverdyan (Armenia), Yehuda Gilad (Israel), Claudio Bohórquez (Germany,

cellist), Mats Engström (Sweden) and Jorgensen Knud by Photo Marco Feklistoff (Finland) serving on the committee. Jury member Yehuda Gilad acknowledged that he was the teacher of four contestants and abstained from voting according to the competition rules. A total of 12 candidates passed the first round: Andrzej Ciepliński, Han Kim, Ann Lepage, Aron Chiesa, Cristina Mateo Sáez, Victor Diaz Guerra, Yuhsin Galaxy Su, Wooyun Kim, Jonas Lyskjær Frølund, Blaz Sparovec, Ivan Tikhonov and Gerbrich Francine Meijer. Then, six semi-finalists were selected: Kim, Lepage, Chiesa, Guerra, Sparovec and Tikhonov. Finalists from left to right: Aron Chiesa, Víctor Díaz Guerra, Blaz Sparovec

6 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS

Third Prize: Víctor Díaz Guerra (22, performed on the winner’s concert. important is to be convinced that Spain). He received a prize of 8,000 Paul Meyer, head of the clarinet jury, what we do is essential in helping euros. commented: the next generation. These are the The Prize for Best Interpretation (2,000 cornerstones of musical life which are What has been special about euros) of a new piece commissioned for also true to the spirit of Carl Nielsen. each competition was awarded to Ann this competition is the spirit in Lepage (France) for her performance of which each jury member has felt Videos of the performances from Tobias Broström’s La noche oscura (The the same passion for encouraging this competition will be available for Dark Night) for solo clarinet. Though the young musicians to find their viewing for the next three years at she was not selected as a finalist, she own voice and individuality. Most https://nielsen2019.medici.tv.

2019 GRAN CANARIA INTERNATIONAL CLARINET FESTIVAL by Kristine J. Dizon primary school, high school and university. The high school winners were: Morales served as president of the jury for First prize – Carla Gomez (Spain) The Gran Canaria International Clarinet the high school and university levels. The Second prize – Yvonne Wang (United Festival was hosted by the Orquesta jury was comprised of the clarinet faculty States) Sinfónica de Las Palmas and took place in and guest artists including Jean-Francois Third prize – Manuel Gomez (Spain), Aguïmes, Gran Canaria, April 14-18, 2019, Bescond (France), Vicente Ferrer (Spain), Laia Lluch (Spain) at the Teatro Cruce de Culturas Arinaga. George Georgiou (Cyprus), Samuel There were participants from Croatia, Italy, Hernandez (Spain), Ivan Marin (Spain), The elementary level winners were: China, United States, Japan, France, Poland Juan Mendez (Spain), Tiago Menino First prize – Cristian Alvarado (Spain) and Spain. Master classes were taught by (Portugal) and Juan Pedro Ponce (Spain). Second prize – Nerea Taisma (Spain), Ricardo Morales (USA), Barbara Borowicz The winners for the university and Claudia Alonso (Spain) (Poland), Radovan Cavallin (Croatia) professional level were: Third prize – Alejandro Alonso (Spain) and Laura Sanchez (Spain). Ivan Pernicki First prize – Saulo Guerra (Spain) The winner in the university served as the collaborative pianist from Second prize – Dacil Guerra (Spain), and professional level was awarded Croatia. There was an annual international Abdul-Aziz Hussein (Croatia) a professional model Uebel clarinet competition that included three categories: Third prize – Tomasz Sowa (Poland) selected by Morales and a gold platinum

2019 Gran Canaria International Clarinet Festival participants and faculty

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 7 NEWS

ligature presented by Jean-Luc Vignaud. the Canarian Clarinet Camerata (Spain). The Gran Canaria International The winner in the high school category Other highlights included performances Clarinet Festival was generously supported received an invitation to be a featured by the festival choir, which was comprised by the Orquesta Sinfonica de Las Palmas, guest artist for the next season. The winner of the participants. The concert featured Ayuntamiento de Agüimes, Cabildo de of the elementary category won a Selmer soloists Borowicz, Cavallin, Hussein and Gran Canaria, F. Arthur Uebel , Prologue clarinet. Maison. Bescond closed the concert with Artsyntax, Barkley Brazil, Brian Corbin In addition to performances by the Antonio Fraioli’s My Funny Paola. The Clarinet Products, Croatian Ministry clarinet faculty, there were concerts by final concert featured Kristine Dizon of Culture, D’Addario, Danzi Reeds, Calamus Ensemble (Italy), Krakow Octet (USA) the Orquesta Sinfonica Emiliano’s Taller, JLV Sound, Légère (Poland), George Georgiou (Cyprus), de Las Palmas featuring Borowicz, Reeds, Mafer, Marca Reeds, Patricola, Massimo Mazzone (Italy), Clarikids Cavallin, Menino, Morales and Sanchez PuntoRep, Selmer, Silverstein Works, (Spain), Thierry Maison (France) and as soloists. Steuer Reeds and Vandoren.

CLARINETWORKS 2019 by Paula Corley solo repertoire, klezmer and a duet with Gould. The collaborative pianist for ClariNETWORKS 2019 was held on ClariNETWORKS was Monica Kang of April 6 at the Caroline M. Weston Center the TLU faculty. for the Performing Arts on the campus Students participated in two classes, of Texas Lutheran University with 250 each with a different clinician. They were clarinetists participating. Guest artists for able to choose their level based on a rubric the event were Boris Allakhverdyan of rather than by age or experience. In the the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Ani directors-only master class, two high school Berberian of the United States Air Force clarinet sections were featured: Cedar Band and David Gould of the American Park High School under the direction of Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Vandoren Chris Yee and Llano High School under Regional Artist Rebecca Berinsky, the direction of Kevin Jordan. Berberian D’Addario Regional Artist Sara Ruiz and coached each section and gave tips for Cypress Woods High School Associate improving sound and technique of the Director of Bands Terrence Peterman were clarinet section. Gould conducted a bass- featured instructors. specific master class with 20 bass clarinetists The opening concert featured the of all ages and abilities participating. TLU Wind Ensemble under the direction Buffet Crampon provided an E11 of Professor Beth Bronk and included clarinet which was won by Makenna performances by Berberian, Allakhverdyan Brown of Tivy High School. Vandoren and the TLU clarinet studio. The provided a generous director prize package Boris Allakhverdyan performs with the TLU Wind afternoon concert featured Allakhverdyan with mouthpieces, reeds, ligatures and a Ensemble at ClariNETWORKS 2019 in an eclectic program of traditional reed trimmer which was won by Dobie Middle School. Strait Music gave away several items including a new ProTec clarinet case, stand light and a metronome CLARINET SOLOS tuner combination. D’Addario provided with an Evolution with five boxes FULL ORCHESTRAL ACCOMPANIMENT of reeds and High School Music Service gave away a large gift basket filled with change the tempo, record yourself with the accompaniment clarinet accessories. ClariNETWORKS is an annual event Mozart, Weber, Spohr, Crusell, Stamitz, Krommer, Tartini hosted and directed by Paula Corley and made possible through the generosity of for more information, please visit our web site Buffet Crampon and Vandoren. Other ClassicalCollectionInc.Com sponsors include D’Addario, Strait Music of Austin and High School Music Service of San Antonio.

8 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS

12TH ANNUAL TROY UNIVERSITY CLARINET DAY by Jennifer Zimmerer questions and serviced instruments at his on E-flat clarinet. Timothy Phillips led the booth throughout the day. Other vendors Troy University in a lively th Troy University celebrated its 12 included Buffet Crampon, Art’s Music and performance of Vaughan Williams’ English annual Clarinet Day on Saturday March Playground Music, who provided several Folk Song Suite. The Clarinet Day Choir 30, 2019. High school and middle clarinets for students to try. performed works by Grundman, Grainger, school students from throughout the Jan Jakub Bokun and Jakub Holst and Sousa under the batons of Southeastern United States enjoyed a day Kosciuszko, guests from Poland, delighted Phillips and guest conductor Mietz. full of recitals, master classes, vendors, students with their duo recital for clarinet Along with a one-of-a-kind performance and a final evening performance. Host and acoustic guitar. James Zimmermann experience, students won dozens of prizes Timothy Phillips welcomed visitors to the morning recital featuring Jennifer Fraley kicked off the afternoon sessions with a and giveaways from the Clarinet Day (Troy faculty), Jen Zimmerer (Nashville, recital full of treasures from the French sponsors. Tennessee), Joshua Mietz (Casper College, repertoire. Zimmermann and Bokun also Students and families alike left Troy Wyoming) and Katrina Phillips (Alabama held afternoon master classes. University buzzing about the amazing State University). Pianists Eun-Hee Park Troy Clarinet Day culminated in artistry and experiences of the day. Troy and Scott P. Schwab lent their talents. an evening concert featuring the day’s Clarinet Day is sponsored by Buffet Following the opening recital, students participants, Troy University students, Crampon, Vandoren, BG France, began clarinet choir rehearsal for their and guest soloists. Student composer D’Addario, and Yamaha. For more evening performance. Jonathan Copeland Logan Stevens opened the concert by information on upcoming events and gave the first clinic of the day on clarinet conducting his new of Beau the 2020 Clarinet Day, follow the Troy repair and maintenance. He also answered Soir by , featuring Fraley University Clarinet Studio on Facebook.

Troy University Clarinet Day 2019 participants and faculty

2019 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CLARINET SYMPOSIUM by Natalie Groom Dembowski, played Bizet and Mozart and Kyle Glasgow, then performed five transcriptions in the opening recital. short pieces. In the afternoon, participants On April 14, 2019, the University of The UMD Clarinet Choir followed engaged in a clarinet choir reading session Maryland Clarinet Society hosted its with a premiere of Above the Clouds, a led by Allison Satterwhite. seventh Clarinet Symposium. Sunday morning opened with a welcome message piece written and arranged for them by Julia Heinen, professor of clarinet at from Robert DiLutis, associate professor Technical Sergeant Jeremy Klenke (U.S. California State University–Northridge, of clarinet at the University of Maryland. Air Force Band) and Sergeant First Class and Laura Grantier, Senior Chief Musician The event featured many clarinet Kevin Walko (U.S. Army Field Band). of the U.S. Navy Band, were this year’s choirs. The Anne Arundel Community New Horizons, an ensemble of adult featured guest clinicians. Heinen and College Choir, conducted by Lynda learners conducted by Madeline Ferguson Grantier led master classes and performed

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 9 NEWS

by Paula Forrest to honor the legacy of her late father, Sidney Forrest, principal clarinet of the National Symphony Orchestra and professor of clarinet at the

Photo by Robert DiLutis Peabody Conservatory. The competition was adjudicated by David Drosinos, Heinen and Grantier. Find out about the University of Maryland’s next Symposium by following us on Facebook (@UMDClarinetStudio) or visiting www.umdclarinet.com.

Kyle Glasgow conducts the clarinet choir reading session Don’t miss an issue of The Clarinet! an eclectic blend of music in the closing improvisation using guided hand gestures. recital. It was refreshing to all to try something Renew your A new participatory improvisation new in an educational and encouraging membership online at class was offered this year, a session led environment. www.clarinet.org by bassoonist John Falcone, cultural Across the hall, six finalists competed in ambassador of Spain. He seamlessly led the Sidney Forrest Clarinet Competition. a group of 30 clarinetists in collective The competition was founded in 2012

MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY CLARINET DAY by David Cook in experience levels from beginners to Rodriguez, and members of the MU advanced high school students and area clarinet studio; and a Q&A panel with On February 23, 2019, Millikin teachers. The day included clarinet choir MU students from various degree University hosted its first Clarinet Day. rehearsals; exhibits by The Music Shoppe, programs within the School of Music. The The event was organized and hosted by Inc. and Vandoren USA; a presentation final concert featured performances of David Cook, assistant professor of clarinet about mouthpiece design and selection Gordon Lewin’s Views of the Blues and a at MU and principal clarinet of the by Vandoren Regional Artist Andrew combined clarinet choir program of music Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, Sommerville; master classes by Cook, by Offenbach, Elgar, , Niehaus, and welcomed 25 clarinetists ranging adjunct instructor of music Alexandra Verdi and Jacob.

2019 Millikin University Clarinet Day participants and faculty

10 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS

KEY CHANGES AND CLOSING CHORDS

Compiled by Jessica Harrie

KEY CHANGES Steve Sánchez won the audition for bass clarinet of the Ellen Breakfield-Glick was appointed assistant Marin Symphony. professor of clarinet at Western Michigan University School Andrew Sandwick won the audition for bass clarinet/ of Music. utility clarinet for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Jiyeon Choi was appointed lecturer in clarinet at the Pamela Shuler was appointed assistant professor of University of Virginia. clarinet at Eastern New Mexico University. Yevgeny Dokshansky was appointed assistant Zack Stump won the audition for assistant principal professor of clarinet at Virginia Tech. clarinet of the Omaha Symphony. Erin Fung won the audition for third/auxiliary clarinet Vitor Trindade won the audition of the Lexington Philharmonic for second clarinet for the Baltimore (Kentucky). Symphony Orchestra. Soo Goh was appointed assistant professor of clarinet at CLOSING CHORDS Appalachian State University. German clarinetist Wolfgang retired from Meyer (1954-2019) passed away the London Symphony Orchestra on March 17, 2019, at 64 years old. after 34 years with the group, Photo by Benjamin Ealovega Meyer served as a professor at the having served as principal clarinetist University of Music in Karlsruhe and since 1986. was a member of the Trio di Clarone Rob Patterson was appointed with his sister . A assistant professor of clarinet at tribute will appear in an upcoming Boston University School of Music. Andrew Marriner issue of The Clarinet. Information in this column is gathered from the Clarinet Jobs Facebook Group and submissions to [email protected].

IN GRATITUDE: A TRIBUTE TO RICHARD K. WEERTS by Jesse Krebs completed his doctorate at Columbia University in music education. His Dr. Richard “Dick” Weerts taught clarinet teachers included clarinet and music research for 44 years at and Daniel Bonade. Truman State University and served as the In 1961, he joined the faculty of secretary-treasurer of NACWPI and editor Northeast Missouri State Teachers of the NACWPI Journal for 46 years. He College (now Truman State University) passed away at the age of 90 on Sunday, in Kirksville, Missouri, as an assistant March 31, 2019, at University Hospital in professor of music to teach applied clarinet Columbia, Missouri. lessons and courses in music education, Weerts grew up in Peoria, Illinois, woodwind methods and music research. and attended the University of Illinois at Weerts was promoted to Professor of Music Urbana-Champaign, where he received a in 1965 and continued teaching at the B.S. degree cum laude in music education. university until his retirement in 2005 as He then received an M.A. degree from Professor Emeritus – a tenure of 44 years! Columbia University in New York In addition to mentoring student City, performed at the Berkshire Music research, teaching in the classroom, and Center (Tanglewood) with the National serving as the music department chair, Orchestral Association of New York, and he had a profound impact on countless served in the U.S. Military Academy students through interactions in applied Band from 1951 to 1955.1 Shortly after lessons, many of whom have gone on to Dr. Richard “Dick” Weerts his discharge from the Army, Weerts have successful careers as music educators

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and performers. His clarinet student Jamie He grew the ensemble from 14 to 28 ENDNOTES Heil remembered: members, and it was invited to give a series 1 Chakira Lane, “Withstanding winds of change,” Index (Truman State University), 26 September Dr. Weerts had a way of of concerts at the 1965 New York World’s Fair. The following year, then 35 members 2002. pushing me as a clarinetist, while 2 Jamie Heil, e-mail correspondence with the understanding that my career strong, the clarinet choir appeared at the author, 5 January 2017. aspiration was to work as an Music Educators National Conference in 3 Carl Schmidt, Facebook correspondence with the instrumental music educator. In Kansas City, where they performed Václav author, 3 January 2017. one of my final clarinet lessons of Nelhýbel’s Chorale and Danza with the composer in attendance. Weerts’s former undergraduate study, he gave me his ABOUT THE WRITER personal copy of a book titled, Band student Carl Schmidt recalled, “With his Jesse Krebs is professor of clarinet at Truman Director Burnout. He insisted that I many connections in the music world, Dr. find ways to take care of myself as I Weerts was able to introduce us to musical State University in Kirksville, Missouri, entered into what, for some, can be opportunities outside the small Midwest where he teaches the clarinet studio and a physically and emotionally taxing communities most of us called home.”3 directs the Truman Clarinet Choir. He career. Looking back in the book As a scholar, Weerts was very prolific has performed guest recitals in Costa Rica, after a decade of teaching, I can tell throughout his academic career. He England, Thailand and Ireland, and can by the highlighted portions of the recorded an LP in 1965 titled Contest Music be heard on recordings with the North book that he knew me better than I for the Clarinet, authored numerous articles Texas Wind Symphony. His articles have knew myself at the time.2 for various national and international been published in The Clarinet, The Early on, Weerts recognized the benefits journals, wrote several books on teaching Instrumentalist and the Missouri School of having his students participate in a woodwinds and played for several famous Music Magazine. He received a D.M. in clarinet choir and worked hard to establish composers, including and clarinet performance from Florida State a national reputation for the Northeast . He particularly enjoyed University, an M.M. from the University of Missouri State University Clarinet Choir researching and writing about the clarinet North Texas and a B.M. from the University as one of the best ensembles of its kind. choir and early clarinet virtuosi. of North Carolina at Greensboro.

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12 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019

NEWS Letter by Paul Harris from the

JEFFERY WILSON, CLARINETIST AND COMPOSER: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

had the very special pleasure of front of who was visiting Jacob coaching on a clarinet course a and acting as his clarinet advisor. Jacob, in short while ago with clarinetist and Jeffery’s words, was “a gentle soul with an composer Jeffery Wilson. Jeffery is endearing speech impediment.” oneI of those exceptional people who devote After some time in the army, Jeffery their lives to encouraging and enhancing went on to study at the Royal College of others through a love of music. He is a Music – clarinet with Colin Bradbury and delightful and modest man who has written composition with and much for the instrument and has known John Lambert. Jeffery remembers his first some gigantic personalities of the music lesson with Bradbury: “I’m off on a trip world. He told me recently that he’s going with the BBC Symphony Orchestra to to put pen to paper and write something of Japan,” Bradbury informed his new pupil. his fascinating life (so far) but has allowed “By your next lesson I’d like you to learn me to anticipate that in this letter, where Jeanjean No. 14, the complete Poulenc I hope I can introduce you to some of his Sonata and scales and arpeggios in all keys music which is both highly appealing and at quarter = 120.” The next lesson was six educationally valuable. days away. Jeffery began playing clarinet and In 1981 a very exciting opportunity to composing at school. One of his first go and study at the Paris Conservatoire Jeffery Wilson teachers was clarinetist Mark Tromans and transpired, and Jeffery was lucky enough one of his first composition teachers was to study clarinet with a young pupil of Gordon Jacob. After having read Jacob’s Guy Deplus and composition with none book on orchestration, the young and other than Messiaen himself. But it nearly studies in nuance, light and shade with rather confident composer decided some didn’t happen. On arrival it emerged that provocative titles like “Blue Nila,” “Violet lessons from the great man would be most Jeffery wasn’t fluent in solfege – he was Enchantment” and “Yellow Radiance.” beneficial. In fact, Jacob initially turned sent straight home. Luckily a tutor was Jeffery’s career has, to date, encompassed Jeffery down. But that was not going to found and Jeffery returned armed with a deter the young musician. After further, very thorough working knowledge of the much performing and teaching as well as clearly convincing requests, Jacob happily time-honored education method much composing. Girl Names was a work written changed his mind. So Jeffery began having utilized in France. This experience inspired soon after he began work as a teacher. In lessons for the princely sum of 10 pounds one of Jeffery’s earliest clarinet pieces, fact, like many other clarinetist/composers, an hour. By a wonderful coincidence, Colour Studies. Messiaen’s synesthesia was several of his works have been inspired by Jacob was working on his hugely celebrated well-known and the two composers would pupils or teaching situations. Written for arrangement of the Tartini Concertino at sometimes sit in the organ loft at Sainte- clarinet and , the work is based on the time and he tried it out on his new Trinite exploring sound and color. The notes derived from the names Katie, Helen young pupil. At one particular lesson, pieces “sing about their time and place,” and Emma. It’s a short and very attractive Jeffery had the pleasure of performing it, Jeffery comments. They are a delightful recital piece ideal for younger players. in maybe its first public performance, in set of imaginative unaccompanied Elegy for Clarinet, and Piano was

14 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS

written in 1988 for his father who always listened and enjoyed the young Jeffery practicing. It begins with a motif based on one of Jeffery’s favorite practice warm-ups. The work contains opportunities for the player to integrate improvisation into the performance – an idea found in many of Jeffery’s works. There’s a good idea for us all to encourage in our pupils: improvise on their favorite warm-ups. Who knows where their imaginations might take them? This lovely work owes something to his ringmaster; happily, it ends happily. It was former teacher Herbert Howells (himself originally written for an ensemble with the the composer of a great ) and memorable name of Exchanging Blows. just a little of . The Three R’s is a charming trio for Homage to Stephen Trier for bass clarinet two clarinets and or bass clarinet. and was written in 1999 for If you’re programming the Mozart it the untimely death, at the age of 69, of would make a splendid companion. the well-known and highly respected bass Written for the aptly named Darkwood clarinetist who had been one of Jeffery’s Ensemble, it’s full of engaging interplay teachers at the RCM. There is a moving between the parts, and is published by performance of this touching four-minute Queen’s Temple Publications. work available on Vimeo, played by Jeffery continues to play and teach, and Victoria Samek and the Inspirity String he also organizes weekly concerts at the Quartet with Jeffery in attendance. Cramphorn Studio Theatre in Chelmsford Perhaps one of Jeffery’s most important – something he’s been doing for over 30 clarinet works is his The years in order to bring some pleasure, Fallen. Jeffery presently teaches at Kneller calmness and satisfaction in what can be Hall and this concerto was written for the a rather turbulent world. “Music is about Welsh Guards. It commemorates those who communities,” says Jeffery. “It touches the fell in both world wars and was particularly lives of thousands of people, and it’s all inspired by the sacrifices made by his family deeply significant, whether it’s composing regiment, the 17th/21st Lancers. It was given a clarinet concerto or improvising with its first performance by clarinetist Natalie friends in a pizza joint.” v White. Each of the three movements, Jeffery’s website can be found at which last about 25 minutes in all, explores www.jefferywilson.co.uk. a serious theme: “Conflict,” “The Fallen” and “Resolution.” It is a deeply felt work and one of the few for solo clarinet with ABOUT THE WRITER wind band accompaniment. Published by Paul Harris is one BrassWind Publications, it is well worthy of of the U.K.’s most study and performance. influential music Three Haiku for clarinet choir is a very educators. He studied appealing work. Inspired by an interest the clarinet at the in spiritual matters, it was written for the Royal Academy of British Clarinet Ensemble and its director Music, where he won Charles Hine. Jeffery modestly admits to the August Manns speaking “a bit” of Japanese; the music Prize for outstanding is based on rhythms and nuances of the performance and Japanese words and the 5-7-5 syllable where he now teaches. He is in great shape of the verses. It’s an intriguing work, demand as a teacher, composer and writer also published by BrassWind Publications. (he has written over 600 music books and Circus Acts is for clarinet quartet and compositions), and his master classes and narrator – a combination that always workshops continue to inspire thousands of goes down well. The story is about a young musicians and teachers all over the circus clown who falls in love with the world in both the principles and practice of trapeze artist who is the daughter of the musical performance and education.

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 15 PEDAGOGY

Corner coordinated by Paula Corley, ICA Pedagogy Chair

HIGHER GROUND: TEACHING THE ALTISSIMO

hat is the best strategy have a good mouthpiece, embouchure, Nora-Louise Müller: I teach the for teaching the altissimo proper voicing and air support, you should “overblow a second time” approach: from register of the clarinet? move smoothly into the altissimo by lifting low A on, play a chromatic scale in the When should the the second register key (the first finger low register up to E-flat first. Add the Waltissimo be introduced? What precursory of your left hand). The altissimo register register key and overblow them to clarion skills are necessary before attempting should require no other adjustments. The E up to B-flat. Finally, overblow them a the altissimo? These are all important same fingering patterns follow through second time by lifting the left index finger, questions to ask before introducing the all three registers. When playing in the achieving altissimo C-sharp to G. Use the altissimo register to students. Research altissimo you must add the pinky A-flat/E- same chromatic fingerings as before. This suggests that optimal learning takes flat key to every note except C-sharp to approach might seem unconventional place when new skills are at just the right help with response and intonation. because it teaches the “short” fingerings “stretch” for a student’s existing skill set. first. However, I use this method because Gregory Barrett: If new skills are too far above what a The “partials” the students learn the fingering logic of student can do or understand, the result approach (Example 1) is helpful in the altissimo register and find their way is often failure. Gregory Barrett writes, learning to distinguish the different through it with much more ease and “Clarinetists should use awareness and registers and the slight embouchure and without constantly referring to a fingering experimentation rather than feeling tongue position adjustments beneficial chart! Students who are taught the “long” they must adhere to one-size-fits-all to each. Playing (low) A fingerings first tend to have difficulties instructions. People don’t understand with a high “ee” tongue position (as if because the new fingerings are completely the same words to mean the same thing hissing fast, cold air) and our standard different from the chalumeau and clarion and often don’t have an accurate sense of embouchure is characteristic of most of register. what they are doing physically.” Barrett’s our playing. Adding the register key to the Paula Corley: Homogenous tone quality statement is particularly important when low A fingering to sound third partial E through the full range of the clarinet is the considering lessons for the altissimo, an is the next step of discovery. Demonstrate end goal. For this reason, I use the strategy advanced skill for most players. Not all how essentially the same fingering can outlined in Example 2. This method is students will respond the same way to the be used to play each of the partials. Most more difficult fingering-wise but lowers same instruction, so teachers can benefit developing players are not aware of the the risk of upper register “explosions” due from having more than one approach. connection between chalumeau A and to the slight tongue height adjustments Here are the strategies and opinions altissimo C-sharp, but they will be after needed for the highest notes. Start from from a diverse panel of clarinetists about lifting the left-hand first finger. Voilà, they a comfortable low-register note (C or teaching the altissimo. are playing in the altissimo. B-flat) and add the register key for the INTRODUCING THE ALTISSIMO Margaret Donaghue Flavin: When we move from the lowest register (the chalumeau) into the second register (the clarion), we don’t give it a second thought. It is as easy as engaging the register key. We should have the same feeling when moving from the clarion into the altissimo. If you Example 1

16 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 PEDAGOGY

of playing into the altissimo. Every player learns to move chromatically from thumb F to F-sharp by adding the two bottom right-hand side keys (Example 4). Build on this by making the same maneuver with the register key added. Focus attention on Example 2 embouchure and tongue position. At this point the discussion of the huge range of fingering choices begins. Find additional fingering suggestions from Gregory Barrett here: www.niu.edu/gbarrett/ resources/altissimo.shtml#standard

Example 3 (approximate pitches) COMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Margaret Donaghue Flavin: You open the second register key and it squeaks. Take clarion note. If both notes are stable, begin improperly shaped oral heart – this is not a squeak. It is simply ascending. Add a few notes at a time, cavity, or too-little reed a very high note – perhaps one that you either chromatically or by simply lifting surface inside the mouth thought you couldn’t play! For example, a one finger at a time until you reach high will create an under “squeak” on altissimo C-sharp is probably C-sharp. Repeat this exercise and pass sound. Try this exercise a high G; a “squeak” on altissimo E is through C-sharp to D. Continue to add to help developing probably a high A, etc. This is most often one altissimo note at time until reaching students discover how caused by biting or simply voicing too high G. With this strategy, students learn to make changes in high. Notes jump into the super altissimo how all notes “grow” from a well-focused airspeed and voicing – the very high notes above high G. It low and middle register, and find the for the altissimo (see shows that you have the flexibility to play slight tongue position adjustments that Example 3). the super altissimo but need to learn how may be needed for the altissimo. 1 Sustain thumb F Example 3 to control it and produce the notes you fingerings Wonkak Kim: Understanding the and add the register want, when you want them. clarinet’s overtone series accompanied key. If the high C In contrast, you open the second by proper voicing, embouchure and doesn’t speak, adjust register key, and nothing comes out. appropriate airspeed is one of the key the bottom lip down on the reed to Perhaps you hear a low grunt, a note aspects in developing strong and reliable allow more vibrating surface inside the without a distinct pitch. You may not altissimo playing. For less-advanced mouth. Do not go to step 2 until step have a strong enough reed, embouchure, students, altissimo fingerings are 1 is mastered. or air support. If these things are present, 2 challenging due to their complexity and Sustain thumb C and roll the thumb then you are most likely voicing too low. awkwardness. It is imperative that students off the tone hole. Voicing is the position of your tongue and devote time to learning and familiarizing Keep the register key throat. Are you voicing an “ee” or an “ah,” or maybe an “oo”? Is your tongue position themselves with correct altissimo down and sustain. 3 Repeat steps 1 and high, in an arch, or is it low in your fingerings as well as scale and arpeggiation 2. Add side key mouth? Is your throat open or tight? All sequences. No improvisational fingerings! G-sharp/A-flat. these variations will have a profound effect Once students learn the chromatic 4 Repeat steps 1, 2, and on your tone and your ability to play in fingerings for the altissimo notes, they 3. Add the A key. the altissimo. should also learn other options for specific 5 Repeat steps 1, 2, occasions such as long F, long F-sharp, Nora-Louise Müller: High notes can 3, and 4. Add the side F-sharp, etc. be difficult to achieve. It requires the second trill key from ability of an inner hearing, of knowing the top. ALTERNATE FINGERINGS AS A which pitch one wants to sound. A TEACHING TOOL Gregory Barrett: traditional method for playing high notes Paula Corley: In certain situations, Utilizing a second involves high pressure of the lower lip alternate fingerings might be helpful for route of discovery, a and jaw against the reed. This is often students having difficulty getting altissimo “step” approach, will more hindering than helpful because notes to speak. Too-slow airspeed, an enrich the experience Example 4 it dampens the reed and blocks its

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 17 PEDAGOGY

movement. To play in very high registers altissimo. It may be hard for a player to Margaret Donaghue Flavin it is often more helpful to take in slightly prioritize embouchure when they are ([email protected]) is associate more mouthpiece in order to allow the being asked on a daily basis to perform professor and director of the woodwind reed to vibrate more freely and let the in a band or other ensemble where program at the University of Miami’s Frost high register partials sound. Playing in note accuracy is paramount. Ideally a School of Music. the altissimo register means playing on clarinetist would be able to focus on Wonkak Kim ([email protected]) the overtone series, and by letting the one aspect of their playing at a time. If is associate professor at the University of reed vibrate freely and by “filtering” the possible, slow everything way down and Oregon School of Music and Dance. partials, high pitches will be achieved. get the embouchure in order, then the Nora-Louise Müller (welcome@ Wonkak Kim: The clarinetist must be altissimo will be much easier. Conversely noralouisemuller.de) is a performer and able to hear the pitch before playing the and counterintuitively, I have seen researcher in contemporary music based in altissimo notes. Many students expect many developing players make rapid Germany. the high notes to come out automatically improvement in correcting a collapsed Paula Corley ([email protected]) is if they are using the correct fingerings. embouchure by playing altissimo notes. the ICA pedagogy coordinator and instructor Without a good sense of pitch, students Pointing the chin and moving the lip- of clarinet at Texas Lutheran University. often produce upper-partial squeaks or a to-reed contact point slightly downward note that is significantly lower. Conversely, to achieve altissimo notes sets the if you have a good sense of pitch and embouchure in a better position for have great control of embouchure and all playing. v voicing, you should be able to play the correct altissimo pitch with many different fingering options. PANELISTS Gregory Barrett: If a player’s Gregory Barrett ([email protected]) is embouchure is not well-formed it is professor of clarinet at Northern Illinois difficult to achieve consistency in the University.

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by Deborah Check Reeves

“Historically Speaking” is a feature of The 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 email inquiries to Deborah Check Reeves at [email protected]

s Albert R. Rice pointed out on the University of South Dakota in his “Ivory Clarinets” article campus in Vermillion. Notable among in the March 2019 issue of these are a lute (Photo 1), a recorder (Photo The Clarinet, “Ivory has been 2), an (Photo 3), a (Photo 4) Aused in jewelry, decorative objects, and and a clarinet that Rice highlighted in bowed or plucked stringed instruments for his article (Photo 5). Rice also noted two centuries.”1 Several examples of musical ivory clarinets made by American makers instruments made from ivory are in the Johann Pfaff, in the Sigal Collection, and collections at the National Music Museum Theodore Berteling, in the collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The National Music Museum is also home to an ivory C clarinet made by Berteling (Photo 6). Berteling, as recorded by William Waterhouse, started to use the trade name “American Excelsior” in the early 1880s.2 It was under this name that nine different models of clarinets were marketed in a catalog dating from about that same time (Photo 7).3 The NMM’s clarinet appears to match catalog drawing number 6. According to the catalog, the stock model was made from grenadilla, with 16 keys and two rings for the right hand, and three rings for the left hand. Although ivory clarinets were not listed as a standard option, the catalog states, “We will make Clarinets to order of ebonite or hard rubber,” as well as “Special instruments made to order.” No less than four different stock models of flute with ivory heads were offered, so the fact that Berteling made clarinets from ivory is not surprising. The company must have had a supply of ivory and workers who could manipulate the material. Unlike the clarinet found at the Photo 2: NMM 4504 Metropolitan, which appears to be model Recorder by Jan Photo 3: NMM 3741 4 Photo 1: NMM 3384 Treble lute by D.G., ca. 1480- 5 with a “patent C-sharp key,” NMM Juriaensz van Heerde, Oboe by Klenig, ca. 1530, back 7470, instead, makes use of an extra ca. 1670 1725-1750

20 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 CLARINET CDs - more on Crystal website MICHAEL WEBSTER, Clarinet; Leone Buyse, flute; Robert Moeling, pia- no. Webster Trio 3 CDs – CD717: Music by Libby Lars- en, Sirota, Brandt, Toensing, & Schonfeld. CD356: Fauré, Dolly Suite; Saint-Saëns, Tarantella; Debussy, & Bizet. CD357: Dvorak, Slavonic Dances; Debussy, Petite Suite; Brahms, Hungarian Dances; Gottschalk, Four Pieces. MITCHELL LURIE: CD301. Brahms Clarinet Sonatas 1 & 2; plus RICHARD LESSER: Kessner, Dances for Clarinet & Gui- tar. Lurie was principal, Chicago & Pittsburgh Symphonies; & teacher U.S.C. over 50 years; Lesser was principal Israel Philharmonic for 35 years. CD737: Mitchell Lurie plays Halsey Stevens, Concer- to; Lesemann, Sonata; & Muczynski, Time Pieces.”One of the world’s most famous clarinetists” Fanfare. ELSA LUDEWIG-VER- DEHR, clarinet, and WALTER VERDEHR, , have become legends for their 225 commissions, 24 CDs, and thousands of concerts with the Verdehr Trio. A small sample of their CDs: CD741: Bartok, Contrasts; Hov- haness, Lake Samish; plus Pasatieri, Mozart, & Frescobaldi. photos 3 & 4 by Byron Pillow, photo 5 by Dara Lohnes-Davies, photos 6 & 7 by Deborah Check Reeves.

Photos courtesy of National Music Museum, University of South Dakota. Photos 1 & 2 by Bill Willroth, Sr., CD743: Schuller; Averitt; Currier. CD745: Arutiunian, David, Sculthorpe, Schickele. CD746: Diamond; Sculthor- pe; Corigliano. CD941: Menotti, Bruch; Constantinides; Deak. CD942: Chihara, Diamond, Satterwhite, Kramer, Biggs, Erb. CD943: Currier, Tower, Gershwin/Brohn, Welcher, Biggs, Hoag. CD946: Higdon, Sheng, Wolfgang, Chatman, Rihm. CD947: Bolcom, Robert Mann, Liptak, Rugiero, & Hartway. CD949: Lorenz, Puts, Read Thomas, Hoiby, Freund. CD971: Daugherty, Ladder to the Moon; plus Madsen, Cohen, & Chambers. CD974: Bacri, Liqing, Dickinson, Harvey, Sculthorpe, etc. CD973: Double Concertos by Mills, Chatman, & Chihara, etc. TRIO INDIANA: James Campbell, Eli Eban, , Clarinets (clarinet faculty, Indiana University). 2 CDs – CD734: Music by Defaye, Schickele, Kulesha, Kibbe, & Fox. CD736: (w/Alfred Prinz, Mitchell Lurie, & Min-Ho Yeh, guests). Music by Prinz, Heiden, Uhl, & Weill. “Marvelous group... ravishing sounds.” American Record Guide. Photo 5: NMM 5931 Photo 6: NMM 7470 Photo 4: NMM 2734 Flute by Clarinet in C by François Clarinet in C by Theodore LARRY COMBS: CD731. Princi- Johann Pfaff, ca. 1849-1886 Lèfevre, ca. 1835 Berteling & Co., ca. 1885 pal Clarinet 30 years, Chicago Sympho- ny. Rosza, Sonatina & Sonata for Clarinet Solo (written for Larry Combs); Rochberg & Schuller Trios for Clarinet, Horn, & Piano. “a showcase for Larry Combs...impressive virtuosity” Fanfare. With Gail Williams, horn. JONATHAN COHLER: CD733. Hindemith, Sonata; Honegger, Sonatina; Fran- caix, Th. & Var; Vaughan Williams, Six Studies in English Folksong; Milhaud, Duo Concertant & Caprice; Bozza, Pulcinella; Kupferman, Moon- flowers Baby. “playing of real distinction” BBC Magazine. TASHA WARREN: CD739. The Naked Clarinet, Unaccompa- nied Clarinet: Rozsa, Sonatina; plus Tower; rjmusicgroup.com Ran; Dzubay; Yehuda; & Larsen. “Sheer virtuosity” International Record Review. CDs $16.95 each. FREE US shipping. ® ...catering to the discriminating CRYSTAL RECORDS 360-834-7022. Many more clarinet CDs on website. professional and amateur musician. [email protected] • www.crystalrecords.com

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 21 Photo 7: Copy of catalog T. Berteling & Co’s Celebrated , , Clarinets and other Wood Wind Instruments courtesy of National Music Museum. Photo 8: NMM 7470 Clarinet by Berteling, E/B key

curved rod that interconnects with the 2 William Waterhouse, The New Langwill Index: A ABOUT THE WRITER F/C key (Photo 8). When activated, it Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Dr. Deborah Check Inventors (London: Tony Bingham, 1993), 28. appears to automatically close both the 3 T. Berteling & Co’s Celebrated Flutes, Oboes, Reeves is the Curator F/C key and the E/B key, providing the Clarinets and other Wood Wind Instruments, New of Education and player with a right hand E/B.5 Among the York, New York: ca. 1882. Although the catalog Woodwinds at the clearly states that these are “Berteling’s American National Music 12 Berteling clarinets at the NMM, this Excelsior Clarinets, Flutes, Piccolos and Oboes,” mechanism is unique. NMM 7470 has the clarinet drawings depicted all appear to bear Museum (NMM) silver keys and ferrules, metal rollers for the metal plaque “BERTELING / NEW.YORK” in Vermillion, SD, the E/B and F-sharp/C-sharp key, and an signature, as does NMM 7470. and professor at the 4 A “patent C-sharp key” allowed for ease of University of South alternate left little finger key for A-flat/E- fingering between third line B-natural and Dakota. She received a doctorate in clarinet flat. As Rice wrote in his article, this adjacent C-sharp, eliminating sliding of the left performance from the University of Iowa. clarinet is more than 100 years old and is hand little finger. 5 Since the springs are missing and the key is She plays with the Sioux City Symphony legally an antique.6 v broken, it is difficult to determine with certainty Orchestra and directs Tatag, the NMM’s that this is the case. Javanese gamelan performance ensemble. She ENDNOTES 6 Rice, 42. See www.fws.gov/international/travel- 1 Albert R. Rice, “Ivory Clarinets: ca. 1740 to ca. and-trade/ivory-ban-questions-and-answers.html is a contributing editor to The Clarinet, and 1880,” The Clarinet 46, No. 2 (March 2019): 42. (accessed May 23, 2019) for more information. serves as the ICA South Dakota State Chair.

22 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 Explore the PEABODY CONSERVATORY, a community of artists cultivating excellence, embracing new ideas, and committed to the future of music in our world.

Alexander Fiterstein (pictured) is the chair of the Woodwinds Department at the Peabody Conservatory. peabody.jhu.edu 667-208-6600 Equipment

by Walter Grabner

“Equipment Matters” features a rotating cast of instrument repair technicians and mouthpiece experts writing on a variety of topics related to repair and maintenance. Please contact [email protected] with suggestions or contributions. DO MATERIALS MATTER? – AN EXPERIMENT

n this short article, we will discuss The belief that the material changes For the bore, I used a very typical whether the choice of material for a tone quality is still with us today, Moennig reverse-taper style, using only clarinet component affects the tone especially in the advertising for various one reamer, and to the same depth on each quality ultimately produced. products. For example: barrel. Seven were made using a CNC IWhen I was asked to write an article 1 Barrels made with rings of different machine to cut the bore and the tenon for this series, I immediately thought of metals will sound different. sockets, and the polymer one was printed the old Klarinet email list, which has since 2 Ligatures made of different metals will on a large HP industrial 3D printer. All morphed into the present-day Clarinet produce different tone qualities. the final finishing and polishing took Bulletin Board. On the Klarinet e-mail place on an old, sturdy wood lathe. Final It is hard to know if these claims are list, especially in the late ’90s and early reaming was done by hand. false or valid, but I think that we have all 2000s, we had an outstanding group of seen that they persist. As I worked on each barrel, I tested people (Dan Leeson, Kevin Fay, Roger In preparation for this article, I decided it, even as I was still in the process of Garret, Tony Pay, David Blumberg, Clark to try an experiment. I made extremely getting to the desired dimensions. Like Fobes, Greg Smith and Brad Behn, to similar pieces of equipment, keeping mouthpiece work, barrel making is a name a few) arguing, giving options, the dimensions the same with very tight subtractive process. You can only remove sharing knowledge, etc. You can see tolerances, and then tested them out material, and once removed, it cannot be there was quite the “brain trust” there, in various environments to see if the replaced. Over the years, I have learned to with a lot of practical knowledge and differences affected tone quality. remove only small quantities of material very strongly held opinions. Some of the For this experiment, I made barrels. at a time, and to test frequently. If you discussions became, shall I say, quite lively. They are relatively easy to make, and the don’t, you risk missing a “sweet spot” The reason I bring this up is that one of tolerances that one can achieve using that makes all the difference. One of my the most oft-discussed issues was the effect the same bore reamer can be very close most successful mouthpiece facings was of dimensions versus materials on clarinet indeed, perhaps identical. discovered by accident using this method. tone quality. One group believed that if a I made up eight barrels, one each of the As I tested these barrels, I was amazed piece of equipment (a mouthpiece, barrel following materials: at how similar they were becoming as I or part of the clarinet body) was made to 1 African blackwood honed in on the final measurements. As certain specified dimensions, regardless of 2 Cocobolo wood I neared my goal, I noticed how, in each the material from which it was made, an 3 Black Delrin case, and no matter which material I was impartial listener would not be able to tell 4 White Delrin working with, the tone became more the difference. The other group believed 5 Rose-colored acrylic resin open, the intonation dropped into place, that the material the piece of equipment 6 Black instrument-quality rod rubber and the response evened out. was made from would exert a fundamental 7 “Marbled” instrument-quality rod After completion, I began comparing and easily heard difference in the quality rubber them. First, just in practice at home, then of the tone produced. 8 PA 12 Polymer. while testing mouthpieces or clarinets. All

24 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 of them were taken to orchestra rehearsal at our performing arts center, and tested during breaks or for a few stolen minutes at the end of a rehearsal. In the acoustics of the large hall the differences between the various barrels revealed themselves. Here are my results and observations: 1 African Blackwood Barrel We are all familiar with wood barrels, so I will say the least about these. The African blackwood barrel is the standard by which I measured the other barrels. It did everything well. It had a fine ring to the tone and a warm sound. The downside, of course, with all wood barrels, is that they change shape with age, and can crack unexpectedly.

2 Cocobolo Barrel the black Delrin, I found the white marbled with streaks of color in I loved the tone quality of the cocobolo Delrin easier to work, and it produced it to resemble wood grain, was a barrel. The tone quality was rich and a tone which I thought sounded disappointment. I never got this barrel warm. However, I did not trust it superior to the black Delrin. In many to open up and sing. It sounded OK in for a concert as the wood changed ways, the white Delrin barrel was my a small studio, but in the concert hall dimensionally in response to increases favorite of the bunch. it was disappointing. There was very in temperature and humidity, which 5 Rose-Colored Acrylic Resin Barrel little ring in the tone. When I have affected the tuning more than I was time, I will make another barrel from The next surprise was the barrel I made willing to accept. this material and test it again because I from the acrylic resin. This material is 3 The Black Delrin Barrel cannot understand why it should be so used by woodworkers who make bottle different from the black rod rubber. Delrin is a material well known to stoppers, pipe stems, pen bodies, etc. repair people. It comes in rods, mostly I wanted to try it because I thought it 8 PA 12 Polymer in black, and is primarily used to was an amazingly beautiful material This 3D-printed barrel was made from make replacement tenons for broken and something quite different from a polymer called PA 12, which is a clarinets. Although it works like hard the normal black barrel. Interestingly, form of nylon. There are now hundreds rubber, it is actually a nylon material. this material made a lovely sound, of materials that can be used in 3D I have known for years that Delrin is but with a distinctive difference. The printing, including many plastics, a good acoustical material. It is also tone produced was more delicate and wood, ceramic, carbon fiber, and easy to work with and can be cut to ethereal. I would not use this barrel several metals. For this experiment, I extremely exact tolerances. So I was in a large Mahler-sized orchestra, as I used PA 12 because I already knew it not surprised that Delrin made what suspect the tone would just get lost. was an excellent acoustical material. I would consider a good workmanlike However, it would be excellent for This barrel was another delightful barrel. The tone was clear and clean, surprise. The tone was full and robust, or a chamber orchestra. if perhaps, a bit colder than wood. but also played easily at the softest (Delrin is great for playing outside in 6 Black Instrument-Quality Rod levels, and had perhaps the quickest the summer or in the tropics anytime Rubber Barrel response of the bunch. This is the because there is little expansion with The barrel made from the black rod barrel I would choose if asked to play heat, and no absorption of water. So rubber barrel produced a tone that the Scherzo from Mendelssohn’s A measurements hold their integrity in a was warm, direct, and very focused. It Midsummer Night’s Dream. was very powerful and the tone never variety of environments.) Now, what makes the tone quality in spread. The response was excellent. 4 White Delrin Barrel these various barrels? I do not believe that A big surprise was the barrel made 7 Marbled Instrument-Quality Rod any vibration of the material makes any of white Delrin. Even though the Rubber Barrel difference in the tone. However, that is a manufacturer guarantees me that the Interestingly, this rod rubber barrel, completely different discussion, which we chemical composition is the same as made from the composite rubber can save for another time. In my opinion,

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 25 the difference lies in the texture of the ABOUT THE WRITER surface over which the airstream passes. Walter Grabner is a For the best sound, the surface needs to mouthpiece maker and be smooth, but not polished to the nth clarinet technician degree. If that worked best, we would based in the Chicago Grenadilla all be playing on plastic clarinets and area. He maintains & mouthpieces! The reason that we prefer a private studio and Bubinga wood the sound made by some materials is the is an active recitalist degree of granularity, or grain, over which and performer with Eb regional orchestras Bb the air stream passes. The materials that create excellent tone are the materials that including the Skokie Valley Symphony, A Evanston Symphony, Park Ridge Symphony, have enough of a granular surface to create C Highland Park Strings and the Wheaton some turbulence in the airstream. Symphony. His Clarinet Xpress provides So, does a change in materials make a Artista mouthpieces, barrels, and clarinets including difference in the sound? In my opinion, restored vintage instruments to clarinetists it does. My rather simple experiment has around the world. showed me that big differences, apparent to the player and the audience alike, are caused by a change in material. This is great news for clarinet players. With Handmade all the new materials that scientists are Made in Italy developing and making available to the www.patricola.com additive manufacturing world, who knows what possibilities lie in store for us? v

Passionate.

For more than 100 years, the Opera of Chicago and the DePaul University School of most prominent music educators, Music has been dedicated to composers, producers, jazz excellence in music teaching and and chamber musicians who performance. Students study make their home in Chicago. and perform in the stunning new In addition to performance state-of-the-art Holtschneider degrees, there is a robust musical Performance Center with a studies department with majors distinguished faculty including in composition, music education, members of the Chicago performing arts management Symphony Orchestra, Lyric and sound recording technology.

And finely tuned.

music.depaul.edu | 773.325.7444 | [email protected]

26 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 FRED FOX SCHOOL OF MUSIC CLARINET STUDIO · BM, BA, MM, and DMA degrees · Music Performance, Music Education, Bachelor of Arts, and Double Major off erings · World-class commercial recording studio DR. JACKIE GLAZIER · Solo, orchestral, and chamber music experience · Fred Fox Graduate Wind assistantship · Graduate teaching assistantships

PERFORMING ARTIST ARTIST-CLINCIAN

jackie-glazier.com clarinet.arizona.edu [email protected]

Tucson, Arizona 520.621.1655 music.arizona.edu The Clarinet

by Jules Elias

“The Clarinet Enthusiast” features a rotating cast of contributors; if you are interested in sharing your perspective, contact [email protected].

s I prepared the program for economic restrictions. They paid it off in The first five minutes in my daily my 85th birthday celebration three years. With the purchase came 10 30-minute practice were long tones in the recital at the Old Church weeks of free lessons. chalumeau register. By the time I entered Concert Hall in downtown My first teacher was Mr. Caracci, an high school, my daily practice took four Portland,A I thought a lot about how I Italian immigrant who subbed in the hours: the first hour was all aspects of long reached this point in my life where I Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He used tones and matching tones. The second perform twice a year with wonderful catgut for a ligature and was quite adept at hour was devoted to scales and arpeggios musicians at a venue I love and playing unwinding it for reed changes. He started from the first six pages of the Klosé book. music I love. me off with the Rubank series. After My teacher at that time, Charles Russo, I was 13 years old and looking 10 weeks there was a recital for all the stressed the importance of embouchure forward to my confirmation and entering beginning students. I played “Believe Me and intonation, which also became “manhood” in the Hebrew tradition. It If All Those Endearing Young Charms” integral to my practice time. Charlie was a student at the Manhattan School of was Christmas and my dad and I were on from the Rubank book. Afterwards, the Music. He went on to have a long tenure 42nd Street in Manhattan, looking in the mother of one boy who performed on with the New York City Opera and was Wurlitzer window, which had colorful the same program asked me what kind of world-renowned for his unique sound decorations on all the instruments. The reed I was using and wondered why her and clarinet artistry. Gerardo Iaselli was clarinet always had a special place in son’s clarinet sound was not as resonant my next teacher. His text, published by as mine. I could not answer her as it was my dreams and I told my dad it was Carl Fischer, made a great impact on my beyond my short experience playing the beckoning to me. I made many promises overall technical skills. He was not tone- clarinet. In retrospect, it was the value of (most of which I kept), and my parents focused and is best remembered as an alto long tones. agreed to purchase it, despite their player in the early 20th century. My dedicated daily practice efforts qualified me for first chair in the high school orchestra and a position in the All-City Concert Orchestra, which culled players from the entire city high school system. As I approached graduation the opportunity to audition for college music scholarships presented itself. The examiner was the principal oboist from the Firestone Theater of the Air Symphony Orchestra. He was impressed with my performance of clarinet parts from the usual canon (e.g., New World Symphony). For years I had been working on some French

28 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 manuscripts purchased at Carl Fischer biology. Subsequently, I earned a master’s the clarinet has filled my “golden years.” that were similar to the etudes in the and a doctorate in immunology. I never Parenthetically, as a long-standing member Rose studies. I played them with abandoned the clarinet. I taught my of the ICA, my surrogate teacher has confidence and displayed good intonation younger daughter and a neighbor’s become the journal, which provides and breath control. The examiner said daughter to play, and even took a course gems of information I continually use to I would qualify for full scholarships in chamber music performance. improve my overall skills. v to University of Miami (Florida) or Going forward some years, I was a University of Eastern Kentucky. married man with a growing family. When I shared this news with my Eventually, one daughter relocated to ABOUT THE WRITER mother, who had emigrated from Greece Portland, Oregon, with her chiropractor Jules Elias is emeritus as a young girl, she asked who would take husband. She convinced my wife and me professor and head care of me and how I would get there. In to make the move to the Northwest. I of histopathology our ghetto existence no one we knew had took an early retirement and found myself at Health Sciences a car, much less got on airplanes. She then with little to occupy my time. My wife of Center, State added that my being so far from home 42 years suggested that I return to playing University at Stony would make her very unhappy. Needless to the clarinet, knowing how much I missed Brook. Since moving say I did not take the offers. I instead went that aspect of my early life. That got me to Brooklyn College and majored in music. to Portland, Oregon, After struggling with the sight back into playing, and within a reasonably he has lectured and and dictation course, I realized my short period of time I qualified for three published articles on playing skills were quite good, but the community orchestras: the Cascade health-related topics. He and his wife Renee other aspects of musicality were sorely Symphony, University of Portland have taught international folk dancing lacking. I was also not doing too well Orchestra and Oregon Sinfonetta, two in locally and sponsor an opera club in their in trigonometry and was losing my which I played principal. At some point home. He is the founder of the eclectic confidence about achieving a college along this trek, I performed both the performing group Mixed Medleys. Jules can Opus 114 and 115 pieces by Brahms and education. I quit school and joined the be contacted at [email protected]. U.S. Army during the Korean War. To was hooked on chamber music. I have allay my mother’s concerns, I packed my since left all the orchestras and have been clarinet in my duffel bag and told her I performing chamber music exclusively. was in the band, not to worry. Much to I am slowly going through the major my surprise I was shipped to Germany, pieces in the canon. After a performance of not to Korea, to live in the Black Forest as the Brahms Opus 114 trio, a bassoonist on part of the defenses against Russia. the same program remarked, “Now that is At sea I found a fellow trooper who the way the Brahms should sound.” That had packed his and another his kind of validation from a fellow musician flute. There was a bass drum already on has encouraged me to keep practicing board. I organized a USO-type show. A and performing. We all need something four-star general on board saw the show to keep us active, and in my case playing and personally presented himself to express his appreciation. He asked how he could thank us. I asked if he could help us get into the army band. Eleven of 12 of The Clarinet seeks us did, and for the next 18 months I was articles from members! principal clarinetist with the U.S. First See www.clarinet.org for Infantry Division band. We played all over submission guidelines. Bavaria and celebrated the liberation of Holland by playing in Arnheim for the Feature Article Review Deadlines: 10-year celebration of that event. Back in August 1 • November 1 New York before heading off to a new base February 1 • May 1 in Fort Riley, Kansas, the band played on News, Event Reports and the Ed Sullivan Show, a major event that Department Submissions: made my mother very proud. September 1 (for Dec. issue) When I was discharged, I had a December 1 (for March issue) clearer sense of what I could accomplish March 1 (for June issue) academically and returned to Brooklyn June 1 (for Sept. issue) College on the GI Bill, majoring in

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 29 Mozart had his Bartók and Copland their Benny Goodman and Previn his Tom Martin by Bruce M. Creditor

ndré Previn was the ultimate musician: just those works, but also about the development classical and jazz pianist, composer, and evolution of a career – the various persons, arranger, conductor, music director of experiences and luck of place and time. four orchestras, recipient of numerous Tom is associate principal clarinet of the Boston AcademyA and Grammy awards, television star, Symphony Orchestra, principal clarinet of the raconteur and author. He passed away on February Boston Pops Orchestra and faculty at the New 28, 2019, and the many obituaries, tributes and England Conservatory of Music. A graduate of online articles highlighted these facets of his unique the Eastman School of Music, where he was a career, including his opera A Streetcar Named Desire. student of Stanley Hasty, Tom has worked with It is his catalog of concert music including works for most of the world’s leading conductors, soloists and large orchestra (check out his Honey and Rue) and entertainers and maintains an active schedule as a chamber music ensembles that bring me to spotlight soloist, chamber musician and teacher. In addition his wonderful two works for clarinet. to two works by Previn, he has given premieres I am indebted to clarinetist Tom Martin for of chamber works by several composers including sharing various aspects about his early career, his and noted Czech composer Miroslav involvement with André Previn and the two works Srnka. Unusually adept at straddling both worlds written for him. This is about much more than of classical and jazz, his numerous and highly acclaimed solo performances with the Boston Pops include a nationally televised performance of the Artie Shaw Clarinet Concerto on “Evening at Pops,” and a 100th anniversary tribute to Benny Goodman which was performed in Boston’s Symphony Hall, the Tanglewood Music Festival and New York’s Carnegie Hall. Bruce Creditor: Prior to the classical training you received from Stanley Hasty at Eastman, who were your early influences and mentors? Tom Martin: I grew up watching the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops on their respective PBS television programs. It’s a little shocking to me to think now that when I was 11 I loved both the music of the big band era and orchestral music so much that I had decided the only place I could do both was to be the principal clarinetist of the Boston Pops. I tell my students to be careful what they wish for because it might come true! I was fortunate to grow up in a town that had a wonderful school music program and public library. The Oshkosh (Wisconsin) Public Library had a treasure trove of recordings and musical Tom Martin performing with André Previn at the piano scores to peruse. There was also a wonderful

30 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 program on Wisconsin Public Radio called “Jazz Classics” A few weeks later he called on the telephone and asked if I which was hosted by Ken Ohst. It was from Mr. Ohst’s could join his big band. A few weeks after that I got a call from program that I was introduced to jazz from its beginnings another band leader in town asking if I could be the reed player to the late swing era. I got to hear recordings of all the great in his trio. My father drove me to the local musicians’ union clarinetists from the early beginnings of recorded jazz. and I joined. At one point I was playing in two big bands and My middle school band director, Robert Boisen, was my one trio… oh… and going to school too! It was in the trio that first clarinet teacher. He also taught me music composition and I eventually began to play the flute. But my flute playing was introduced me to the great works of orchestral music and jazz. always a very weak third to my clarinet and saxophone. I’d have This continued in high school with my band director, Peter to warm up with long tones for an hour before I could get even Schmalz. He also taught music history and theory to any of us a sound – acceptable or not! that wanted to learn. Benny Goodman was the first jazz clarinet sound I ever It was also at this time that I was watching a wonderful heard. By the time I listened to “King and Me” I had already program on the television: “Previn and the Pittsburgh.” Such transcribed many of his solos from the 1930s big band, trio a great program! André Previn was a musician that I first and quartet recordings. The Happy Session is a leaner heard on an album of Benny Goodman’s called Happy Session. clarinet tone compared to what Goodman was sounding like There is a tune on it called “King and Me” written, arranged in the heyday of the big band era. I delved into any sort of and performed by Mr. Previn. It was so exciting to watch book or article I could find to figure out what he was doing the program … to see and hear the orchestra and know that at the time of this album, clarinet equipment-wise. I read that the brilliant conductor of the orchestra was also a brilliant Benny Goodman had studied with Reginald Kell in the late composer, pianist and jazz musician! 1940s into the 1950s. By the time this album was recorded he When I was 13 a friend of our family introduced me to a had switched to double lip embouchure. My reaction? Ha – I jazz saxophonist from the area. He came to my home with his switched to double-lip too! Well, for a year or two. I used it tenor saxophone and asked me to play some songs with him. also to teach myself not to use too much jaw pressure and also A mini-jam session, I suppose. After a few tunes he asked me not to bite when articulating. It sure helped but I eventually to sit in with his combo for a set at the club they were playing went back to single-lip because I felt it was hindering my at that weekend. My parents and the friend of the family that saxophone playing (of all things!). But I think there are some introduced me to this saxophonist all came to the club to hear very fine saxophonists that use a double lip embouchure. me play. Afterwards, a gentleman approached me and asked BC: When did you first encounter Previn in the Boston Symphony? how old I was. He gave my father his business card and left. TM: I remember first playing under André Previn with the BSO at Tanglewood in 1985. Elgar’s first symphony was scheduled to be rehearsed. When he walked on stage for the first rehearsal I was totally frozen seeing him. Like seeing a movie star – that reaction. I already had such tremendous respect for him. He came to conduct and perform with the BSO many times since and I came to respect him even more as a musician’s conductor. He was happy to just hang out with musicians and talk music or most anything. The first time André and I ever had any interaction off the stage happened to be on the back deck of the music shed at Tanglewood. I happened to be at one end of the deck and from far off at the other end of the deck I heard a voice from behind say, “Oh look – it’s one of the finest clarinetists in the world.” I turned around with a surprised face and saw André sitting with his assistant both looking at me. I quickly responded “Where???” BC: What brought you to consider asking Previn for a piece? TM: In the 2002 symphony season André conducted his violin concerto with Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist. As I was learning the clarinet part to the violin concerto I was struck by how well he wrote for the clarinet. By the end of the last concert I had decided to get the courage to ask him if he would write something specifically for the clarinet. I thought not to ask for a concerto but rather a sonata – something that would be Cover of Benny Goodman’s Happy Session, inscribed to Tom Martin from performed more often. It was my small way of trying to add André Previn to the clarinet repertoire a piece that we all might have the

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 31 BSO rehearsal, Mark and I saw André having lunch in the Tanglewood cafeteria. We approached him and asked if he thought perhaps the sonata could be written in time to be performed at the 2010 Prague festival. Not only did he say yes but said he would be delighted if he could perform it there with me. Mark and I were over the moon that he would agree to do this. BC: Previn had said, “I prefer to compose for artists I know. I knew Tom’s playing and admired it. And I was really looking forward to it.” So it seems like a mutual admiration society! TM: I first received the sonata as a photocopy of the manuscript score – in C. Shortly after, I received an engraved B-flat clarinet and piano part. André and I didn’t have any communication until we met in Prague at the festival. We rehearsed almost every day for a week in preparation for the sonata’s premiere. I remember at one point asking him about articulations in some passages and he told me he wanted to leave that to me – to do whatever sounded best. In one passage in the first movement (starting at bar 27) André had indicated in the score “a little slower.” At the first reading he burned through that passage and left me in the clarinet dust of the key of B. After we finished the movement I said “I know you are the composer but you wrote ‘a little slower’ at bar 27 …” André responded, “Yes, I know. I wrote that because I wasn’t sure if I could play Sonata for Clarinet and Piano by André Previn, mm. 1-14 that passage in time, but it turns out © 2010 by G. Schirmer, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Used by Permission. I can.” I laughed and then spent most of the night in my hotel room quietly working on that passage so I could try opportunity to play and enjoy. To my would it first be performed. A few to keep up with him! surprise and delight, André agreed to years passed and then at Tanglewood, A bonus in the sonata, if I may call write a clarinet sonata. He then asked something wonderful happened. BSO it that, is the “Interlude” between the if there was anything special I would violist Mark Ludwig approached second and third (final) movement. prefer in the sonata, such as any sort me about the sonata. There was The solo clarinet presents a simple, of technical things I like. I told him an opportunity for Mark and his beautiful melody – reminiscent of a I had no special requests or technical Hawthorne String Quartet to have blues melody one might hear from limitations other than I always love a a chamber concert during the 2010 the early jazz age in New Orleans. The simple, beautiful melody. Prague Spring International Music piano quietly enters after a solo chorus After agreeing to the commission, Festival and he thought it would be by the clarinet. As the clarinet repeats the only piece of the puzzle left was great opportunity to premiere the the same melody, the piano harmonies when it would be written and where sonata as part of the program. After a become more and more complex

32 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 ICA ANNOUNCEMENT 2020 Research What’s Your Type? Competition I rely on the tried-and-true, CALL FOR PAPERS AND If it ain’t broke, high-performance With their PRESENTATIONS I don’t fix it. versatility of gorgeous tone, Give me my the Versa. superb facility ClarinetFest® 2020 classic Dark. and incredible Reno, Nevada, USA projection, I love Coordinator: Joshua Gardner the Platinums! ([email protected]) Deadline: January 15, 2020 The ICA solicits proposals for research presentations (such as papers or lecture-recitals) on any topic related to the clarinet. Prizes: First place – $1000 USD and We Have What You Need! publication in The Clarinet journal Second place – $500 USD DARK & VERSA PLATINUM & Eb • Bb • Alto • Bass PLATINUM GOLD Visit www.clarinet.org Contra Alto / Bass Eb • Bb • Bass for full competition rules and application details. PATENT. SEE WEBSITE. www.rovnerproducts.com

ICA ANNOUNCEMENT Call for Honorary Membership Nominees

In accordance with the International Clarinet Association by-laws (Article V, Section 6), a special category of Honorary Membership has been created for persons of “unusual distinction.” The International Clarinet Association board of directors invites the general membership to nominate living individuals for Honorary Memberships from the areas of professional service, teaching, performance and/or lifetime achievements. Nominators should include a brief biographical sketch of the candidate along with further information as specified below. There is a limit of one nomination per person. Nominations must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2019, and sent to:

Christopher Nichols Secretary, International Clarinet Association 368 Lake Dr. Smyrna, DE 19977 Email: [email protected]

Nominations for Honorary Memberships should include: 1. Printed name of the nominator 4. Nominee’s address, phone and email address 2. Nominator’s address, phone and email address 5. Biographical sketch of nominee 3. Name of nominee 6. Supporting documentation of nominee’s qualifications

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 33 Piano Quartet in E-flatwith André and members of the Hawthorne Quartet, Mozart’s Quintet for Clarinet and Strings and Elliott Carter’s Gra for solo clarinet. A week later André conducted the Czech Philharmonic in a concert of his own Diversions for orchestra, Dvořák’s 7th Symphony and Copland’s Clarinet Concerto with yours truly as soloist. It was during dinner after the chamber music performance that Mark Ludwig offhandedly remarked to André, “Now that you have written a clarinet sonata for Tom, why don’t you write a for Tom and the Hawthorne Quartet?” André thought for a split second and then said “Sure, I’ll do that.” Once again, Mark Ludwig and I were over the moon. BC: How is this quintet related musically to the Sonata? TM: The Quintet was commissioned by the Terezin Music Foundation as a living memorial to the composers and musicians of the Terezin concentration camp who perished during the Holocaust. It was given its premiere on Nov. 14, 2011, in Symphony Hall, Boston, at a Terezin Music Foundation gala. It is particularly appropriate that Previn write a such a work, with his Jewish family escaping in 1938 from Germany to Paris and then to Los Angeles in 1940. Like the Sonata, the clarinet writing is “athletic” from a technical standpoint, and melodically satisfying. Both the sonata and the quintet have Clarinet Quintet by André Previn, mm. 1-13 moments of humor, dry wit, sadness © 2011 by G. Schirmer, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Used by Permission. and nostalgia. The second movement of the quintet sets a very touching, melancholy tone and requires complete and then slowly return to the simple technique at the piano he possessed! He control of legato, particularly in the harmony that the piano entered with. was fearless, ferocious and also the upper registers of the clarinet. The It was an incredible experience most sensitive pianist I have ever string quartet must manage some to spend all those days with André played with. And André had such an difficult harmonies and rhythmic twists rehearsing, having lunch or dinner incredible intellect and wit … and he and turns throughout the piece. The together, and talking about music. was a sweet, sweet person. outer movements are full of fun for all He had worked with so many great As it happened, the Prague Spring players. I find that the last movement musicians in his career – Billie International Music Festival of 2010 of the quintet in particular reveals Holiday and Charlie Parker among featured André Previn as composer, André Previn’s delightful wit. them! André himself was of course an performer and conductor. We My purpose in commissioning incredible musician, pianist, conductor performed his newly written sonata on André Previn was so that all of us in and composer. What a sound and a chamber concert, along with Mozart’s the clarinet world could have a piece by

34 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 ICA ANNOUNCEMENT 2020 Orchestral Audition Competition Coordinator: Todd Waldecker – [email protected] Eligibility: The competition is open to clarinetists of all ages who are not employed full-time as salaried members of a professional symphony orchestra. Deadline: March 31, 2020

Repertoire (visit www.clarinet.org for specific audition requirements):

Solo: Mozart: Concerto, K. 622, Movement I, exposition only – unaccompanied First Clarinet Excerpts: • Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 – Mvt. I, mm. 418-438 and 474-492; • Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 – Mvt. III, Beginning to (47) Mvt. II, mm. 68-77; Mvt. III, mm. 114-133 • Ravel: Daphnis and Chloé Suite No. 2 – Beginning to three measures • Brahms: Symphony No. 3 – Mvt. I, mm. 36-46; Mvt. II, after (157); three measures after (212) to end beginning to (B) • Respighi: Pines of Rome – Mvt. III, one measure before (13) • Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream – Scherzo; until (15) beginning to (B) • Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherezade – Mvt. II, cadenzas from (F) to (G); • Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf – rehearsal (20) (Nervoso) until (21) Mvt. III, opening until (A); Mvt. IV, (I) to (K)

Prizes: First Prize – $1000 USD and a Chedeville mouthpiece Second Prize – $500 USD and a Chedeville mouthpiece Visit www.clarinet.org for full competition rules and application details.

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 35 him to play. I am so thankful to André symphonic or chamber music. I make The CD says “Previn plays Previn.” for writing a sonata for us. A special my reeds mostly or, when I’m in a “reed Perhaps “Martin plays Previn” is more true! debt of gratitude goes to Mark Ludwig funk,” will sometimes play commercial Bravo! v for having the chutzpah to then ask reeds that I’ve adjusted. As far as reed for a quintet, to Carol and Joseph making goes, I’ve tried several different ABOUT THE WRITER Reich for their support and generosity reed making machines over the years Bruce Creditor has in the commissioning of the quintet, with limited success but in the end enjoyed a diverse and to the Terezín Music Foundation I always feel the reeds I’ve made just career in music for its role in bringing these two pieces using a reed knife and sandpaper including performance to light. always feel best to me. I can’t say they (the Naumburg BC: Changing to a subject often asked: are any better than a good commercial Award-winning Do you have any advice regarding reed. They simply feel more familiar to Emmanuel Wind mouthpiece and reed setup? play and usually last a bit longer. The Quintet, etc.), music TM: Someone once asked me what setup downside to making one’s own reeds is publishing, record I use when I perform the Artie Shaw when they aren’t working properly you producer, music Clarinet Concerto. I had never thought have only yourself to blame! librarian and orchestra management as about using any different setup from assistant personnel manager of the Boston * * * * * what I use in the Boston Symphony Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras. or Pops when I play that concerto, Reviews of the Sonata and Clarinet other than a slightly shorter barrel to Quintet appeared in previous issues of The compensate for the vibrato and sheer Clarinet: the printed music in Volume volume you have to attain to be heard 42/3 (June 2015) and the CD in Volume Don’t miss an issue of The Clarinet! over a brass section. The rest of my 44/4 (September 2017). The CD is Renew your membership clarinet, my mouthpiece, ligature and available from www.terezinmusic.org online at www.clarinet.org reed all remain the same, be it jazz or (TMF-161031).

ICA ANNOUNCEMENT Call for Proposals – ClarinetFest® 2020

ClarinetFest® 2020 will take place in Reno/Lake Tahoe Nevada, USA, June 24-28. The Artistic Leadership Team – Leslie Moreau, Joshua Anderson, Karl Busch, Shawn Copeland, F. Gerard Errante, and D. Gause – looks forward to presenting a memorable and exciting conference in the Western region of the United States. ClarinetFest® 2020 will be held at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, a Four Diamond AAA property. A free round-trip shuttle service will be available to take conference attendees directly from the Reno International Airport to the Peppermill Resort. For those traveling by car, the Peppermill has provided free parking (valet or self-park) with your hotel room reservation. The conference will feature performances by the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra as well as emerging and established artists in solo and ensemble settings. The conference site will provide ample space for events and exhibits all in one convenient central location. The Peppermill is offering ClarinetFest® attendees several different price points for onsite lodging ranging from $109-$179 per night; there are nearby hotels to choose from as well. Additionally, the conference site has 16 restaurants on the property, some open 24/7. The city of Reno offers world-class entertainment and dining options within the city, and is just a 30-minute drive to the beautiful Lake Tahoe resort area. International Clarinet Association members are invited to submit performance and presentation proposals for ClarinetFest® 2020. The committee seeks to have a wide selection of diverse performances and presentations, and in particular would like to encourage participation from members in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Australia and Asia. The maximum time allotted for any performance or presentation is 25 minutes. Please do not request more than 25 minutes or your proposal will not be considered. Performing in an evening concert is by invitation only. Evening concert performers are invited by the ICA and often in consultation with ClarinetFest® sponsors. Please submit proposals through the Acceptd portal found at www.clarinet.org under the ClarinetFest® 2020 page. The deadline for applications is September 15, 2019. Please note there is a $20 application fee to submit a proposal. General questions can be sent to [email protected].

36 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 Keiser Southern Music R MUSIC Clarinet Publications KEISERSOUTHERNMUSIC.COM Charles Neidich BRAHMS - TWO SONATAS, Op. 120 21st Century Series NEW URTEXT EDITION - THE FIRST BASED ON BRAHMS’ MANUSCRIPTS This edition of the Sonatas Op. 120 for Clarinet and Piano is unique in that it is the first and only one based on a thorough study of Brahms’ working manuscripts, which the composer generally destroyed. These, however, he gave to his great friend, the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeldt. They include both the piano scores plus the clarinet parts written for Mühlfeldt. They not only clear up problems of where Brahms placed dynamics and expression marks, they resolve questions of misprints which have remained to this day in every edition since Simrock first published them in 1895. HL00298301 ALSO AVAILABLE CAVALLINI 30 Caprices for Clarinet “the only edition with audio”*...... 42367 GERSHWIN Three Preludes for Clarinet and Piano ...... 144422 JEANJEAN 18 Etudes for Clarinet*...... 42385 MOZART Concerto in A Major KV. 622...... 172779 ROSSINI Introduction, Theme and Variations...... 111949 WEBER Concertino for Clarinet and Piano ...... 111948 *includes audio

Paula Corley SOUTHERN MUSIC INTRODUCES TWO OUTSTANDING NEW EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATIONS ICA Pedagogy Chair SO YOU WANT TO PLAY THE CLARINET So You Want to Play the Clarinet is a carefully sequenced book for beginner clarinetists that emphasizes good tone quality and phrasing. The range is moderate, from the lowest E to third line B-flat. Rhythms and basic techniques needed for first semester performance are included. For the best result, follow the lessons in order. With regular practice, you can teach yourself to play. Visit clarinetcity.com to find articles, videos, and helpful information that is free to download. HL00298849 THE BREAK Crossing the ‘break’ can be a source of frustration for developing clarinetists. The Break is a logical guide for mastering this important step in clarinet performance. Part 1 of the method covers the clarinet overtone series and how new note names attach to previously learned fingerings, the ‘right hand down’ technique, first scales across the break and melodies in the clarion register. Part 2 contains Rhythmical Articulation Studies by Pasquale Bona, selected and edited for clarinet. These combined studies and exercises provide the ideal means to develop smooth connections between the lower and middle registers of the clarinet. HL00298118

Richard Stoltzman BACH SONATA No. 2 in D MAJOR 21st Century Series for da gamba and keyboard NEW FIRST-EVER PUBLICATION FOR CLARINET OF THIS MASTERPIECE Bach’s Sonata for Viola da gamba and Harpsichord, BWV 1028, would later be incorporated into one of the composer’s greatest masterpieces, the St. Matthew’s Passion. This new transcription by Richard Stoltzman, edited for Clarinet in A, was inspired by collaborations with two legendary pianists - Keith Jarrett and Yehudi Wyner. This publication’s clarinet part contains Stoltzman’s performance suggestions and interpretive markings, set off in a light grey as to not alter the original. HL000262903

ALSO AVAILABLE BACH Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet Duo* ...... 42681 BRAHMS Intermezzo, Op. 118 No. 2 for Clarinet and Piano*...... 42682 FOSS Elegy for Clarinet and Piano...... 144421 HARTKE Concerto for Clarinet: Landscape with Blues (solo/piano reduction) ...... 127805 SCHUBERT Sonatines 1 & 2, Op. 137 for Clarinet and Piano...... 42593 *includes audio

ORDER TODAY from any retailer or at HALLEONARD.COM Visit our website: KEISERSOUTHERNMUSIC.COM Air Travel with a Bass Clarinet What Today’s Bass Clarinetist Needs to Know by Tod Kerstetter and Josh Ng

s the popularity of the bass clarinet continues the small Embraer 145 (Canadian regional jet) to grow, more and more clarinetists will begin that is used to fly into my hometown airport in to experience the issues presented by air travel Manhattan, Kansas. But what popped into my mind with this larger instrument. Although players was to try to suggest alternatives rather than simply Aof large instruments such as horn or pitching a huge tantrum. I first asked if I could routinely face this issue, many soprano clarinetists “gate check” the case, but apparently that is just not have never had to deal with the anxiety of having a common alternative in Europe. I then requested to find a spot to stow a large case. On the other to reclaim the bag at London Heathrow, knowing hand, many longtime bass clarinetists can give a that I’d likely have a very good chance to get it on litany of stories involving hassles with airline staff the huge Airbus A380 that would be flying me from over not wanting to send their instruments into the London to Chicago. The agent surprisingly allowed checked luggage part of the plane. After presenting this option, and here is where some luck came into personal stories about traveling with bass clarinets my story: she then tagged my case as “fragile” and to ClarinetFest® 2018 in Belgium, we will discuss told me to take it to a different, special conveyor current U.S. Department of Transportation policy belt specifically for fragile cargo. I then walked away and regulations of various non-U.S. carriers, with from the desk. practical suggestions for clarinetists. Somewhat in shock at this turn of events, I TOD KERSTETTER: There was no one in line at opened my case and added some T-shirts that the British Airways check-in desk at the Brussels I had in my other carry-on bag to cushion my Airport, so I knew things were likely too good to be instruments. In addition to my Buffet Prestige true. The gate agent requested to take a look at my low-C bass, I was also carrying my Rossi B-flat hand luggage, and after talking to her supervisor clarinet. At this point, a simple and rather rebellious on the phone, simply declared that I would have to idea popped into my head. What if I simply check my bass clarinet case rather than carry it on. removed the tag (well out of sight of the gate agent, The problem was that my Wiseman Model A bass of course!), and conveniently just walked it through clarinet case, which measures 34-by-8-by-8 inches, security as I normally would? I figured that the was slightly too long for British Airways’ official worst-case scenario would be having to check it at specifications for hand luggage (31-by-11-by-10). the gate or from inside the plane. But I reckoned At the time, I was stunned. This case was that my chances were pretty good – as an American specifically designed to fit in the overhead bin of Airlines credit card holder, I would likely get on the every commercial plane I have ever flown, including plane early enough to avoid problems.

Wiseman Model A bass clarinet case in the overhead bin of the small Embraer 145 Canadian regional jet (American Airlines)

38 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 the temperature outside an airplane at cruising altitude is normally around -60º F (-51º C). However, this does not mean that the temperature of the cargo hold will drop even close to this number. Websites that discuss the transportation of wine by serious collectors cite the actual temperature of the average cargo hold to be between 40º and 50º F (4- Wiseman Model A bass clarinet case in the overhead bin of the Airbus A321 airplane (American Airlines) 10º C). From responses on websites by experienced pilots, it appears that there are different settings for the temperature of different sections of the cargo hold. It As I had anticipated, I had no problem my instrument in, but I resisted. He then seems clear that while the temperature getting the case securely stored on the asked me a question I was uncomfortable may vary depending on the exact location London to Chicago flight, nor on the to answer: what was the value of my bass of your item (and could still cause your Chicago to Manhattan, Kansas flight – a clarinet? Seeing this as the only way out, instrument to crack), it won’t drop below 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145, by far the I told him I got it for $10,000 AUD (at freezing. A factor worth researching is smallest plane that I flew on the entire the time, approximately $7,450 USD, whether your airplane will be transporting trip. In hindsight, it is not surprising that which was the price when I bought it pets or other live cargo. If so, the pilot will there was no problem getting the case secondhand.) Upon hearing this, the select a significantly higher heat setting through security and stowing it in the supervisor finally relented, but he told me for this part of the cargo hold. Some have overhead bin on the Brussels to London if there was no space in the overheads, I reported successfully requesting that their plane. But my heart was racing the whole would have to comply with the rules and instruments be held alongside pets. time, wondering what sort of repair bill I check it in. Regardless, it seems that the greatest would rack up for my instruments. I went to the boarding gate as early as I concern is the handling of the instrument could and managed to board the plane (a as baggage between the terminal and the JOSH NG: It was my turn to check in Boeing 777) early enough to secure a place airplane. Baggage handling at an airport is with Emirates at Adelaide Airport in for my bass in the overhead compartment the subject of many jokes as well as that of Australia. My heart thumped as I slowly above me. But what left me flabbergasted many travel horror stories. Josh reported walked to the Emirates check-in desk. was that my case occupied only about 60 that on a recent flight on Cathay Pacific I was well aware that the Australian percent of the overhead space! It was mostly he was forced to check his bass clarinet carry-on weight restrictions are 7 kg, and a weight issue. Still during the entire 22- but was assured that it would be treated I knew for sure that my Buffet Prestige hour, two-flight journey (Adelaide-Dubai, as a fragile item – sent to the airplane low-C bass clarinet in its Wiseman Model Dubai-Brussels), I was on the edge of my A case would exceed that limit, but since seat most of the time in case something via a separate conveyor belt. However, I was planning to play the bass clarinet at happened – fortunately, nothing did. the ground crew in Hong Kong did not ClarinetFest® 2018, I decided to take the This experience left me perplexed at how take note of the “fragile” tag and put the plunge. In order to shed the weight, I had hard it is to fly with a bass clarinet under instrument in the same compartment with left my B-flat clarinet home for this trip. Australian/Emirates weight restrictions, not all other baggage. Fortunately, his case After checking in my suitcase, it was to mention adding a soprano instrument adequately protected his bass clarinet and time to weigh my bass clarinet case. It or two. Most bass clarinet cases, including it arrived undamaged. weighed 9.2 kg. The flight agent then told BAM or Wiseman (other than the carbon THE UNITED STATES 2015 me that my instrument had to be checked fiber model), weigh around 4-5 kg, and LAW FOR MUSICIANS in due to being too heavy and big. I was adding the bass clarinet itself (3.5-3.8 kg) Every bass clarinetist (or player of any immediately daunted by the prospect of they are bound to exceed 7 kg! With so my bass cracking in the unheated cargo bay many obstacles faced by us bass clarinetists large instrument) should be aware of this due to the very cold temperatures at 35,000 flying with our instruments, Tod and regulation: on March 6, 2015, the United feet. No way I was going to let that happen! I decided to do a joint research project States Department of Transportation So I calmly told the flight agent that regarding this very issue. implemented a new standardized policy it was a fragile musical instrument and it for flying with musical instruments, for would not be suitable to put in the cargo WHAT CAN DAMAGE YOUR all airlines based in the United States. bay, but he was adamant that it needed INSTRUMENT? These new rules were written for any type to be checked in. He eventually called his The temperature of the cargo hold of musician in mind, from the casual supervisor who came to the scene. The is often cited as a major reason for guitarist to the touring professional, and supervisor tried to persuade me to check danger to wood instruments, because were designed to prevent the musician

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 39 from incurring any unreasonable expenses that is already stowed in order to To summarize, U.S.-based airlines or hassles. The process of traveling with an make space for a musical instrument. must now allow instruments that are small expensive musical instrument remains a However, this also means carriers are enough to be stowed on board as carry-on dreaded uncertainty among musicians, but not allowed to require a passenger to baggage, as long as the instrument fits in this new law certainly helps. remove his or her musical instrument the overhead storage bins or under the The official document can be found at that is already safely stowed (e.g., passenger’s seat at the time of boarding. www.transportation.gov (PDF link: http:// in the overhead bin) to make room Storage is provided on a first-come, first- bit.ly/2Ywj2Rp) for carry-on baggage of other served basis – you cannot ask someone Quoting from this document: passengers who boarded the aircraft to remove a suitcase that is already in later than the passenger with the the overhead bin to make room for your Section 403 of the Act and this musical instrument. This is true even instrument. It may be worth paying final rule provide that carriers are if the space taken by the musical an extra fee for the privilege of earlier required to allow passengers to stow instrument could accommodate boarding, and you cannot be charged their musical instruments in an one or more other carry-on items. approved stowage area in the cabin Because the rule does not require any extra fees for bringing an instrument only if at the time the passenger that musical instruments be given on board as carry-on baggage beyond boards the aircraft such stowage priority over other carry-on baggage, any standard carry-on fee charged by the space is available. With the exception we encourage passengers traveling carrier. Passengers who have instruments of certain disability assistance devices, with musical instruments to take that are too large to fit in the overhead overhead bins or under seat stowage steps to board before as many other bins or under a set (for example, and space is available to all passengers passengers as possible to ensure that double basses) may store their instrument and crew members for their carry-on space will be available for them to in a separately purchased seat. baggage on a ‘‘first come, first served’’ safely stow their instruments in the basis. Accordingly, carriers are not cabin. This includes utilizing pre- AIR TRAVEL IN AUSTRALIA: THE required to remove other passengers’ boarding opportunities that some WEIGHT ISSUE or crew members’ carry-on baggage carriers offer (usually for a fee). Apart from the size issue that troubles the traveling bass clarinetist, another caveat is the combined weight of the bass clarinet and its case. Most Australian airlines and airports stipulate that the carry-on baggage must not exceed 7 kg, which most loaded bass clarinet cases (around 8-10 kg) are bound to exceed. This greatly increases the chance of being forced to check in your bass clarinet unless you manage to persuade the check-in crew to let you carry your instrument as cabin baggage. Another thing to keep in mind is that your bass clarinet will usually be counted as a part of your carry-on baggage allowance, so chances are you won’t be able to take your carry-on suitcase along. Weight limits for hand baggage are beginning to appear in the regulations for other airlines around So…What’s On Your Barrel? the world as well. David McClune Mouthpiece The only airline in Australia that has an extra baggage policy specifically for Service Professional through beginner musical instruments is Virgin Australia, but the policy only benefits members of models Exciting new custom blank and a number of Australian musician unions, model this Spring! and it is only applicable to check-in baggage, not carry-ons. Such constraints Custom refacing available of Virgin Australia’s policy effectively mcclunemouthpiece.com, [email protected] nullify its protection for the traveling bass clarinetist.

40 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 POLICIES IN THE REST OF THE case with instrument weighed 9.2 kilos; The International Federation of WORLD Tod’s weighs in at 8.6). There is, of course, Musicians website goes on to give the The policies in the rest of the world are not the option of purchasing a carbon fiber following bit of advice: case – the Wiseman Model A carbon as clear and are often quite unfavorable Irrespective of the airline’s fiber version weighs 2.25 kilos, or half for those traveling with a bass clarinet. applicable policy, an instrument The problem for bass clarinetists revolves that of the standard Model A bass clarinet case. However, this option is a rather may only be accepted in the cabin around two main issues: (1) the instrument if there is enough space available at being too large for the “official” carry-on expensive one. The International Federation of the time of boarding (either in the size limit, and (2) the instrument being too Musicians maintains a very useful website overhead lockers or under the seat heavy for airlines that have a maximum (www.fim-musicians.org/airlines-list) that in front of you). Be first in line if weight policy for carry-on items. rates policies of every airline by color: you want to maximize your chances With some airlines, the policies are a bit to keep your instrument with you. flexible. For example, Lufthansa Airlines 1 “Green” (best): Airlines complying with (based in Cologne, Germany) states the current US FAA regulation. These SUMMARY AND STRATEGIES in its policies that “should the musical companies accept musical instruments Our experiences with traveling with in the cabin, provided they fit in the instrument exceed the dimensions for our bass clarinets seem to match those overhead compartments or under carry-on baggage 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm of many of our bass clarinet colleagues. a seat, without specific size limitations. The following strategies seem to present (height + width + depth) by only a small 2 “Red” (lowest): Airlines that apply amount, it may still be possible to take it the best chances of successfully having the same size limitations to musical your expensive professional bass clarinet on board in exceptional cases, as long as it instruments as to regular cabin luggage. safely stowed in the passenger cabin of a fits into the overhead lockers.” However, 3 “Amber”: Airlines that do not comply commercial airliner. the issue of weight still remains. Lufthansa’s with the current US FAA regulation official weight limit for carry-on items but apply size limitations that are more 1 Choose your airline carefully and be is 8 kg, too little for the weight of a bass favorable than those applying to regular aware of the specific size and type clarinet in a standard case (remember Josh’s cabin luggage. of plane you will be flying and its

ICA ANNOUNCEMENT 2020 Composition Competition: Clarinet and Piano

The ICA seeks previously unperformed works for (B-flat or A) and piano, 10-15 min. in length. The deadline is December 20, 2019; the winner will BUFFET CLARINETS receive a $1000 prize and a L performance of the work at B I A ClarinetFest® 2020. G A R For details, please visit T R www.clarinet.org or U E contact Scott McAllister, R www. .com coordinator (ica.composition. Taplin Weir L E (647) 351-8181 [email protected]). S S REPAIRS • VOICING • CUSTOM WORK

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 41 available space for carry-on baggage. 5 Many musicians have reported that it assembled by Chamber Music America. It There are many travel websites with has helped to have an actual printed is available here: www.chamber-music.org/ the exact dimensions of overhead copy of the official U.S. Department pdf/Flying-with-Musical-Instruments.pdf storage bins for any type of airplane. of Transportation policy with them. We wish you happy and successful For example, Southwest Airlines flies Others have reported that it is useful to travels with your bass clarinet! v only Boeing 737 aircraft. The overhead have photographs of their instrument bin in all three versions of the 737 actually sitting in an overhead bin of ABOUT THE WRITERS that they fly will easily accommodate the type they will be using on their Tod Kerstetter serves even the stock case for a Buffet Prestige flight. As Josh mentioned, the sight as professor of clarinet low-C bass. Moreover, Southwest offers of a bass clarinet case taking up only and member of the “early bird” boarding for $15 to $25 about half of the space in the bin can resident Konza Wind (each way). If you get on the plane only help your case (pun intended)! Quintet at Kansas early, it never seems to be a problem to 6 Be prepared for the real possibility State University find a spot for your instrument. of not being able to carry on your in Manhattan, 2 If your airline has a strict policy instrument. If your airline has a strict Kansas. A graduate of regarding the weight of carry-on weight policy, then you should definitely Furman University, baggage, it can be a good idea take care to pack your instrument Indiana University and the University of to economize the weight of your securely in a well-made and highly Georgia, Tod has performed with orchestras instrument and its case in order to protective case. This may be a good time in Charleston, Evansville, Kansas City, increase the chances of you being able to mention that it is important to have Nashville, Savannah and Topeka as well as to take them on board. This can be your instrument insured! the American Wind Symphony. He enjoys done by removing things that can be 7 Finally, at the risk of stating the obvious, traveling, and has performed internationally stored in your other baggage, such as it pays to be calm and polite at all times in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, sheet music and accessories. Due the when dealing with airline personnel. Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, New 7 kg limit prevalent in Australia, Josh It also seems the “play it cool” attitude Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, now strips all the outer pouches of his works best – don’t ask unnecessary Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Wiseman case away and puts his B-flat questions, and simply act like you’ve Josh Ng was born clarinet in a separate case when he flies. done this all the time. However, upon in Hong Kong and 3 You will likely have better success with being questioned, a poised and polite is currently based in the personnel at the gate and on the demeanor can sometimes result in Adelaide, Australia. plane itself. If you can somehow get creative solutions, such as the flight He has been playing past problems at check-in, it seems attendant allowing you to stow your the clarinet since that your chances will be much better. case in a coat closet. The concern of age 12 and bass Josh’s strategy of explaining the danger a heavy instrument rolling out of an clarinet since 14. of a wooden instrument being stored overhead bin and onto an unsuspecting Josh is currently a in an unheated cargo hold seemed to passenger below is certainly a legitimate social sciences student at the University of have helped him get past the check-in one, and flight attendants are rightly Adelaide, South Australia, but maintains agent. Also, letting airline personnel concerned about this happening. a frequent schedule of musical endeavors know the cost of a professional bass However, portraying a sense of being as a performer, arranger and composer clarinet can improve one’s odds. Several willing to work with the flight attendant off-campus. Past and current major teachers bass clarinetists have also confessed to will usually pay off for you. include Michael Campbell, Lorenzo Antonio having used Tod’s strategy of simply Iosco and Eric Mandat. removing the checked baggage tag and CONCLUSION taking the instrument through security The 2015 U.S. law has made a significant and on to the boarding gate. Lastly, it difference for musicians traveling on is also worth mentioning that if there American carriers. It is our hope that are automated check-in machines at similar policies will be enacted for carriers your airport, making use of them will around the world. Until then, it seems definitely minimize the scrutiny of the that all we can do as bass clarinetists is check-in personnel! to know the policies and have a specific 4 Try to get on the plane as early as strategy in place. Visit www.clarinet.org/tco possible, even if it means paying extra One final resource available on the to read more suggestions for travel for this privilege. Even the U.S. “if it internet is a document titled “A Guide to with a bass clarinet, and comment fits, it goes” law won’t help you if all Flying with Musical Instruments,” a very with your own travel tips! the storage is already taken. thorough and well-researched document

42 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 ICA ANNOUNCEMENT With a dedicated faculty, 2020 Young Artist extraordinary performance opportunities, beautiful facilities Competition and an unparalleled education at Coordinator: one of America’s premier universities, Denise Gainey The Shepherd School of Music Richie Hawley, provides an environment for the Professor of Clarinet [email protected] musical and intellectual growth that Application Deadline: is essential to professional success. Sunday, April 1, 2020. Dean, The Shepherd School of Music Robert Yekovich Repertoire: • Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622, Mvt. I, Allegro – Wolfgang Amadeus Woodwind Faculty Mozart (Bärenreiter) Flute Clarinet Leone Buyse Richie Hawley • Gryphon for Solo Clarinet –Theresa Oboe Bassoon Martin (Potenza Music) Robert Atherholt Benjamin Kamins • Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (all) – Music of School The Shepherd Carlos Guastavino (Melos Musik) Prizes: First prize – $2500 USD and a professional clarinet to be announced Second prize – $1000 USD Third prize – $500 USD Visit www.clarinet.org for full competition rules and application details. The Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, Houston, TX, music.rice.edu

ICA ANNOUNCEMENT 2020 Research Competition CALL FOR PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS ClarinetFest® 2020 Reno, Nevada, USA Coordinator: Joshua Gardner ([email protected]) Deadline: January 15, 2020 The ICA solicits proposals for research presentations (such as papers or lecture-recitals) on any topic related to the clarinet. Prizes: First place – $1000 USD and publication in The Clarinet journal Second place – $500 USD Visit www.clarinet.org for full competition rules and application details.

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 43 TheCaroline First Female Schleicher-Krähmer Clarinet Soloist by Nicola Buckenmaier

“This artist delivered, supported by the Musikverein, a performance in which she fully demonstrated her abilities on the clarinet, the violin, and the piano and did leave no doubt that the first of these instruments is fully under her control, she masters great difficulties with even greater nonchalance, her sound is seldom outperformed; one believes to hear a harmonica of pure mood, and her level of piano will be rarely reached.”1

his is how a critic described the public concert of Caroline Schleicher on March 17, 1821, in Speyer, Germany. It was the prelude to a concert tour that would last several months and take her as far as Vienna and to the imperial court. Nearly all of these aspects are exceptional: A womanT that traveled all by herself around 200 years ago, performing publicly as an instrumentalist without being perceived as improper, mastering three instruments on a professional level of which two were considered completely inappropriate for women – the violin and the clarinet. The fact that Caroline Schleicher’s concert in Speyer and her multiple other concerts were discussed by the Sammlung Fotoarchiv Graphische und Zürich, Zentralbibliothek general public was rather unusual for this time. Caroline Schleicher was born on December 17, 1794, in a small town in southern Germany called Stockach. The daughter of the professional bassoonist Franz Joseph Schleicher (1767–1819) and the Swiss musician Josepha Strassburger (1767–1826), she was baptized on the same day with the name Maria Carolina. She was the sixth child of 13, seven girls and six boys. All children were given to a foster family once they were 3 months old. This enabled the Schleicher couple to go on concert tours together. Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer, Zurich Only three of the children survived their infancy: Caroline’s older sister Cordula (1788–1820), Caroline herself, and a younger sister called Sophie (1796–1825). All three children received certainly a fortunate coincidence that Caroline their first lessons in violin and singing from their and her sisters had the privilege of being raised mother when they were 5 years old. Josepha herself in such a music-oriented family as there was no originated from a very musical family. Besides formal education at that time – particularly not for singing she also mastered the violin and the clarinet. female musicians. The numerous musicians in the Later, at the age of 7, all three daughters were taught professional and private environment of the family the piano and at the age of 9, the clarinet. also had a great influence on all three girls. For While Napoleon covered all of Europe with example, when Franz Joseph accepted employment wars, Franz Joseph Schleicher was employed as as a chamber musician of the king of Wuerttemberg, Regimentskapellmeister (regimental music director) in his daughters received lessons in violin from one of the garrison town of Ellwangen, Germany. Caroline his orchestra colleagues. received her first piano lessons at the age of 7 from A permanent appointment at court provided a the Chorregent (choirmaster) Melchior Dreyer certain regular income, but limited one’s personal (1747–1824)2 and about two years later began the freedom. To go on lucrative concert tours, the long-desired clarinet classes with her father. It was approval of a leave request was required. As those

44 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 requests were frequently rejected, Franz be permanently employed by the Zurich In another letter of recommendation to Joseph Schleicher preferred shorter Musical Society. his publisher Johann Anton André (1775– engagements at different courts and, similar After Franz Joseph’s contract was not 1842) dated from June 1822, Danzi calls to Leopold Mozart before him, diligently renewed, he traveled on to Baden and Caroline Schleicher explicitly his student: taught his children in music so they could Aarau, Switzerland, where he accepted My student, Miss Karoline go on concert tours all together. In 1804, a new assignment together with his two Schleicher highly praised the warm Franz Joseph Schleicher finally sold his younger daughters Caroline and Sophie. welcome which she had received with house in Stockach and traveled with his The departure of Cordula proved to be you, and renewed my wish to also family to Tyrol in 1805. The family’s problematic for the existing trio. As a meet your highness again after 15 intention to continue their journey to consequence, Caroline took over the first years. The Potpourri for violin from Italy was thwarted by the Third Coalition voice of the trio, and the responsibility for my list, is the same, that my student War against Napoleon. The “Musikalische performed in several locations with Kleeblatt” (“Musical Trefoil”), featuring the second voice fell on the only 12-year- applause during her travel.9 Franz Joseph, Cordula and Caroline, old Sophie. The following years must have traveled to Switzerland instead. There Franz been formative for Caroline and especially The mentioned piece is the Potpourri Joseph and Cordula were employed in both meaningful for her practical professional for violin with orchestra, wind musical societies in Zurich. experience. She stepped out of the shadow instruments ad libitum.10 During this time the oldest of her older sister and gathered experiences Caroline Schleicher’s first tour as a daughter Cordula liberated herself both as soloist, orchestral musician, music soloist led her to numerous German professionally and privately: In August director, copyist and teacher. During cities, such as Speyer, Landau, Mannheim, 1808 Cordula placed an advertisement the summer months, the trio traveled Darmstadt, Offenbach, Wuerzburg, in the Zürcherische Wochenblatt (Zurich through Switzerland and gave concerts at Augsburg, Munich, Passau, as far as Linz Weekly) offering lessons in clarinet, violin, numerous courts in Germany. The family in Austria, and eventually to Vienna. She 11 piano and guitar as well as singing.3 only settled down again around 1814 arrived in Vienna on February 10, 1822, December 1808 marked the beginning when Franz Joseph’s health was declining. and only a few days later on February 16 of a dispute between father and daughter: she performed in the Theater an der Wien The family chose Pforzheim, Germany, 12 Franz Joseph Schleicher demanded from where Franz Joseph was offered the lead of in between two acts of a ballet. This was one of the Zurich musical societies that the municipal music organization. When followed by a dedicated concert in a hall of the Musikvereinsgesellschaft (Musical he, as the family head, should be paid he could no longer fulfill his duties, it the full remuneration, including his Society of Vienna) on February 27,13 was Caroline who filled in for him until daughter’s share. She instead demanded and a concert in the Kärtnerthor Theater his death in January 1819. Eventually, 14 to receive her compensation separately. on March 4. Eventually she gave a The Musical Society decided to pay out she handed over the position to her concert for the royal family at the Wiener Cordula’s share separately and to remain brother-in-law Friedrich Ostikkenberg, Hofburg (Vienna Imperial Palace) on neutral in the family dispute.4 Shortly the second husband of Cordula. He had March 25, 1822.15 afterwards followed the private detachment been a student of Louis Spohr and played To organize her own concert in Vienna, of Cordula from her father. On April 11, together with Cordula in the Zurich Caroline Schleicher approached Franz 1809, she married, against her father’s will, Musical Society. Xaver Mozart (1791–1844) who resided Ernst Gottlieb Metzger, a goldsmith from Caroline relocated from Pforzheim to in Vienna at that time. He referred her Pforzheim, Germany.5 In the reformed the nearby residential city of Karlsruhe. to Johann Ernst Krähmer, imperial- City of Zurich the last Catholic Mass This was the beginning of a new period royal oboist at court and renowned dated back to April 1525, exactly 284 years in her life: Caroline’s independence. For csakan virtuoso (the csakan was a type of ago. Practicing the Catholic religion was the first time in her life she did not have popular in Vienna only permitted again in 1807. Cordula’s to show consideration for her family, in the early 19th century). At this first marriage was the first Catholic wedding but could fully focus on her career. She encounter there was no “love at first sight,” ceremony in Zurich in almost 300 years. prepared diligently for her first tour as at least not from Caroline’s side. Within Cordula’s appointment as permanent a soloist, taking lessons in composition a short time, however, they developed a musician at the Zurich Musical Society with (1763–1826) and on mutual affection – Caroline did not only was renewed in the same year, 1809, the violin with Friedrich Ernst Fesca find professional musical support in Ernst Krähmer, but also her partner for life. while that of her father was terminated. In (1789–1826). She also taught students the following years, Cordula established Only half a year after this first encounter, in piano, guitar, singing and clarinet, and herself as a professional clarinet player the couple married on September 19, and performed multiple times as soloist, gave various concerts. Danzi supported 1822, in the Vienna Stephansdom (St. for example with the clarinet concertos her plan to travel to Vienna, proven by a Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna). As witnesses of Crusell, Goepfer and Krommer.6 On letter of recommendation from October present were Franz Xaver Mozart and November 16, 1813, she performed 1821 that was likely addressed to Ignaz August Mittag, imperial-royal bassoonist “Parto, parto” from La Clemenza de Ritter von Seyfried (1776–1841).7 He and long-time friend of Ernst Krähmer.16 Tito with Aloysia Lange (1759–1839), a had been a student of Mozart, Koželuch, In the following years, the couple went famous singer and Mozart’s sister-in-law. Albrechtsberger and von Winter, and on numerous concert tours in the Austrian Until Cordula left Zurich in 1814 she was director, conductor and principal crownlands, Germany, Switzerland, and was the only female instrumentalist to composer at the Theater an der Wien.8 even as far as Kiev (Russia). Also there is

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 45 evidence of an annual concert in Vienna, Despite adverse conditions, Caroline Caroline strived for an international career documented by the critic Eduard Hanslick continued to perform in public until the as solo clarinet player. v in the following way: “[The couple age of 62. Even then she impressed the Krähmer] was in its versatility odd enough; audience, as stated by the critic of the ENDNOTES Ernst Krähmer played the oboe and the Augsburger Anzeigenblatt in 1856: 1 Deutsche Biographie: www.deutsche-biographie. czakan, his wife (née Schleicher) played de/sfz11872.html, (April 23, 2019). The concert of the famous 2 Zürcherisches Wochen-Blatt, No. 62 (August 4 and the violin and clarinet; they were persistent 17 Viennese clarinet player Mrs. 8, 1808). annual concert-giving musicians.” 3 Zentralbibliothek Zürich, AMG Archiv, Sign.: IV From the beginning the couple had Karoline Krähmer, which took place on May 20 of this month in the A1, A1, p. 582. developed its own performance scheme: 4 Stadtarchiv Zürich, Eheregister der katholischen Whenever possible they performed Pompeian Hall of the Drei Mohren Gemeinde Zürich 1809–1863, Sign.: VIII C.118, together and both Ernst and Caroline for a distinguished audience, offered Vol. 1. played two solo instruments each. While initially by the perfect play of this 5 see Zentralbibliothek Zürich, Concert Protokoll Ernst performed with the oboe and the master, high enjoyment of art. The der Allgemeinen Musikgesellschaft Zürich von 1811–1830. csakan, Caroline played the clarinet and phantasy of her motives from The Prophet, later the Potpourri were 6 Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, violin. Ernst Krähmer was not only one Empfehlungsschreiben Franz Danzi, (October 12, of the most renowned csakan players played by Mrs. Krähmer with rare 1821), Sign.: Autogr. 51/13-2 and Pechstaedt, but also composed csakan methods and virtuosy and exceptional softness Volkmar: Franz Danzi. Briefwechsel (1785– compositions for this then-modern of the tone on the clarinet and 1826), (Schneider 1997), p. 203. instrument. Many of those are still in use cheering applause followed these 7 see Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (MGG), today (for recorder). accomplishments.20 Vol. 15, col. 653. 8 Pechstaedt, Volkmar: Franz Danzi. p. 207. Caroline Schleicher already had a Research has revealed that Caroline 9 Pechstaedt, Volkmar: Franz Danzi. p. 209. well-developed network prior to the Schleicher-Krähmer died in Vienna in 10 Wiener Zeitung, (February 13, 1822). marriage with Ernst Krähmer. Together, April 1873 at the age of 79. Two of her 11 Leipziger Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung (AMZ), however, the couple quickly advanced to sons, Ernst and Emil, also went on to XXIV, No. 14, col. 226. be an integral part of the Viennese and become professional musicians. While 12 Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien, international musical scene of those years. Programmzettel, (February 27, 1821). Emil had an appointment as cellist at the 13 AMZ, XXIV, No. 19, col. 305. There is evidence of personal relationships Theater Wiesbaden (Germany), Ernst and acquaintances with instrument 14 Staatsbibliothek Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz, was initially working as a cellist in Graz Programmzettel, (March 25,1822), Sign.: M. makers like the piano builder Conrad (Austria), and later also as a composer and 1936.789. Graf (1782–1851) and the woodwind music director. Eventually, he taught at a 15 St. Stephan Wien, Trauungsbuch 1821–1823, instrument makers Johann Ziegler high school in Munich (Germany), where Sign.: 02-085a. (1794/95–1858) in Vienna and Franz he died in 1913. 16 Österreichische Revue, Vol. 5, p. 172. 17 Marianne Betz: Ernst Krähmer. Porträt eines Schoellnast (1775–1844) in Presburg/ Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer was Bratislava.18 The couple counted among Musikers. In: Travers & Controvers, (Moeck considered an exceptional talent from their friends composers such as Danzi, Verlag 1992), p. 128. her early youth. The clarinet was always Meine Beethoven, Franz Xaver Mozart, Johann 18 Ebner-Eschenbach, Marie von: her favorite instrument; she made Kinderjahre. In: Autobiographische Schriften I, Georg Naegeli in Zurich and musicians rapid progress and soon mastered it in ed. by Christa Maria Schmidt, Max Niemeyer, like Henriette Sontag. (Tübingen, 1989), pp. 39. Unlike most female musicians of an outstanding way. She possessed an excellent technique. In particular her 19 Augsburger Anzeigenblatt, (May 24, 1856). this time, Caroline did not allow her 20 Neue Speyerer Zeitung, No. 36 (March 24, 1821). marriage to put an end to her career. She warm tone and the ability to fade a tone continued to perform in public and went from and to silence, is highlighted in on concert tours, even though she gave almost all reviews. She was compared to ABOUT THE WRITER birth to 10 children during her 15 years the male clarinet players of her time, such Dr. Nicola of marriage. On January 16, 1837, when as Hermstedt and Baermann. Buckenmaier Ernst Krähmer died at the age of only 42, Furthermore, she also mastered the studied instrumental Caroline remained behind with five young violin and piano on a professional level education for clarinet children. The youngest child, Emil, was and played the guitar. In those days it and piano at the then only 4 years old. was typical for musicians to play several University of Music Due to this personal emergency instruments. It was, however, unusual and Performing situation, Caroline reduced her public that a woman mastered such a multitude Arts Vienna where appearances and concert tours. Probably of instruments on such a high level. she also completed she was forced to intensify her teaching She was a composer, copyist and music her Ph.D. studies activities which left her with little director, went on concert tours against in music sociology. For the past 14 years, opportunity for her own practice. Besides all social conventions, and performed in her research has centered around the life her own children, Caroline also gave public with two instruments that were and work of Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer. piano lessons to children of aristocratic considered inappropriate for women. At the moment, Nicola is writing the families, including Marie von Ebner- Caroline was not the first woman working first comprehensive biography about this Eschenbach, a famous author who as a professional musician. Her older extraordinary woman of the 19th century. mentioned her strict piano teacher in her sister Cordula also played the clarinet on For more information and updates on this Kindheitserinnerungen.19 the highest level. But in contrast to her, project, visit www.carolineschleicher.com.

46 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 music.asu.edu

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Copyright © Arizona Board of Regents. All rights reserved. 0919 INTERVIEW MARTIN FRÖST A Conversation by Erin Vander Wyst with a Legend

hat is it, exactly, that elevates one to BBC Orchestra (U.K.), the Helsinki Philharmonic the status of “legend” in the clarinet (Finland), the Frankfurt Radio Symphony world? Is it playing concerti with the (Germany) and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chamber (Minnesota, USA). In the midst of this hectic Orchestra of Europe, the Royal Concertgebouw, recording and performance schedule, Fröst still finds the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the National time to give back to the younger generation through Symphony Orchestra and so many others? Is his Fröst Foundation. Wit having released more than a dozen , How did Fröst leap from small-town student including one that has sold more than 200,000 to conservatory concerto soloist, and onward to copies? How about performing as both soloist and internationally renowned recording artist and in- conductor simultaneously? Maybe it is championing demand solo performer? He was gracious enough to new music and new techniques for clarinet spend a few hours of an October morning to share performance – like the addition of choreography insights on his career, practicing and collaboration and costumes to concerti? Or maybe, just maybe, it with other musicians worldwide. is giving back to the next generation of musicians. If any one of these traits can elevate a clarinetist EARLIEST STUDIES to “legendary” status, then Martin Fröst certainly ERIN VANDER WYST: Who were your first clarinet qualifies – in every category. teachers? Born in 1970, Fröst first started out playing the MARTIN FRÖST: I grew up in the north part of violin at the age of 5. His switch to the clarinet Sweden, in a small town called Sollefteå ans came after hearing a recording of Jack Brymer Sundsvall. The tradition in those days was that playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto. It was during wind music was connected with military music, his studies at the Royal Conservatory that Fröst so it was a clarinet player who was playing with performed this very concerto – his first concerto the military up there. It was quite a good start performance – with the Royal Academy of Music for me, actually. Orchestra at the age of 17. Just a few years later, at the age of 24, Fröst released his first recordings. He EVW: Do you remember anything particularly was featured on a compilation album of Penderecki’s valuable that you learned from this teacher? works, performing the Quartet for Clarinet and MF: From the first teacher, I learned the clarinet String Trio, and his first solo album French Beauties basics, of course, but I remember he introduced & Swedish Beasts included such standards as the me to all the standard music – immediately. As Debussy Rhapsodie and the Poulenc Sonata. you said, I came to the clarinet through Mozart. Since then, Fröst has released almost 20 solo My parents were doctors, but they played a lot albums and has been featured on several others. of violin and viola. My father played all of the Many of them contain standard repertoire – there clarinet repertoire on viola. I came to know is an entire album devoted to concerti written for Brahms and all of these things through the viola. Benny Goodman – but some shine a bright light My first teacher, he introduced me to Schumann, on new and lesser known works. His 2016 release Brahms, Mozart of course, Beethoven, Roots contains works of Piazzolla, Hillborg, Fröst’s everything. That was clever of him; because of brother Göran and several others. Fröst maintains course it was too early for me to play all of this a grueling tour schedule just as impressive as his music … but I heard it very early, and I tried to discography. In 2018 alone, he performed in more play it. He gave me lessons on some of it – that than 10 countries, with orchestras including the was a wonderful start.

48 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 Photo by Nikolaj Lund INTERVIEW

with how you listen to what you do. “I do a lot of very slow practicing. When I worked for 45 minutes, on, say, legato, and everything was the color that we wanted to hear and so Not for technical reasons – I do on, suddenly he said “Did you hear that?” And then, suddenly, my ear was working – registering what I had just it because it is like putting a done. And then you step up onto the next level. And also we studied a lot of spotlight on every single phrase.” original scores from the start. PAVING NEW ROADS EVW: You have recorded a lot of previously EVW: Jack Brymer was the soloist on that first Stockholm, and went into the Royal unrecorded works for clarinet, especially recording of the Mozart that you heard, College of Music. That was quite early, on your album Roots. How did you the one that inspired you to switch to actually, for the European way – I decide to do such a varied program on clarinet. Was he a continuous influence – felt quite lonely at the beginning, I that recording? did you continue to listen to him in have to admit. I didn’t have any other MF: That was the whole idea of this particular? coursework – English, some Swedish – program – for it to be a timeline. I MF: My father gave us a lot of instruments but the rest was playing and music started with the earliest music I know: – the violin and the cello, and then theory and, so between 15 and 21 I the Gregorian chants and the Greek studied totally clarinet and music. a clarinet – and that recording of the hymns. Then, I got excited that we Mozart Clarinet Concerto. As far as EVW: Who were your teachers at the Royal could put works together that would I can remember, that was the major College of Music, Stockholm? complement each other – and then the recording. And, of course, Karl Leister MF: The principal clarinetist of the listener sees that all music is related. after that and so on. Stockholm Philharmonic, Sölve When we play the Roots concert live, it is back-to-back without silence EVW: Were there any other musicians that Kingstedt, was an important teacher. Kjell-Inge Stevensson was also my between the pieces. I asked some were key early influences for you, that you composers to compose certain things listened to a lot – either clarinetists or teacher. Of course, a very important teacher was Hans Deinzer in Germany. that would fit in this “Genesis” or other instruments? I did not study with him as long, “Roots” program. I was fascinated by MF: Yes. My parents started chamber but I went back to him for maybe the connections in music – to listen orchestras in the north part of Sweden, three years. Around age 20, I went to to modern music today could be like so I heard a lot of string music. My Germany for the first time to study hearing layers of all music history, and father played recordings of Pinchas with Deinzer. He was famous as a that is what I wanted to do. It was the Zukerman and Daniel Barenboim teacher even then, I think. He was most exciting journey. I will perform playing the Brahms sonatas, on both the teacher of Sabine Meyer and all of Roots again later this year with different violin and viola. Later on, I listened to these German players. He could teach orchestras in Germany. a lot of sopranos. I remember when I on a very deep level. played the Rossini, I listened a lot to EVW: And you’re also conducting on Bartoli, because she was a flying star! EVW: Are there one or two things that stick the Roots project; how did you start And clarinet? Yes, I listened to everyone out that you learned from Deinzer? conducting? … Sabine Meyer and Karl Leister … MF: I remember he studied Buddhism, so MF: The first time I conducted was at a also, I listened to some folk music, the lesson was like a meditation. We music festival, and I started to direct including . could stay on one note for an hour. It while playing the Mozart Clarinet was great for me, but I also remember Concerto. Afterward, my agent called FORMAL MUSIC STUDY some students that had troubles. I me and said, “Well done, but you have EVW: Did you go to university for music? remember he could stay on a single to close your mouth.” I apparently had MF: Grades 1-9 we are in normal school; phrase in the Mozart Concerto for like my mouth open the whole time! It then you have to go to gymnasium [the 45 minutes – and after 45 minutes, probably looked terrible on television! American equivalent of junior high/ when you’d done it, he would stop and Then it became important for me to high school] – that is, until you are say, “Did you feel that?” I think that learn to conduct. It gives you another 15; and I went direct to Stockholm was a genius thing – especially for me; perspective – you have to have ears after that. So, when I was 15 I moved I learned teaching and also practicing. around the whole orchestra and listen in from the north part of Sweden to Both of those things have a lot to do a different way. And you learn how to

50 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 INTERVIEW

communicate all of these small energies, communicate in a very subtle way, and with that you can get lost, if you are that all the other instruments in the then I saw that you can do many things memorizing very quickly. orchestra want to have from you and of in many different ways. But I think your question is more course the energy goes back and forth relevant for me nowadays, because all the time – it was a good school for EVW: When you perform Peacock Tales, for me, I still develop things with my me. Many things I do have to do with sometimes you wear a mask. Did you practice. I am doing so many concerts education for myself. I think knowing design the mask? all the time, and conducting, and MF: how to conduct has a good impact on No. It was a designer famous for doing new projects like learning new my collaboration with conductors. doing lots of costumes, who did a lot concertos, and all the time I have to for Ingmar Bergman in her day, for stay calm and in a good balance in life. EVW: Would you recommend that younger the theater and movies. We wanted That changed the way I practice. The clarinetists explore conducting as well? to have a mask for this piece because way I practice now is very physical, MF: I would say so. I’m not sure how Peacock Tales the was like a dualism with breathing, with the body, and clarinet players study nowadays but I between this human face and this with learning the score; connecting the used to learn scores. If you are going to demonic mask face. breathing into the practicing from the study the Mozart concerto, you should start in a particular way. definitely go through all the symphonies EVW: What is it made out of? Young musicians today, everyone – maybe from 31 to 41 – read them, MF: It’s a sort of paper – a Japanese listen to them, and see what he did material. gets better and better – you can’t with the instruments to learn a little bit compare now with the past, even more about the concerto. And that you EVW: Did it take a lot of practice to learn to conductors and orchestras. But that should do with all the composers. perform in the mask? doesn’t mean they have much more to MF: Yes! It was scary! I’m not always tell. And I think that is the question I EVW: For some of your performances, comfortable. If you do a new way of try to raise if I do a master class. I try you have started incorporating dance, performing, a new road, it can be scary, to inspire them: “What do you want especially with the Hillborg concerto. but it can also be exciting. to do with your creativity and what do What was your inspiration to start you want to develop?” When I learned adding dance to your performances? ADVICE FOR THE NEXT circular breathing, I was playing Bach MF: It’s very hard – I am not a dancer. GENERATION partitas and preludes, which really Actually, it was back in that time with EVW: I know a lot of younger students needed it, and then the double tonguing Deinzer, because that was the time struggle to develop an efficient practice was because of the modern piece I was when Boulez and Stockhausen and all routine, and you learn so much music working on which was super fast, and these composers were into trying to so quickly. Do you have any advice on the composer didn’t think the clarinet make some more out of it. So, I played getting the most out of practice sessions? couldn’t do that quick tonguing. I the Boulez Domaines and I played the MF: I don’t think I was a particularly always found some creative idea behind Stockhausen Harlequin; and that gave fast learner. I do a lot of very slow what I was learning – a need, or a wish birth to an idea that I wanted to go a practicing. Not for technical reasons – I – that I would like to convey something bit further with. I thought, “Why don’t do it because I think it is like putting that I couldn’t do without pushing we do a concerto with choreography a spotlight on every single phrase. the boundaries. Nowadays, I think, integrated into it?” It was quite hard – I students learn pretty much everything, studied with a very good choreographer Register everything from color, the and forget about the other part – the – and after that I did some more beginning of the note, the end of the things. That’s where the idea came note, the legato, the dynamics – and creativity; to stay excited about what from, anyway. I think, again, I did it as you do everything slow, with all of the we want to tell and what we want to an education for myself, and I wished tension or excitement that you want it achieve. Everyone is very afraid of doing to “shake around” myself. to have. And then it is never difficult the wrong thing, especially in classical Another way I went into conducting to get it up to the right speed. I also music; that is a very limiting road to go was through “conductography,” which had a good aptitude for memorization. down. You should be prepared to do a I invented with my brother when I had a good photographic memory lot of new things. we did this marionette piece about and a good ear, so I learned that The other advice I want to give to this doll who is hanging on strings, way. But I also read a lot of music. I the young generation is that you should and the orchestra was reacting to my learned all of the scores backwards. I enjoy what you are doing. I didn’t movement instead of me conducting. would memorize the last bar, then the enjoy as much as I should have. I was And I saw that this worked fantastically second to last bar, then the third to so focused on the next concert and the and the orchestra was on the edge last bar. Then I really knew the pieces next project and the next piece I would of their chairs. They took so much backwards and forwards – especially learn, which was a mistake. I was super responsibility and they wanted to the more modern music, because focused on getting better all the time

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 51 INTERVIEW

started a couple of years ago. It sounds very childish when I tell it, but I did it. But now lately, I am also more interested in what I can do for the Photo by Mats Bäcker younger generation. I have started a collaboration with Buffet Crampon. We are working closely on several research and development projects. I have also started a foundation called the Martin Fröst Foundation. We already have lots of donations, and Buffet will give away instruments and also 2 euros per student clarinet sold. We have a board who will help me with giving instruments to people who cannot afford them. Also, I am going to give much more, not only master classes, but meeting up with children, and with the younger generation. NEW PROJECTS EVW: Is this a program that is right now centered only in Europe, or is it international? MF: It will be international, absolutely. We have a board with lots of advice from around the globe. Yehuda Gilad, for example, is in Los Angeles. The foundation, is, of course, based in Stockholm. But I will travel a lot around the globe – also to America.

EVW: Do you have any new recording – so, I think if I could give advice to much meat … very healthy. I was not projects? my younger self when I was 20 or 25, I living like that before – the opposite. MF: Yes, I have two. The major project of would say relax and enjoy a bit more. I was drinking every day, because I three recordings is called “The Mozart was touring a lot, so there were lots Journey.” We are putting together EVW: Even now, you are constantly touring, of parties. And I was not thinking a different programs with my new and recording, and working with lot about what I ate. Meditation is orchestra that I am chief conductor composers. How do you avoid getting fantastic – and, as we all know, to move of, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. burned out from your schedule? and exercise, or run, or whatever you They will record on Sony Classical, MF: Well, I changed my life completely do is also great. That’s how I do best in concentrating on the European capitals a couple of years ago. I had a problem my life. in which Mozart worked creating with my ear – inner ear inflammation, I have lots of tricks, one of these is certain music. So, we will have a three episodes. I changed my life to look in the mirror, but in the “future Vienna recording, a Paris recording and because I didn’t want it to come back. back mirror.” You pretend that you are a Prague recording. I will start with I stopped drinking alcohol, I do 80 years old, and then you look back the Don Giovanni Overture, Mozart meditation two times a day, I train and think, what would you want to Clarinet Concerto, some of the arias, every day, I run every second day, I change? Maybe you should have spent like “Parto, Parto” from La Clemenza am working out and doing things like more time with your family and your di Tito, and the Prague Symphony. that every second day, and I have no friends, or all the people that you love? Then we go to the next capital and do tolerance for stress (I never stress) and But then – you can do it immediately a Vienna program, and then a Paris the last thing is that I eat differently. because you are not 80 years old, so program. We have a piano soloist – but Not a diet, but I am eating lots of you can change all the things that you I will be a part of every recording also, anti-inflammatory things and not so want. And that was the exercise that I playing-wise.

52 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 INTERVIEW

For the other project I will do I would like to have two or three more was a wonderful time on stage,” really Vivaldi, early, early music with a “new” composers write for me. But also enjoy, and stay very present in the old instrument. The instrument will the very, very important thing that creative process! v be a replica of a period instrument, in we talked about is paying it back for boxwood and made by Buffet. An early the younger generation, the children ABOUT THE WRITER music ensemble from Cologne, the and the students, to work with them Clarinetist Erin Concerto Köln, will be featured on the and to try to help the Martin Fröst Vander Wyst received recording as well. Foundation make a difference. her D.M.A. from the REFLECTIONS AND GOALS EVW: If you could give the next generation University of Nevada– EVW: You have so many recordings, of clarinetists just one piece of advice, Las Vegas, where performances and projects – of all of these what would it be? she studied under accomplishments, which makes you the MF: Stay creative. Ask yourself what you Dr. Marina Sturm. most proud? want to do with your tools. I know you Originally from MF: I think the thing that I am most have to be an incredible clarinet player Appleton, Wisconsin, proud of – or most stupid for – is to get a good job in any great European Erin received bachelor’s and master’s being brave enough to open new doors or American orchestra, but you have degrees in clarinet performance from the for how we perform classical music. I to stay close to your creativity. And the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee under include some of my projects, some of other thing that I mentioned – to enjoy. the tutelage of Todd Levy. Since moving to my developments with new composers, I remember when I played in Carnegie Las Vegas, Erin has performed with the Las adding the dance or choreography Hall, everything was so focused on Vegas Philharmonic and the Nevada Ballet element into the music, not that details and to get it right. And then Theater, among others. September 2016 everyone should dance or that I should when I’d done it, I’d just fly away to the marked her international debut with a dance – but just trying to open new next concert. Instead of thinking “Oh lecture-recital performance at the Doctors in doors. wow, it went well, and it went great, it Performance Conference in Dublin, Ireland. EVW: Do you have a favorite among your recordings? MF: No, I don’t. [Chuckles] They are all very different in how they were done. TheRoots recording we did very quickly, and most of the works were new pieces that had never been done in concert. I conducted, I played them, and I taught the orchestra how to do them, so this was a big responsibility. If you compare that, for example, to Dance of the Black Pipe with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, we had done most of the repertoire on tour, and then we recorded it quite quickly, so that was a totally different way of recording. But I would say that most of the recordings were done in a performing way. I am super excited and I give everything I have for each take – I don’t cut too much. The result is, for most of the recordings, that they are quite exciting.

EVW: Do you have any goals for the future? MF: I think my goal is to develop the things that I have started – to go further. Not only on the “The Mozart Journey,” but the program music that we are performing, the collaborations.

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 53 Kalevi Aho’s Clarinet Concerto by Eric Schultz

ny clarinetist alive today should be unmistakably engraved in the pages. Aho recalls paying attention to what is going on in learning about the borders of the instrument: Finland, where recent years have seen a staccato speed, glissandi through the altissimo, and proliferation of unique and compelling tremolo possibilities. He also consulted Mikko clarinetA output. According to Mikko Raasakka’s Raasakka for new multiphonic opportunities, which definitive text on the subject, Exploring the Clarinet: he uses in the fifth movement. A Guide to Clarinet Technique and Finnish Clarinet When I asked Aho about his compositional Music, almost all of the Finnish music written process, I was surprised to learn that he writes by for the clarinet dates from the past two or three hand directly into a full orchestral score with decades. This is curious, as the clarinet has been no sketches. an established solo instrument for well over two Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä premiered centuries. At least some of the impetus for this the Clarinet Concerto with Martin Fröst in 2006 recent outflux of Finnish clarinet literature can be with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London. traced to the outstanding Finnish clarinetist Kari Interestingly, Vänskä began his career as a clarinetist, Kriikku (b. 1960), capable of seemingly anything on serving as co-principal of the Helsinki Philharmonic the instrument. He is known for his performances for several years. He actively promoted Aho’s work from Crusell to Lindberg, Saariaho, and beyond, while serving as conductor of the Lahti Symphony pushing the boundaries of what is possible on the Orchestra, and as a clarinetist even performed the clarinet and bringing contemporary Finnish work premiere of Aho’s virtuosic Clarinet Quintet, which for the clarinet to an international audience. Finnish is available in recorded form. composers Kimmo Hakola, Jouni Kaipainen, The through-composed Concerto begins as Magnus Lindberg, Uljas Pulkkis, Kaija Saariaho a showpiece displaying the amazing technical and Jukka Tiensuu have all written works for him. capability of the instrument. Much like Magnus For those interested in reading more about Kari Lindberg, Aho does not shy away from writing Kriikku, The Clarinet featured an excellent essay by forceful orchestrations behind the soloist, Erin Vander Wyst about his life and commissioned accomplishing this in the first movement by keeping works in the September 2017 edition. the note values in the orchestra short. However, It was not Kriikku, however, who inspired Kalevi Aho’s Clarinet Concerto, setting Aho’s work apart from other recent Finnish clarinet concerti. Rather, it was the young Swedish clarinetist Martin Fröst who commissioned the work after winning the prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Award in 2003. In my conversation with Kalevi Aho, he recounted the circumstances through which they met. When Fröst decided to use the award to commission a new work, he asked the owner of BIS Records, Robert von Bahr, for suggestions. Bahr recommended Aho. After studying Aho’s music, Fröst was particularly impressed with the Flute Concerto, and decided to commission a clarinet concerto. Shortly thereafter, when Fröst was performing as soloist with the Tapiola Sinfonietta in 2004, he showed Aho his unique capabilities on the instrument. As such, the work has the voice of this young virtuosic performer

54 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 BIBLIOGRAPHY Aho, Kalevi. Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra. Music Finland Core. Accessed April 4, 2018. https://core. musicfinland.fi/works/concerto-for- clarinet-and-orchestra. Aho, Kalevi, Pekka Jalkanen, Erkki Salmenhaara, and Keijo Virtamo. Finnish Music. Helsinki: Otava Publishing Company, 1996. “Kalevi Aho.” Aho, Kalevi: Fennica Gehrman. Accessed April 4, 2018. www.fennicagehrman.fi/composers/ aho-kalevi/. Raasakka, Mikko. Exploring the Clarinet: A Figure 1: Kalevi Aho Clarinet Concerto, multiphonics from fifth movement (“Epilogue”), mm. 54-63 Guide to Clarinet Technique and Finnish credit:. © Fennica Gehrman Oy, Helsinki. Used by permission. Clarinet Music. Helsinki: Fennica Gehrman, 2010. Rehfeldt, Phillip. New Directions for it is not long before the storm subsides portrait orientation of the rest of the Clarinet. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, within the first movement and beautiful, bound part. This should now also be fixed. 2004. soulful melodies emerge. In the second The piano reduction, done by Can (John) movement cadenza, alternating agile lines Mete, is available from the publisher and ABOUT THE WRITER and ominous tremolos seem as if they were also through interlibrary loan. Eric Schultz currently opposing characters in a drama; and yet, Although Kalevi Aho’s music is just as serves as director of they are written in the style of a Martin famous within Finland, it seems he has the Instrumental Fröst improvisation. The third movement been outshined internationally by Lindberg Ensemble at Iona is a real madcap and the climax of the and Saariaho. Unfortunately, a decade has College, and as a concerto, with a time signature change in passed, and aside from being included on woodwind teacher for almost every measure, breakneck tempo, Martin Fröst’s famous album with Nielsen’s the Harmony Program and “scales” that almost never contain Concerto, it seems Aho’s behemoth in New York City. the expected notes. The slow fourth Clarinet Concerto has gone by unnoticed. He is an award- movement offers a much-needed reprieve, Besides my performance with piano last winning clarinetist, including the prestigious and the fifth movement, “Epilogue,” year at Stony Brook University (available Rislov Foundation grant for excellence in reveals the multiphonic capabilities of the on YouTube), there is no evidence that classical music, and performs regularly in clarinet as the concerto fades away, having anyone else has ever performed the piano New York, including with The Chelsea conjured almost every sound imaginable reduction, which works exceptionally well Symphony. Passionate about new music, from the instrument (see Figure 1). in a recital. In fact, besides Martin Fröst, he is the founding clarinetist of the Victory It may be worth mentioning that there is no evidence that anyone else Players contemporary chamber ensemble of the original publication of the solo has ever performed the Concerto with the Massachusetts International Festival of part contained significant engraving orchestra either. the Arts. Schultz completed his Doctor of issues, including incorrect placement of In addition to his impressive large-scale Musical Arts degree in clarinet performance the multiphonic fingerings in the fifth output of 17 symphonies, 29 concerti and at Stony Brook University. His principal movement, which I believe have now five operas, Aho is known as an assiduous teachers include Alan Kay, Alexander been corrected after my communications writer, with well over 500 essays on music. Fiterstein and Melissa Koprowski. with Jari Eskola, director of publication His music deserves more acknowledgement for Fennica Gehrman. If this is not the outside of Finland, and although the case, feel free to contact me for corrected Clarinet Concerto is a virtuosic work, it fingerings and several alternative fingerings should be considered for more regular that may be easier. The second movement performance. As to the future, Kalevi Aho cadenza was also inexplicably included wrote a Bass Clarinet Concerto in 2018. The as two separate, loose sheets, outside of work is dedicated to Mikko Raasakka, who the spiral binding of the solo part, in a will premiere it with the Jyväskylä Sinfonia landscape orientation, contrary to the in September 2019. v

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 55 A Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in E-Flat Major by James Hook or Jean-Xavier Lefèvre: A Question Of Authorship by Juan José Molero Ramos

he James Hook (1746–1827) Clarinet JAMES HOOK’S CLARINET CONCERTO Concerto in E-flat Major composed in IN E-FLAT MAJOR 1812 is considered to be the first English James Hook’s Clarinet Concerto was actually not concerto for solo clarinet of the 19th published until the 20th century, but it survives Tcentury, an important period in the instrument’s in the composer’s autograph score, at one time in development. However, the music turns out to be the collection of William Hayman Cummings and identical, note for note, to a composition of the today in the Nanki Music Library of Tokyo (南葵 well-known French clarinetist/composer, Jean- 音楽文庫), administered by the Yomiuri Nippon Xavier Lefèvre (1763–1829). As we will see, Hook’s Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo in the Wakayama Concerto is preserved in a manuscript source under Museum (see Figure 1). The score measures 17 the handwritten name of James Hook in Japan; by 22 cm and contains 102 pages. The date of this is the main reason why it was attributed to him composition appears in the upper right hand first. Lefèvre’s work was not in print in the 20th and corner of the first page: August 4th, 1812 (see 21st centuries, and the coincidence between both Figure 2). Hook seems to have habitually dated his pieces seems to have previously gone unnoticed. compositions from 1808 onwards. In this article, I attempt to clarify the question of In his doctoral dissertation, Louis Vincent authorship between the two composers. Sacchini discusses the authenticity of the autograph,

James Hook portrait engraving by Thomas Blood (from a Jean-Xavier Lefèvre’s portrait by Antoine-Achille Bourgeois painting by Samuel Drummond), 1813 de La Richardière (1777-18??) Image: www.vauxhallgardens.com Image: New York Public Library’s Digital Library, ID 1269368

56 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 Somewhat strangely, there is no evidence that a performance of the concerto took place during his tenure. If it had been performed, who might have been the performer? It is difficult to guess, but Jane Ellsworth suggests that

Photo by Juan José Molero Ramos circumstantial evidence favors Edward Hopkins as the likeliest candidate to have been the first performer.2 In 1812 Hopkins was at the peak of his career, and the fact that he was later appointed music director at Vauxhall Gardens suggests he would have had a prior association with that venerable institution.3

JEAN-XAVIER LEFÈVRE’S CLARINET CONCERTO IN E-FLAT MAJOR For many years, Lefèvre’s Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Majorwas lost. The authors of various secondary sources have made reference to it, such as Sacchini, Pamela Figure 1. Hook’s manuscript, cover; ©Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra ©Wakayama Prefectural Library Weston, D.R. Harman, J. Sainsbury and F. J. Fètis. Sacchini states that the first three clarinet concertos of Jean-Xavier Lefèvre are lost – rather disheartening news for clarinetists.4 However, Pamela Weston indicates the existence of a printed copy of the solo part of the Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major in the library of the London 5

Photo by Juan José Molero Ramos Royal College of Music. Moreover, Weston also states that the copy in LRCM was edited by Hummel and can be dated c.1800. Unfortunately the solo clarinet part is missing, according to a letter sent by Weston to David Harman, dated 17th of January of 1974.6 It is difficult to say when the solo part was lost by the LRCM, or whether or not the late Pamela Weston actually saw it. Importantly, Sainsbury notes that the first five concertos were published between 1793 and 1797.7 Furthermore, according to Fétis, all six concertos for solo clarinet were published by Sieder and Naderman.8 The first edition of the concerto, located Figure 2. Hook’s manuscript first page; ©Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra ©Wakayama Prefectural Library by this author in Moscow, was published by Hummel in 1798.

AUTHORSHIP PROCESS which has been considered to be Gardens where Hook worked for nearly THROUGH BIBLIOGRAPHICAL legitimate by scholars of Hook and his 50 years (from 1774 to 1820) as organist, PROOFS works.1 It is likely that the concerto was composer and music director of the Upon discovering that the concertos written to be played at London’s Vauxhall Vauxhall Gardens Concert Series. by Hook and Lefèvre are identical, the

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 57 authorship. Having an in-depth look at Lefévre’s biography, we note that he was a skilled and knowledgeable clarinetist, evidently among the best in France at this time. The Clarinet Concerto in E-Flat Major is technically extremely challenging, full of ornamentation and difficult passagework. It can only be performed successfully by a well-trained clarinetist such as Lefèvre or maybe Joseph Beer (1744–1812) who traveled to St. Petersburg (maybe he brought the Concerto from Paris to Russia). And if we consider Fétis/Weston’s date of 1791,14 Lefèvre would not yet have been employed by the Figure 3. Catalog listing of Lefèvre’s concerto, State Library of Russia; ©State Library of Russia Paris Conservatoire, which was established in 1795. This makes it likely that the composition would have been created diverging background of these two works secondary source from the period, Fétis, for himself in order to demonstrate his allows for a change in perspective. who claims that the Concerto in E-flat formidable technique. This concerto might Hook’s manuscript is unique, preserved Major was written in 1791.13 But in any also have been an excellent “calling card” in Nanki Music Library (Japan), and as case, this dating of the source clearly outside France during the Reign of Terror. noted, is dated “4th August of 1812” on points to a period some 20 years before James Hook, on the other hand, the cover. Any other previous study is at Hook’s manuscript. was clearly a gifted keyboard player odds with this date. There may also be and composer, but the possibility that some doubt about the authorship of the AUTHORSHIP PROCESS he composed this concerto is difficult handwriting of this manuscript.9 It could THROUGH MUSIC STYLE to accept upon examination of Hook’s be either a handwritten copy by someone COMPARISON ANALYSIS other works. Hook composed some 21 else, or a manuscript by James Hook, It may also be useful to compare the other concerti. Twenty of these are for but no concrete evidence has appeared musical style of the two composers as a keyboard instrument (harpsichord, until now (although we do know that well as some repertoire and biographical fortepiano or organ), and one was for Hook usually wrote the exact date of his information to complete an evaluation of trumpet, but it is lost. His Concerto compositions from 1808, so the Nanki source could be originally written out by James Hook).

LEFEVRE’S CONCERTO IN THE STATE LIBRARY OF RUSSIA The first edition of the Lefèvre manuscript is located in the State Library of Russia in Moscow.10 A description of the source was published in the catalog of “Foreign Music Publications from the 16th to the Beginning of the 19th Century.”11 The chief bibliographer of Russian State Library, Tatiana Gorshkova, has informed the author that the work was officially cataloged in 1971. Unfortunately, there is no further information pertaining to this source. Regarding the publication date, according to Cari Johansson, the score dates to c. 1798.12 The publisher’s plate number 1008 in the parts serves as evidence. Unfortunately, we do not have any manuscripts by Lefèvre, only a Figure 4. Detail of title page of Lefèvre’s concerto, first edition; ©State Library of Russia

58 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 for Organ (or Harpsichord) in F Major, music) – have written such a difficult but The first movements of Hook’s Concerti, dated 1797 (the last concerto for a solo nonetheless perfectly idiomatic work for Op. 1, are habitually written in sonata form instrument and orchestra before 1812, this relatively rare instrument? with the solo entrance reproducing the apart from the single-movement Rondo Stylistically, the concerto employs the main theme introduced by the orchestra. for Fortepiano and Orchestra of 1802), has typical classical forms used in the other In the case of our Clarinet Concerto in the same instrumentation as the Clarinet concerti by Lefèvre. The first movement E-flat Major, the theme introduced by Concerto in E-flat Major: soloist, first is in sonata form, and the work ends the orchestra is not reproduced in the violin, second violin, viola, violoncello, with the usual Rondo. Instrumentation is solo clarinet material. The structure here two oboes, two bassoon, two horns; not similar to other such works, and the length is episodic – a technique Lefèvre used in particularly special for this period. So the of the composition is also representative of his other clarinet concerti. The composer question becomes: how could a composer the classical concerto idiom. However, a seems to have written in this episodic form such as Hook – who apparently did not deeper look into the structure and melodic in order to demonstrate a wide variety of compose any works for woodwind solo, let patterns reveals further details helpful in virtuosic patterns rather than pure melodic alone for the clarinet (concerti or chamber determining authorship. material, something again quite common in Lefèvre solo works. There is also a tendency in this music to not let the clarinetist have any chance to rest, as we can also see in his Concertante Duets, Op. 12, and the other clarinet concerti. And lastly, the style of writing in Lefèvre’s other clarinet concerti shows a similar musical structure. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show examples of similar patterns of articulation in fast notes which appear in many other works by Lefèvre. It is possible to observe in figures 7 and 8 a very similar melodic and technical pattern with leaps of more than two octaves ornamented with trills or grupetti. This type of virtuoso passagework – rather than exploiting the cantabile idiom of the clarinet, like Mozart, Weber and others – is typical from Lefèvre. CONCLUSION It appears unlikely that this Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Major was composed by James Hook, but rather by the virtuoso and innovative clarinetist-composer, Jean- Xavier Lefèvre. Bibliographical information pertaining to the authorship of the Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Major seems to favor Jean-Xavier Lefèvre as opposed to James Hook. The dates of Hook’s manuscript and the sources relating to Lefèvre are clear. No secondary sources mention a Clarinet Concerto by Hook, whereas we have sources which mention Lefèvre’s Concerto. A comparison of the music of the two composers also favors Lefèvre’s authorship, given the structure, melodic patterns and technical level. We can see similar episodic structure, themes, virtuoso passagework, patterns of articulation, large leaps and ornamentation in the Concerto in E-flat Figure 5. First page of the solo clarinet part of Lefèvre’s concerto, first edition; ©State Library of Russia Major and the other clarinet concertos, as

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 59 well as the chamber music, of Lefèvre, but nothing by Hook who again, apparently had never composed for clarinet. One last interesting point is that the Concerto in E-flat Major redated from Hook’s date of 1812 to 1791 makes this concerto possibly the very first work with the double high C for clarinet. It appears Figure 6. Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Major, clarinet part, first movement, mm. 151-155 that Franz Tausch (1762–1817) wrote this note for the first time in his Concerto of 1808, followed by Spohr in 1809. Also, we must recall that Lefèvre’s Méthode de Clarinette (1802) was the first clarinet instruction book to include double high C in a fingering chart – very probably because Lefèvre used it in this concerto. The question remains: Why was this music signed under Hook’s name in the manuscript preserved in Japan? Maybe it was just a hand copy for his own use of study to compose a clarinet piece later on. Perhaps it was part of Hook’s job to Figure 7. Lefèvre’s Clarinet Concerto No. 4, clarinet part, first movement, mm. 276-279 provide new, original works for his public, and the commission for a clarinet concerto simply came at a time when he had neither the time nor the experience to compose one. There are certainly many instances of one composer pilfering a theme or an “effect” from the works of another, but assuming the authorship of an entire concerto seems to have been relatively rare. The reasons for using an artwork from Figure 8. Lefèvre’s Clarinet Concerto No. 6, clarinet part, third movement, mm. 181-189 another artist could be complicated and not always an act of bad faith. The full story of how Lefèvre’s concerto became attributed to Hook remains to be told. v

* * * * * Many thanks to Irina Boldyreva, Elise Bonhivert, Eric Hoeprich, Satoshi Kaneko, Fumiko Morie, Albert Rice and Figure 9. Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Major, clarinet part, first movement, mm. 291-292 Charles Toet.

CONSULTED SCORES Hook, J., Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra [Musical Score] (Josef Weinberger LTD: London, 1983). Hook, J., Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra [Reduction for clarinet and piano] (Josef Weinberger LTD: London, 1983). Hook, J., Concerto, Clarinet obligato, august 4th, 1812. [Autograph unfinished]. N1-21 in Nanki Music Figure 10. Lefèvre’s Clarinet Concerto No. 4, clarinet part, first movement, mm. 405-410 Library, Wakayama (Japan)

60 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 Lefèvre, J. X., 4e et 6e Concertos pour 4 Sacchini, p. 108. 13 F.J. Fétis, “Nécrologie, Notice sur J. X. Lefèvre,” Clarinette et Orchestre [Musical Score] 5 P. Weston, More Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past Revue Musicale, VI (1830). (London: Fentone, 1977), p. 161. 14 P. Weston, Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past (Novello: (Heugel et Cie: Paris, 1975). 6 D.R. Harman, Six Quartets for Clarinet, London, 1971, R/1982), p. 66. Lefèvre, J. X., Concert pour la clarinette Violin, Viola and Cello by Jean-Xavier Lefèvre avec l’accompagnement de deux violons, (1763-1829): A Critical Score with Analysis deux hautbois, deux cors, viola, fagotto and Historical Perspective, D.M.A. dissertation ABOUT THE WRITER & basse (Berlin, J.J. Hummel). RISM (University of Rochester, 1974), p. 101. Juan José Molero 7 J. Sainsbury, Ed., A Dictionary of Musicians from Ramos was born in A/I LL 1485b: in the State Library of the Earliest Ages to the Present Time (London: Russia in Moscow, Music department, Sainsbury and Co., 1825), 2nd volume, p. 55. Linares, Spain, in shelfmark МЗ Р-ИН/2679. 8 F.J. Fétis, Biographie Universelle des musiciens et 1987. He earned a bibliographie générale de la musique, 2nd Edition, degree in musicology ENDNOTES 8 volumes (París: Firmin Didot Frères, 1866- at the Conservatorio 1 L.V. Sacchini, The Concerted Music for the 1870), Vol. 5, p. 253. Superior “Manuel Clarinet in the Nineteenth Century, Ph.D Thesis 9 Sacchini, p. 87. Castillo” of Seville, (The University of Iowa, 1980), p. 87. 10 Jean-Xavier Lefèvre, Concert pour la clarinette 2 J. Ellsworth, English Clarinet Music, 1800-1870: avec l’accompagnement de deux violons, deux and then completed Reclaiming a Repertory (ClarinetFest® 1999 hautbois, deux cors, viola, fagotto & basse (Berlin : the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in presentation) at http://clarinet.org/wp-content/ J.J. Hummel) in the State Library of Russia historical performance practice of the clarinet uploads/2016/03/Ellsworth-English-Clarinet- in Moscow, music department, shelfmark МЗ under the guide of professor Eric Hoeprich at Music.pdf, accessed July 1, 2019. Р-ИН/2679, RISM A/I LL 1485b. the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag 3 Ellsworth suggests other possible performers, 11 Foreign Music Scores (Editions) 16th to beginning (The Netherlands). As clarinetist, he has but little is known about James Oliver or George of 19th centuries (Moscow 1986 [edition 3], p. Hopkins; both John and William Mahon were 58). Music Publications at the Holdings of the collaborated with orchestras including Die in their 60s in 1812, and cutting back on their State Library USSR, named after V. I. Lenin. Kölner Akademie, Das Neue Orchester and engagements; and famous English clarinet player (Monuments of Music Art). Academy of the OAE under the baton of Thomas Lindsay Willman can be discounted 12 C. Johansson, J.J. & B. Hummel Music Publishing conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Marcus because he lived in Ireland between 1790 and and Thematic Catalogues (Stockholm: Almqvist & Creed, John Butt, Richard Egarr and 1816. Wiksell, 1972), Vol. 1, p. 109. Christoph Spering.

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SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 61 A Performer’s Guide to Boulez’s Dialogue de l’ombre double by Suzu Enns

he purpose of this article is to provide ACQUIRING THE SCORE an introduction to one of ’s Dialogue is published by Universal Edition (1925-2016) most significant works, (UE18407). As of June 9, 2019, the cost to purchase Dialogue de l’ombre double for clarinet and the score is €210.00. If possible, try to take advantage Tlive electronics, dedicated to (1925- of your local college or university music library. 2003) for his 60th birthday. It is a major work in the Alternatively, request the score through interlibrary clarinet repertoire, and in typical Boulez fashion, the loan. According to the Technical Instructions booklet, instrumental part is virtuosic and requires incredible it is possible to rent the prerecorded tape from technical skill and precision. However, the true test IRCAM. However, according to the composer, it for the performer lies in the creation and execution is preferable that the performer records their own of the electroacoustic component, generally requiring prerecorded tape sections. Every performer must a team of assistants in order to realize Boulez’s consider the cost of renting the tape versus hiring a vision for the piece. The complete realization of the recording engineer, and the time that will be devoted work becomes an unforgettable experience for the to learning and recording the prerecorded sections. performer and audience. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK BOULEZ AND IRCAM Dialogue consists of 13 separate sections, or Boulez was one of the most respected, influential movements (see Figure 1). The opening movement, and controversial composers and conductors of the Sigle initial, as well as the five Transitions, are 20th century. Dialogue de l’ombre double (Dialogue prerecorded movements, while the Strophes are of the Double Shadow) was composed at the Institute performed live by the clarinetist. The closing de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique movement, Sigle final, is a combined prerecorded (IRCAM), located in Paris, France. IRCAM and live movement. The length of a live performance opened in 1977 at a time of great technological of the work is approximately 20 minutes. advancement, and Boulez was one of the leading The piece is presented in two versions: version aux figures in the development of the institute. Boulez chaffers romains (Roman numerals) and version aux completed his first piece at IRCAM in 1984, titled chiffres arabes (Arabic numbers). Both versions are Répons, and his second piece, Dialogue de l’ombre provided in the Universal Edition package and are double, in 1985. IRCAM remains one of the central not available for individual purchase. The primary institutions for electroacoustic music, and is a world difference between these versions, aside from the leader in technological and artistic advancement. use of Arabic numbers versus Roman numerals, is the placement of musical material within the overall PERFORMERS AND RECORDINGS structure of the piece (see Figure 1). The musical Dialogue was premiered on October 28, 1985, material is identical for the Strophes, and similar for by French clarinetist (b. 1950). the prerecorded Transitions. Thus, if you can play His benchmark recordings from 1985 and 1996 one version, you can easily adapt to the other, despite are stunning examples of clarinet virtuosity and the movements being in a different order. In my demonstrate a keen understanding and respect for the opinion, it is simply a matter of personal preference. field of electroacoustic music. An excellent resource Yet, the preferred score seems to be the Roman on YouTube is Damiens’ complete performance at numeral version, at least in the available recordings. the Salzburg Festival in 1992. Dialogue has also been The music of each Strophe and Transition overlaps for adapted by Boulez and others for saxophone, bass several measures, so the live performer is momentarily clarinet and recorder. Our clarinet community was performing with their prerecorded “shadow.” The fortunate to enjoy Sauro Berti’s performance of the overlap is clearly identified by cues in the score that work in Ostend during ClarinetFest® 2018. aid the performer and technicians in coordination.

62 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 IMPORTANT FEATURES the sound moves smoothly and gradually it can also be adapted to a performance Prerecorded “tape” part: Detailed between speakers. The technical assistant with computer technicians and live sound instructions for the recording are provided controlling the mixer must carefully assistants. in the Technical Instructions booklet. As practice the spatialization with the score mentioned, it is recommended that the (partition avec régis son) to achieve smooth RESOURCES performer record their own prerecorded operation of the six channel faders (the Are you having difficulty deciphering the sections. The tone quality and other unique sliders on the mixer). technological requirements? Do not fear! characteristics of the clarinetist should Lighting: The composer suggests that There are many resources and people who be consistent in order to achieve a true lighting can be used to provide contrast will be able to help. Be sure to ask a lot of “dialogue.” For those clarinetists who have between the prerecorded and live sections questions, and remember – everyone starts the resources and opportunity to complete of the piece. The lighting in the hall at the beginning, and no question is too such a recording project, it will be a would be lowered during the prerecorded rudimentary! Online resources include challenging and eye-opening experience. sections, and raised again for the live forums and doctoral dissertations; please Piano: During certain sections of the sections. Again, precise instructions are refer to the additional resources listed at piece, the live clarinet sound is transformed provided in the booklet. the end of this article. Post-secondary through the use of a grand piano that is institutions may have composition and placed backstage, with a wooden block THE EQUIPMENT sound recording faculty; graduate students holding down the right pedal to allow Whether or not you are working with in composition and sound recording; and the strings to vibrate freely. These strings a technician for this performance, you staff, including hall managers, technicians, vibrate when the amplified clarinet sound should take the time to become familiar stage crew and library. Also of use may is directed at the piano through a small with the Technical Instructions booklet be local musical instrument stores and speaker, and the resulting sound is picked that accompanies the score, provided in guitar shops. up by a microphone and played through English, French and German. An out-of- PRACTICE AND TEACHING TIPS the loudspeakers in the hall. date list of equipment is provided, as well • Start with the prerecorded sections. Spatialization: The prerecorded as “a functional description.” Nevertheless, You’ll need to record these sections far sections are played through six it is a useful source for the recording in advance of the performance so the loudspeakers surrounding the audience. technicians, providing a basis from which recording engineer has time to master The sound level of each speaker is adjusted to translate the original setup requirements manually or automatically, according to to current technology and techniques. the tracks and send them back to you. the spatialization instructions, “giving the Please refer to Figure 2 for a detailed • If possible, schedule two or three listener the impression that the sounds chart of the equipment I used during a recording sessions. Keep in mind that are moving in physical space.” Two types live performance of Dialogue. The chosen for the first session, setup and fine of spatialization are used: discrete, where equipment allowed me to perform selected adjustments and placement of the the sound quickly and suddenly moves movements self-sufficiently (i.e., without microphones can take up to one hour. between speakers; and continuous, where a team of assistants or technicians) but Remember to take pictures of the studio space in order to replicate the setup for future sessions. • Slow and careful practice is key! • Aim for technical precision and adhere version aux chiffres arabes Comparison to version aux chaffers to all dynamic and tempo markings. (performance order) romains • Stay relaxed and take care not to Sigle initial Sigle initial over-practice. From the first day of Strophe 1 Strophe III practice to the performance, focus on Transition de 1 à 2 Transition de III à IV good fundamentals like hand and arm Strophe 2 Strophe I position, tone, articulation, breathing Transition de 2 à 3 Transition de I à II and posture. Strophe 3 Strophe V • Translate all French phrases. Transition de 3 à 4 Transition de V à VI • Experiment with groupings for fast Strophe 4 Strophe II articulations (e.g., 2+3, 3+2) Transition de 4 à 5 Transition de II à III • Choose etudes and studies that will aid Strophe 5 Strophe VI in the mastery of particularly difficult Transition de 5 à 6 Transition de IV à V techniques, such as rapid articulation. • Technical accuracy is the primary Strophe 6 Strophe IV objective. Do not concern yourself Sigle final Sigle final with musicality and personal Figure 1: Organization of Dialogue de l’ombre double. Arabic number version (presented in interpretation until technical mastery performance order), and Roman numeral version (comparison of musical material, not presented in is achieved. Consider that Boulez performance order). was more concerned with the

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 63 TYPE OF EQUIPMENT PURPOSE OPTIONS Microphone Amplifies the clarinet during live performance. - Applied Microphone Technology (AMT) Input source for processing effects (e.g. reverb) Clarinet double microphone and live electronics. Clip-on feature permits - Pickup microphones that can be installed freedom of movement for the performer. directly into the clarinet barrel: e.g. Nalbantov Electronics NCM 8X or Rumberger-K1X - Standard microphone on a microphone stand Audio Interface Transforms the microphone input into a digital - RME Babyface Pro signal. The microphone connects to the audio - Apogee Duet interface, which connects to the laptop for sound - Universal Audio Apollo Twin USB processing. - ZOOM UAC-2 - Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 - MOTU UltraLite mk3 Hybrid - Steinberg UR22mkII Mixer Manual spatialization. Minimum requirement: 2 - Yamaha Digital Mixer DM1000 inputs and 6 outputs. - Behringer X2442USB - Mackie ProFX12 V2 Laptop Playback of prerecorded audio; running software, Any laptop that is compatible with the software including MaxMSP; driver for audio interface. and hardware USB MIDI Interface To allow software to view the mixer as a USB M-Audio MIDISPORT 4 x 4 or 2 x 2 device (for use with the Yamaha Digital Mixer). Loudspeakers (6) Placed around the audience, to play all In-house loudspeakers; options will vary depends prerecorded audio, amplified live clarinet. on the venue

Stage Monitor Facing the musician onstage, to aid in - Electro-Voice EV SXA-250 coordination with the prerecorded audio. 2-Way Full-Range 15” Powered PA Speaker - Behringer EUROLIVE B215D or B212C Active PA Speaker System Audio connectors - 1 XLR cable to connect the microphone to the There are many brands on the market; I am (cables) input of the audio interface. familiar with and can recommend the following: - 1 cable to connect the audio interface to the - Digiflex Professional Touring Series NXX-6 stage monitor: 1/4” TRS male to XLR male - Mogami Gold Studio preferable. - Planet Waves XLR Cables - 6 long cables to connect the audio interface/ mixer to the 6 loudspeakers placed around the hall, such as XLR cables (male to female) or XLR female to 1/4” TRS male; to cover long distances, it is also possible to connect short XLR to TRS cables and long XLR cables. - To ensure you are prepared for most scenarios, it is also helpful to have the following on hand: 1/4” TRS to 1/4” TS; 1/4” to dual RCA; 1/4” TRS to 1/8” (3.55mm) TRS adapter. Rehearsal speaker Useful when practicing the “duet” sections - Bose SoundDock Portable *discontinued* (optional) between movements in Dialogue. - Bose Soundlink Revolve Bluetooth Speaker - Good quality headphones MIDI Foot Pedal To trigger audio files and live electronics (self- - Logidy UM13 Parametric USB MIDI Foot (optional) sufficient setup). Connects directly to laptop via Controller USB. - Disaster Area Designs DMC - One Control Crocodile Tail Loop

Figure 2: Equipment. Note that this chart does not include any equipment for the backstage grand piano.

64 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 Backstage l’ombre double de Pierre Boulez. http:// brahms.ircam.fr/analyses/dialogue/ Gerzso, Andrew. “Technical Instructions,” Dialogue de l’ombre double. Vienna: Universal Edition A. G., 1992. Peyser, Joan. Boulez: Composer, Conductor,

Mixer Enigma. London: Cassell & Company Limited, 1976. Belt pack MIDI Microphone Interface ABOUT THE WRITER Pedals Performer Clarinetist Suzu Enns

Audio currently resides in interface Montréal, Canada, Music stand where she is a freelance Laptop performer, conductor, teacher, researcher Loudspeaker and university administrator. Enns

Monitor holds degrees from Brandon University (B.Mus.), University of Ottawa (M.Mus.) and McGill University (D.Mus.). As part of Audience her ongoing artistic research, she continues to develop self-sufficient performance and Figure 3: One possible stage setup for Boulez’s Dialogue de l’ombre double pedagogical practices for the electronic- acoustic clarinetist.

ICA ANNOUNCEMENT technical organization and intellectual of the present difficulties of style and complexity than with the musical idea (and instrumental technique), expression in his works. to uncover the emotional substance 2020 High School behind the often forbidding surface CONCLUSION of the music. Solo Competition There is no doubt that the instrumental Coordinator: Elizabeth Gunlogson part of Dialogue de l’ombre double is A performer of Boulez’s works ([email protected]) highly complex and difficult and the would undoubtedly benefit from deeper technological requirements are substantial. investigation into the man himself so Eligibility: Competition participants Thus, it may seem that Boulez has limited they may decide how they choose to any possibility for the performer to make interpret his music after technical mastery must be 18 years old or younger as their own unique interpretation. Susan is achieved. Boulez was a conflicted of June 30, 2020. Bradshaw offers the following perspective: man, and one may interpret Dialogue as the composer’s inner struggles with his Deadline: April 1, 2020. To claim that Pierre Boulez is a own “shadows.” In time, performers will neo-romantic at heart might seem emerge from Boulez’s “shadow” and bring Repertoire: perverse, both in view of the evident the piece to full fruition. v • Monolog 3 by Erland Von Koch complexity of his music, and of the fact that he has contributed so much BIBLIOGRAPHY • Sonatina by Antoni Szalowski to the theoretical basis of present-day Susan Bradshaw. “The Instrumental Prizes: musical thinking. Nevertheless, this and Vocal music.” Pierre Boulez: A apparent contradiction describes Symposium. Edited by William Glock First prize – $1,000 USD the reality of a conflict which is the (London, Eulenburg Books, 1986), 127. Second prize – $750 USD raison d’être of all his best works… Enns, Suzu. “Towards a Self-Sufficient Third prize – $500 USD It has to be admitted that the Approach for the Electronic-Acoustic range of musical expression which Clarinetist: A Resource for Performers Visit www.clarinet.org for full competition unconsciously derives from such and Educators.” Doctor of Music rules and application details. a conflict has as yet barely been Performance Studies, Schulich School discerned; it remains for future of Music, McGill University, 2017. generations of performers, less in awe Gerzso, Andrew. Analyse de Dialogue de

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 65 CLARINETFEST® OUTINGS FOR CLARINET EDITIONS-BIM.COM

larinetFest® 2020 will take place room block with tiered room prices of in Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA, $109/$139/$179 a night. June 24-28. The artistic leadership The city of Reno offers many dining team – Leslie Moreau, Joshua Anderson, options and outdoor activities, as well as world- C class entertainment. Take a 30-minute drive to Karl Busch, Shawn Copeland, F. Gerard Errante, and D. Gause – and the ICA board of directors and staff look the beautiful Lake Tahoe resort area, and enjoy the scenery, forward to presenting a memorable and exciting conference in the natural surroundings, beaches and water. For those members Western region of the United States. wishing to visit Lake Tahoe before or after the conference, the ICA ClarinetFest® 2020 will be held at the Peppermill Resort has made special arrangements with the Peppermill Resort to offer in Reno, one of the top-rated resort hotels in the area. All hotel rooms at the conference rate from June 21 to July 1, 2020. performances, lectures, master classes and exhibits will take place Early reservations are strongly recommended, as these rooms in the superlative Peppermill Resort conference center. This will be subject to space and rate availability. ClarinetFest® 2020 facility will highlight the communal aspect of the ICA, allow for is sure to be an amazing musical experience and a great summer easy transition between events and provide time to meet with vacation destination! our friends from around the globe. The conference will feature International Clarinet Association members are invited to performances by emerging and established talent in solo and submit performance and presentation proposals for ClarinetFest® free mp3 accompaniments 2020. The committee seeks to have a wide selection of diverse ensemble settings. Evening headliner concerts will include the to download Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, the United States Air Force Band performances and presentations, and in particular would like to of the Golden West and the Alexander String Quartet. encourage participation from members in Asia and Australia. All ICA guests of the Peppermill Resort will receive free, Please submit proposals through the Acceptd portal found at www. round-trip airport transportation from Reno-Tahoe International clarinet.org under the ClarinetFest® 2020 page. The deadline for airport, free valet or self-parking, and free Wi-Fi for all guests and application is September 15, 2019. Note: There is a $20 fee to exhibitors. The resort has 16 onsite restaurants with some open 24 submit a proposal, payable at the end of the application process. v hours a day, as well as a smoke-free environment for the duration General questions can be sent to of our conference. The ICA has reserved a “ClarinetFest® 2020” [email protected].

Lake Tahoe Photo by Mitchell Estrin

STUDIES & METHODS EDUCATIONAL REPERTOIRE CHAMBER MUSIC 66 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 OUTINGS FOR CLARINET EDITIONS-BIM.COM

free mp3 accompaniments to download

STUDIES & METHODS EDUCATIONAL REPERTOIRE CHAMBER MUSIC REVIEWS

either French or English, and special score Michael MUSIC directions are given in French. This is an Drapkin, famous STUDIES AND COLLECTIONS education in itself as the young student for his volumes will need to know that soufflé, for example, of bass clarinet Jean-Guy Boisvert, ed. La belle has several meanings. Attention to detail orchestral excerpts, aventure, Vols. 1–3. “Miniature works is the strength of these works. Composers wrote Drapkin’s for great musicians in the making.” demand observance of nuanced dynamics, Book of Clarinet Three volumes of short pieces by tempo changes, subdivision, phrasing, Calisthenics as composers Michalis Andronikou, myriad articulations and a panoply of a technique- Simon Bertrand, Éric Champagne, general style considerations. The engaged building device. Hope Lee, Robert Lemay, Jean Lesage student will be rewarded. As he explains and Bruce Mather, compiled by Jean- Whereas all of Volume 1 lies beneath in the foreword, Guy Boisvert. Doberman-Yppan, the register break, Volume 2 crosses it, a passing comment by Stanley Hasty 2018. Vol. 1: $9.00 PDF, $10.00 print; including a requisite piece with slurred on the importance of daily technique Vol. 2: $11.70 PDF, $13.00 print; Vol. ascending 12ths. The 10 pieces are either practice was the driving force behind his 3: $11.70 PDF, $13.00 print one or two pages in length and include newest method book. Drapkin’s book is mixed meter, accelerating trills, timbral a collection of three practice sessions that Clarinetist trills, syncopation, proportional notation focus on technique acquisition and daily Jean-Guy Boisvert and small groups of notes with varied refinement of these skills. has made it combinations of half and whole steps. If Drapkin’s Book of Clarinet Calisthenics his mission to sudoku is good for the brain, so are these is a 58-page collection of three sets of promote works by miniatures – the player will be challenged. etudes extracted from the Langenus and fellow Canadians. The works in Volume 3 are slightly To that end, he longer and would challenge my university Baermann methods. They are separated has commissioned students. Boisvert has collected pieces that into groups of 15-, 30- and 60-minute nearly 20 include techniques such as quotation/ practice sessions comprised of arpeggios, composers to write homage to The Rite of Spring, small scales and staccato exercises. The etudes close to 100 works aleatoric considerations, increasing include some of our “greatest hits” for for clarinetists rhythmic complexity due to rapidly strengthening technique, including between their first and sixth year of study – changing subdivision and mixed meter, Langenus articulation and Baermann a great idea to get students in the habit pulsing air effects and unabashed atonality. scale exercises. What makes this volume of discovery early. Five volumes of music These three volumes are unique in distinctive is the systematic order in which are planned. The completed first three our pedagogical repertoire. If you are an the etudes are arranged, the fixed time (beginner, intermediate and advanced) are adventurous teacher and passionate about constraint for maximum efficiency, and devoted to solo clarinet works. The fourth contemporary composers, and you have a the useful suggestions by Drapkin at the will be clarinet duos and trios, and the student up for the challenge, then by all bottom of each page. At the beginning fifth, works with piano. means dive in. Boisvert has recorded 29 of of each practice session, Drapkin offers The 10 pages of Volume 1 contain the solo pieces on CD and several tracks a “symbology” of marks to prepare the nine varied works by six composers. Yes, are available on SoundCloud. player for the potential technical pitfalls of they may be beginner pieces in terms of – Gregory Barrett the coming exercise. notes on the page, but they have so much It’s great to see the famous Langenus more than is usually associated with this Michael Drapkin. Drapkin’s Book of staccato etudes reprinted employing level. While Italian is used for normal Clarinet Calisthenics. Drapkin Music digital means and with such clarity. We score markings, the suggestive titles are in Publications, 2018. $24.00 are frequently passed down these etudes

68 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 REVIEWS

from an often-photocopied version, setting. There are several meters reference for each of the distinct styles which over time can be blurry or contain (compounds of two and three) and presented in the scores. In his foreword, markings that are not pertinent to our dynamic indications, as well as different Ombredane gives pedagogical advice for personal needs. Drapkin’s collection is keys with very few or no accidentals. A mastery of the stylistic character, including beautifully bound and logically presented, knowledgeable pedagogue, Fessard has clapping exercises, memorization, foot- and provides a complete practice system avoided the extreme altissimo register and tapping and improvisatory (or free) or a well-organized point of departure for has narrowed articulation choices to simply articulation. The scores themselves provide players to insert their own modifications. either slurring or tonguing of notes. These an introductory rhythmic reference – Osiris Molina two limitations allow students to focus for each style as well as lucid and well- on the tasks at hand and on developing proportioned notation, complete with Jean-Marc Fessard. Mes 20 études faciles good tone and musicality, without having chord changes. pour clarinette. Collection Jean-Marc to worry about high notes or elaborate – Matthew Nelson Fessard. Gérard Billaudot Éditeur, tonguing concepts. Fessard’s etudes 2018. €9.82 will be a great enrichment for students James Rae. Jazz Zone: An Introduction and for teachers due to their wonderful Renowned to Jazz Improvisation for Clarinet. pedagogical and artistic perspective. clarinetist Jean- Universal Edition, 2000. $24.95 Marc Fessard has – Barbara Heilmair This recently published publication Olivier Ombredane. a batch of etudes Clarissimo: integrates a clear for beginner Latin Clarinet Ballad Volume 3, sequential method clarinetists. These for one or two B-flat clarinets with for beginning jazz are in addition recorded Latin-American ensemble improvisation to his existing accompaniment CD. Gérard Billaudot on the clarinet beginner’s method Éditeur, 2018. $40.99 with a practical, and his treatise Olivier hands-on approach on the evolution Ombredane that encourages of the clarinet. Etudes that we have been offers the clarinet the student to use waiting for, that is! Fessard’s 20 short community their ears as they etudes close the gap between several other valuable master play along with a piano, bass, keyboard major etude books. classes in Latin- rhythm section accompaniment and Each of our major commonly used American and sample recordings. The audio samples are teaching methods is centered around Caribbean music professionally recorded by experienced certain aspects of playing, such as through his professional jazz musicians, giving mastering all major and minor keys three-volume authentic examples of style, rhythm and following the circle of fifths (Rubank, series of Clarissimo improvisation for the student to model. Baermann, Klosé), tone production compositions. The concise and informative written (Kelly Burke), ergonomics of the hand This, the third volume, involves the explanations are followed by musical (Balassa and Berkes), articulation (Robert most complexity, particularly with exercises in the form of one-page songs. Stark), or isolating hand and musical regard to rhythm and accent patterns. Each song is followed by a scale and a set concepts (Paul Jeanjean). Maître Fessard’s Ombredane takes his inspiration for these of rhythms specific to that particular song. 20 études faciles seem to feature a little compositions from such varied traditions I particularly like the approach of dividing bit of everything, which is not easy to as the Chilean cueca, the Venezuelan the chapters into the large categories of attain for the beginning level. Leaning merengue and joropo, Sant-Domingue’s Rhythm and Melodic Improvisation, with towards the French tradition, the exercises bachata, the Brazilian choro, bossa nova and Rhythm being the primary focus at the feature beautiful horizontal lines as well as samba, the Peruvian lando, the Argentine start of this method. This approach allows passages that clearly train either the left or chamama and the Cuban bolero. the student to develop a foundation of the right hand. Additionally, each piece is Ombredane designs the 10 how to play within varied rhythmic “feels” made up of motifs that can be considered compositions in volume three to be played so as to learn to apply these styles to the as short one- or two-measure learning by either one or two B-flat clarinets melodies learned later in the method. The modules. This breaking up of materials in with the accompanying CD. The works Rhythm chapters explore both swing and small increments is cleverly done and will on the CD are expertly performed by even (straight) eighth-note styles. The be helpful to each student’s learning. an ensemble that includes Ombredane Melodic chapters focus on pentatonic Every etude shows an Italian mood (piano, percussion) and clarinetist Jean- scales, reading chords and chord symbols, marking and a suggested metronome François Verdier, providing an authentic the blues scale, twelve–bar blues, passing

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 69 REVIEWS

notes, minor blues and a more elaborate the 13-key clarinet, the state of the art to play the compositions by ear. The audio twelve-bar blues. These works are short in clarinet design at that time. In many accompaniment tracks are well-recorded, enough to allow a teacher to introduce ways, these studies form a backbone of providing an excellent rhythmic and improvisation to a student in a lesson chromatic literature reminiscent of Bach’s stylistic foundation upon which the without having to use the entire lesson Well-Tempered Clavier. Rubio’s biography player can learn the melody lines printed on the subject. No single publication on Romero, his preface on the Romero in the book. or method can be considered the “best” Method and the 30 Studies are well The three levels of difficulty for each introduction to learning to improvise researched and historically interesting. song gradually expand ranges and increase in a jazz style, but this method is one of Rubio’s contributions to Spanish clarinet the complexity of rhythms. The third the best that I have found. It approaches and pedagogy are substantial, and this version of Montuno contains a section the subject in a sequential manner, is volume is useful, filling a hole in the that allows the player to improvise over written by a person who is experienced repertoire that is similar to his low-C bass the recorded accompaniment based upon in performing and teaching this style of clarinet etude book. the given chord symbols and the prior music, and it approaches the subject in a Each study is one page in length, with rhythmic examples provided earlier in the methodical and limited way so as to allow an emphasis on finger technique and facile song. the student little successes as they progress articulation. These studies are appropriate Overall, this collection is a very well- through the method. Jazz Zone can be used for advanced high school players or planned introduction to Latin American with varied levels of students as it focuses college undergraduates, necessitating a rhythms that will not only help a player on introducing jazz styles rather than on strong command of the altissimo register. to learn these rhythms and styles, but can fundamentals of playing the instrument. I Rubio’s editorial choices and articulations also serve to build skills in counting more recommend this for high school and early are logical, challenging and stylistically traditional rhythms found in Western college clarinet students who want to learn appropriate. The quality of the printing is classical music. Level of difficulty spans about jazz improvisation. Younger students excellent, the typeset is very clear, and the from high school to early college. can benefit from the method, though paper is glossy and of fine quality. Romero’s – John Cipolla some of the theoretical concepts may need studies are affordable, edited intelligently further explanation. and beneficial to burgeoning clarinetists. SOLO CLARINET – John Cipolla – Osiris Molina Lewis Spratlan. Joy Song for solo clarinet. Antonio Romero. 30 Studies for Clarinet. Émilien Véret. Latin Spirit. Gérard Oxingale Music, 2013. $20.00 Edited by Pedro Rubio. Bassus Billaudot Éditeur, 2018. €12.57 Pulitzer Edicione, 2018. $14.95 This collection Prize-winning At the 2015 contains composer Lewis ClarinetFest® two original Spratlan’s Joy Song in Madrid, the compositions, (2013) provides Spanish clarinetist, Latin Play and seven minutes of composer, and Montuno, written musical optimism instrument for clarinet with as it ruminates on designer Antonio accompanying various aspects Romero y Andía keyboard and of joy. Spratlan (1815-1886) was percussion (b. 1940) labels the focal point of audio in a Latin the piece’s four the conference. American style. short sections “Joyful,” “Grazioso,” “Lazy” His lasting Each work is presented in three levels of and “Giddy,” and as the composer notes, influence on Spanish clarinet history difficulty. The book comes with access these sections mirror “one traditional cannot be overstated and his clarinet to audio accompaniments that can be four-movement design used in 18th- and Method of 1845-46 is still in print and in either downloaded or played directly 19th-century sonata-style pieces: Allegro, use today. from the media player on the Billaudot Scherzo, Andante and Finale, but in Modeled after etudes from Iwan website. The composer emphasizes the extreme miniature.” Bright and energetic, Müller’s Method, Romero’s 30 Studies, importance of learning these works by the “Joyful” section of the piece employs extracted from the 1886 third edition listening to the audio accompaniment fast syncopation, expansive ascending of his own Method, are 24 studies in numerous times while reading the music, figures and bluesy harmonies. Its all keys, plus two etudes each on turns, focusing particular attention on phrasing, exuberance contrasts with the cheeky and trills and mordents. Romero’s studies articulation and rhythmic placement and cute “Grazioso” which, though it contains were composed to show the versatility of then ultimately working towards learning large interval leaps and syncopated trills,

70 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019 REVIEWS

seems appropriately grounded after performance. For example, it comes as a certain; again, there is no autograph and “Joyful.” The third section, “Lazy,” offers relief to read the words, “the slur generally it is therefore impossible to know exactly contented legato images in a slow triple had the implication of diminuendo.” Not where Mozart would have descended to time, where harmony changes gradually to mention, he affirms the importance the “basset” notes. and tends toward a peaceful tonal center. of the appoggiatura in Classical period The format for the clarinet parts is From the silence left behind, “Giddy,” the expression, and starting most trills slightly unusual; asterisks are sprinkled final section, vaults into a fast compound from the upper note. And how often liberally through the parts linked to meter, requiring the clarinetist to navigate is a clarinetist encouraged to study the footnotes which allow the editor to discuss athletic interval leaps, rapid articulations treatise on playing the violin by Mozart’s a variety of topics such as articulation, and effervescent passagework. father? Quotes from Leopold Mozart – ornamentation, dynamics, accentuation, Joy Song should appeal to a wide describing, for example, the messa di voce – melodic variants and harmony. There range of advanced performers and define an essential element of expression are 49 notes for the first movement audiences. The piece employs no extended in the period, and perhaps help to explain alone, linked to five-and-a-half pages techniques, and the range does not extend why this effect, rather than vibrato, might of elucidation and reference to period above altissimo G. Yet the rhythmic and be the key to expressive sound production. sources: the incomplete autograph technical challenges will keep performers Throughout the part, Neidich offers in G (K. 621b), early editions and a engaged, providing virtuosic flair under suggestions for dynamics and articulation, period arrangement for piano quintet the umbrella of a friendly harmonic clearly marked as editorial. by Schwenke. (Neidich is dismissive of scheme. The subject of ornamentation in the period arrangements for viola and Clarinetist Jonathan Aubrey Mozart’s music is a difficult one, and for flute.) This makes the text a valuable commissioned Joy Song, premiering the within parameters derived from period resource for exploring the myriad aspects work at the Etihad Modern Art Gallery in source material, it is largely a question of of performing this work – a “must” for any Abu Dhabi on June 13, 2015. taste. And while Neidich, for example, clarinetist interested in a variant or two. encourages the player to decorate the Nota bene; Jonathan Cohler has just – Matthew Nelson return of theme in the Adagio movement, published his version of K. 622 for Presser, CLARINET AND PIANO it is slightly surprising that the repetition similarly with parts for of a phrase is not included as another and conventional clarinet, including new . Concerto in typical candidate for decoration – for “solutions” to the text. Such abundance! example measures 115-123 in the first A Major, K. 622 for clarinet or basset – Eric Hoeprich clarinet in A and piano. Edited by movement, and for that matter, measures Charles Neidich. Lauren Keiser Music 172-180, especially given that Neidich José Serebrier. Tango in Blue for clarinet takes advantage of these in his recordings. Publishing, 2018. $24.95 and piano. Peermusic Classical, 2018. (Somewhat curiously, he quotes from $12.95 When it comes Leonard Ratner’s excellent Classic Music, to sheet music, it who advises against ornamenting this José Serebrier could be said there particular “Adagio.”) (b. 1938), an are two types of Mozart composed K. 622 for basset Uruguayan musicians: those clarinet in A, which is reflected in the conductor and who simply play part for a conventional clarinet in A also composer, was what’s put in front provided in this edition. (Parts for both educated at the of them, and instruments are included as well as a piano University of those interested reduction.) The more obvious spots where Minnesota and in considering the the composer probably meant for the the Juilliard variants, willing to clarinet to sound an octave lower are given, School of Music. take time to study along with variants. In the first movement, He is one of the the sources and develop their own version it again comes as a relief to see measures most recorded of a given piece of music. Taking the latter 145-147 at the octave Mozart intended conductors of his generation. His approach, as Charles Neidich does in this (we know this from the composer’s conducting career is amazing; at the age new edition, bears complex and interesting 199-bar sketch of the first movement, of 21 he became Leopold Stokowski’s results. Neidich has obviously thought a K. 621b), as well as other spots where associate conductor at the New York great deal about the work and expresses a transposing down an octave might best be Philharmonic, a post he held for five years. clear opinion on how these variants should accomplished. In a few places a blank bar Following that, he became the composer- be incorporated into performance. He has been left to encourage the player to in-residence for the Cleveland Orchestra also understands the underpinnings of fill in their own “solution,” since after all through an invitation from George Szell. the Classical style, essential to a successful there is a great deal we do not know for He has received 45 Grammy nominations

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and eight Grammy awards, and has by Pedro Rubio and Ana Benavides. research. There is also a short article by recorded with numerous orchestras. Bassus Ediciones Musicales, 2013. another scholar (Angel Lluis Ferrando As a composer, Serebrier has won €14.56 Morales), that provides further context most of the important awards in the The Madrid about Calvist’s life and work. Overall, United States, including two Guggenheim clarinet professor the introductory text points towards the Fellowships. At 19 he was the youngest Pedro Rubio possibilities of further research on Calvist fellowship recipient of that foundation’s Olivares and who was an important figure in Spain as history. He has composed more than 100 his duo partner, clarinet virtuoso, composer, wind band works including several symphonies. pianist Ana director and educator. The composer writes that “Tango in Blue Benavides – Barbara Heilmair was written during the long overnight flight González, have from New York to Montevideo.” (He was provided us with a MIXED CHAMBER ENSEMBLES en route to conduct the National Orchestra fascinating volume th Eugene Magalif. Serenity for flute, of Uruguay for their 75 anniversary of Romantic clarinet, and harp or piano. Forton concert and he intended to present them clarinet music Music, 2017. £7.50 PDF, £10.00 print this piece as a gift). He continues that from Spain. The edition features two the first four notes of Tango in Blue are a concert pieces that are part of the series U.S. composer, direct quote from the final four notes from “Spanish Pieces from the 19th Century.” pianist and his Symphony No. 2. Tango in Blue was Written in the years between 1890 educator Eugene so successful that his publisher requested and 1896, Calvist may have composed Magalif became that he write several versions; hence, he the two pieces as audition pieces for well-known in produced versions for violin, orchestra, entering a local wind band. Seen with our his native Belarus string quartet, saxophone quartet, flute and contemporary eyes, they make beautiful for pop songs this version for clarinet and piano. intermediate recital or study repertoire, and music for The work begins with a brief or could serve as helpful material in children. He uses introduction and soon the characteristic preparation for playing Carl Maria von this accessible rhythm of a tango becomes apparent. Weber’s works for clarinet. style in the trio This first section is marked Allegro Both the Fantasia and the Capricho version of Serenity, comodo, tempo di Tango and is intended show patterns of tonal scales and which also exists in editions for clarinet to be relaxed (rubato). This is followed arpeggios, featuring a variety of colorful or other solo instrument with piano. This by a Tempo I section with a strict tango sections within a through-composed 4/4 ballad is just under four minutes, rhythm in G minor. The clarinet plays structure. Weber’s works had been spread has equal easy-intermediate parts for all lyrical lines. Midway through this section, across Europe by the traveling virtuoso three performers and features dovetailing the key changes to D major. The tempo by the early 1800s, short motives against a steady chordal slows (subito meno mosso) and the clarinet and we can detect an influence on accompaniment. The sound is of soft part is marked passionato, sensual which Calvist’s 1890s works. The last section in diatonic clusters and light syncopation. allows the performer to play with more the Capricho even features a “Tempo de The title fits. emotion. Then an accelerando leads back Polaca” marking – a strong link to Weber’s – Gregory Barrett to a repeat of this entire second section. “Alla Pollaca” movement in his Clarinet The piece ends with a brief coda marked Concerto No. 2, Op. 74. CLARINET DUOS AND Poco piu lento e lantano, dolente. Here the Calvist’s two pieces were originally ENSEMBLES clarinet and piano have a glissando down written for clarinet and wind band and to a strong “thump!” to end the piece. are now made available with a piano Jacques Offenbach. Duos, Op. 50, Nos. The clarinet and piano parts are not reduction for the first time. The score and 1-3. Arranged by Robert Rainford. difficult. The music is marked carefully parts are full of performance indications Forton Music, 2018. $18.95 and the scores are easy to read. It should that will be helpful to performers. Pianists, Robert Rainford is a freelance musician be a fun piece to play! Tango in Blue especially students, will appreciate the and teacher living in England where he is would also make an attractive encore for fingering indications that Benavides has a member of the National Flute Orchestra, any clarinet recital. meticulously added. Furthermore, this Preston Flute Group and Casual Sax – Robert Chesebro edition is the outcome of impressive Quartet. This arrangement for two B-flat scholarly work. Pedro Rubio and Ana clarinets contains three of the six Duos for Enrique Calvist. Dos piezas concertantes: Benavides have included an editorial Two Cellos, Op. 50, by Jacques Offenbach. Fantasía y capricho for clarinet and report with in-depth information on Each duo contains multiple movements. piano. Arranged for clarinet and piano their approach, sources and previous Rainford transposed the duos into

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clarinet-friendly suite. Originally for strings in F major, keys and added Rainford’s version requires E-flat clarinet, RECORDINGS dynamics and four B-flat clarinets, or Bass Clarinet Essentials. Matthias articulations. Due optional fifth B-flat clarinet, bass clarinet Höfer, bass clarinet; Manami Sano, to Offenbach’s and optional contra-alto and contrabass piano. O. Schoeck: Sonate, Op. 41; P. relatively clarinets. He writes for B-flat clarinets Hindemith: Sonate; A. Busch: Suite in simple and in G major making it possible for a D Minor, Op. 37a; E. Bozza: Ballade; straightforward unique clarinet ensemble/string ensemble E. Krenek: Prelude and Sonatine; A. writing (mainly collaboration. Engaging contrapuntal Hába: Suite, Op. 100; M. Mower: limited to half, Baroque trappings are a feature of each Sonatina; J. Horák: Interviewausschnitt. quarter, and eighth movement: “Prelude,” “Allemande,” Bremen Radiohall Records, LC 84828. notes), these duets “Sarabande,” “Bourrée,” “Slow Minuet” Total time 72:35. are very approachable for intermediate and “Gigue.” Parry influenced composers middle or high-school aged clarinetists. Frank Bridge, Gustav Holst, John Ireland, – Zachary Dierickx and Edward Elgar. You may detect style elements of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Eine Kleine these composers, such as consecutive Nachtmusik, Mvt. I, Allegro. Arranged falling sevenths à la Elgar, in Parry’s for by Frank J. Halferty. marriage of the Baroque and Victorian Kendor Music, 2018. $12.95 eras. Highly recommended. Arranged – Gregory Barrett for three B-flat clarinets playing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Finale from in G major, this Gran Partita. Arranged for clarinet easy-medium octet by Melanie Thorne. Sempre arrangement Music, 2018. $32.50 includes notes to The original altissimo D in the sounding key of It is an exciting time if you are a bass first clarinet, clear B-flat major is clarinetist; new works and materials are marking of slurs, retained, as are consistently being generated by many staccato, and sf all repeats and performers eager to contribute to the accents as well as Mozart’s melodic repertory. Bass clarinetist Matthias Höfer piano and forte sections. Score and parts charm. The and pianist Manami Sano have made a are easy to read with slightly oversized ensemble needed is significant addition to the discography notation. Reminds me of ice cream and E-flat clarinet, four for the instrument with Bass Clarinet clarinet ensemble reading sessions at my B-flat clarinets, Essentials. The album has seven bass private teacher’s house in middle school. alto clarinet or clarinet works of varying difficulty and – Gregory Barrett optional fifth style, one solo piano work and a brief B-flat clarinet, and two bass clarinets. interview with Josef Horák who is credited Charles Hubert Hastings Parry. Lady Downbeat appoggiaturas are written as with having performed the first bass th Radnor’s Suite. Arranged for clarinet 16 notes. I recommend adding more clarinet recital in history in 1955. th ensemble by Robert Rainford. Forton slurs to the 16 -note passages where they Matthias Höfer performs with the Music, 2018. £16.50 PDF, £22.00 print are customary. Perhaps to compensate for Frankfurter Opern- und Museums- Experienced the sameness of instruments compared orchestrer and is a member of the Bayreuth arranger Robert to Mozart’s mixed ensemble, Thorne Festival Orchestra. His additional Rainford has has opted to mark some usually played recordings include Trio Pleyel and Ensemble made a practical forte passages piano. No extended low- Clarimonia: Two Clarinets & Bassoon. A edition, with just range bass notes are written for the sought-after pianist, Manami Sano can the right amount bass clarinets, but if you have a low C also be heard on the CD CaraClarina with of tongued versus instrument, experiment with adding the clarinetist Caroline Hartig. slurred notes, in lowest octave at times. The repertoire of this disc provides a this six movement, – Gregory Barrett hearty meal for the listener’s ear and is Victorian-era an impressive amount of work to have neo-Baroque created for this album. Othmar Schoeck’s

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Sonate opens broadly and boldly in the The album can be found on iTunes were utilized on this recording. Not many low register, leading into a more nuanced and Amazon for digital download. More clarinetists are able to achieve the technical lyrical section that serves as an excellent by Matthias Höfer can be found at dexterity and expertise heard here. introduction to the duo. The second www.hoefer-bassklarinette.de (German Most interesting were Electroclarinet No. movement conveys a levity not always language only). 2, 3, 4 and 5, which are homages to four associated with the bass clarinet, and notable composers: Claude Debussy, Carl – Cody Grabbe highlights Höfer’s capable technique. The Maria von Weber, and discourse with the pianist exemplifies Electroclarinet. Jean-François Charles, Igor Stravinsky, respectively. The Homage a sensitivity in chamber playing found clarinet. J.F. Charles: Electroclarinet to Debussy was harmonically ambiguous. throughout the album. Nos. 1-6, Lina, Electroclarinet No. 5 Melodic fragments are interspersed with ’s two-movement (alternate take). Self-published by Jean- non-metrical rhythms. Using contrabass Sonate is the composer’s own transcription François Charles. Total Time 55:45. clarinet on this selection proves interesting of his sonata for bassoon. Höfer’s and appropriate given Debussy’s affinity interpretation is light and charming, with for new orchestral instrumentation. The especially notable lyricism and rich tone is again a suitable choice for in the work’s first movement. His control the Homage to . More of the softer dynamics in the upper clarion melodic and less ambiguous, I found this register is laudable. Sano’s light touch work to be the most coloristic of the four. makes the more delicate moments in this There are some very interesting delay and work very effective. layering effects, allowing this piece to The unaccompanied Suite by Adolf illustrate a design of colorful texture. The Busch is reminiscent of Bach’s solo E-flat clarinet is expertly played for the repertoire for violin or cello and spans Homage to Messiaen. The melodic contrast the wide range of the instrument and its is wide in range and quite punctual as character, allowing Höfer’s tone to shine opposed to the previous, musically linear throughout the four movements. Eugène Homage. Prominent use of rhythm and Bozza’s Ballade is a work familiar to many jazz-influenced lines may be a nod in clarinetists and Höfer and Sano create a Stravinsky’s direction. The white noise Jean-François Charles is a composer, lovely version full of lyricism and lush effect is a little distracting, but does force clarinetist and live electronics designer. tones. I enjoyed their interpretation of the listener to hone in on the interesting He is an assistant professor of digital arts the work. melodic and rhythmic variants. The and composition at the University of Including Ernst Krenek’s Prelude for last Homage is to Stravinsky. It is the solo piano prepares the listener for his Iowa in Iowa City. After obtaining a MSc most interesting rhythmically, with Sonatine. I appreciated the programming in electrical engineering at the National obvious references to his Three Pieces for and while unfamiliar with the Sonatine, Institute for Applied Sciences in Lyon, Solo Clarinet. I hope it is a work that receives more he studied in Strasbourg with the Italian Electroclarinet 6 for bass clarinet exposure in the future. In Alois Hába’s composer Ivan Fedele. He earned his employs a compilation of sound layers Suite, we begin with an intriguing and Ph.D. in music/composition at Harvard, which I found refreshing compared to ominous brief movement segueing into where he studied with Hans Tutschku, the previous tracks. The opening exposes a playful, off-kilter, Allegro agitato that Chaya Czernowin, Julian Anderson, a drone effect with interjections of sound contrasts nicely with the expressive nature , Gunther Schuller waves moving in and out of focus. These and dark colors of the low register in the and others. waves of sound become more intense and third movement. Charles started composing and dissonant as the piece progresses. The Mike Mower’s Sonatine, written for performing the Electroclarinet series in bass clarinet mournfully wails in and out Höfer and Sano, is a delightful wrap-up, 2009; he has played these works in China, of this cacophonous oscillation. The last showcasing the duo’s ensemble playing France, Finland and the United States. portion of the Electroclarinet 6 features the and technique with several florid, almost- This CD features six clarinets with live bass clarinet in an almost heroic melodic improvisatory motions and ending with electronics: E-flat clarinet, A and B-flat statement quickly followed by delay and a shout. Overall the album is a solid clarinet, basset horn, bass clarinet and jazz-influenced melodies. resource for all bass clarinetists, providing . Charles demonstrates Anything played on contrabass a nice variety of familiar and unfamiliar impressive technical control and strong clarinet is intriguing, and Charles does repertoire performed skillfully by two rhythmic integrity throughout the CD. not disappoint. Lina is colorful and jazzy, artists. I would recommend a listen or Each work is unique and distinctive in giving the listener a plethora of timbral two, especially for those looking to branch its own way. I was impressed with his explosions. Jean-François Charles is out into bass clarinet repertoire. proficiency on the many clarinets that obviously an accomplished clarinetist

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and has an expansive knowledge of Comedy. His Dante Dances, a large work Machen and the poetry of Thomas Hardy. electroacoustic music. Through this CD, with seven continuous movements, was the Composed in 1943, the Fantasy Sonata is a he brings a depth of experience to the result. Welcher connects the movements single-movement tonal work that features genre. This album would be a welcome through deft transitions. “Introduction: complex harmonies characteristic of the addition to any clarinetist’s library. The Gates of Hell” is expectedly dark, period. True to its title, it is rhythmically featuring rumbling declamations in the – Lori Ardovino free overall, while working within the piano followed by banshee-like recitations confines of sonata form. There are certain Música Entre Historias. Carlos J. Casadó, in the clarinet. The harmonic language is themes and piano figurations, including clarinet; Damián Hernández, piano. dissonant in keeping with the movement’s limited whole-tone passages, that seem D. Welcher: Dante Dances (Danzi title, but not inaccessible. pseudo-impressionistic. d’Inferno); M. Yuste: Leyenda, danza The remaining six movements are Le Tombeau de Ravel is by Australian- y lamento and Estudio Melódico; J. variations in dance forms representing born composer . These Ireland: Fantasy Sonata; A. Benjamin: characters of Dante’s journey to the are cleverly composed character waltzes. Le Tombeau de Ravel (Valses-Caprices). underworld. The tonal language is The work has numerous French musical Estudios Mans, M 38435. Total Time more familiar but nevertheless fresh. influences while paying tribute to both 57:20 Included are a tango, polka, schottische Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin and and tarantella. There is even a bubbly his Valses nobles et sentimentales. The “Charleston” movement with syncopation, “Introduziane” and fast waltzes feature jazz-infused fragments and voluptuous challenging technical filigree in the note bends. A mournful “Gymnopédie” clarinet, while the slow waltzes tend movement tips its hat to Satie’s originals. toward plaintiveness. An effervescent What one first notices about Casadó’s “Finale” brings this delightful work to a playing is his gorgeous, lush tone and his close. Casadó and Hernández perform impeccable intonation. Registers from the technical waltzes with grace and élan, bottom to top are perfectly even, and he and the slow waltzes with the requisite demonstrates great ease in moving into his seriousness of purpose. altissimo register with beauty and control, This is a wonderful program overall. even at the softest dynamics. The English translation of the program Casadó and Hernández bring a unified notes are a bit awkward, but the playing is vision to their performances. Both rich, satisfying and of the highest musical are consummate artists who play with caliber. This CD is recommended listening complete technical mastery and musical Música for all who love beautifully performed A new compact disc titled refinement. Entre Historias music for clarinet and piano. features Carlos J. Next is an homage to Spanish Casadó, clarinet, and Francisco Damián composer Miguel Yuste (1870-1947). – Scott Locke Hernández, piano. Casadó has a degree Yuste published seven works for clarinet, Homages to Brazilian Masters. Diálogos from Joaquin Rodrigo Conservatory of and while they don’t have a specific literary Duo: Louis Arques, clarinet and bass Valencia where he studied with Juan work as inspiration, Casadó reasons that clarinet; Richard Boukas, guitar. R. Vercher and José Cerveró, and he has Spanish authors working between 1898 Boukas: Diálogos for clarinet and also studied with Yehuda Gilad at the and 1913 served as inspiration for Yuste’s guitar, Diálogos for bass clarinet and University of Southern California. He compositions. Leyenda, danza y lamento, guitar; Choro Branco. Self-published serves as second and E-flat clarinet with Op. 72, is unabashedly romantic and by Richard Boukas (www.boukas.com/ the Spanish National Orchestra and as features a florid introductory section dialogos-duo). Total Time: 64:00 professor of clarinet at Conservatorio followed by the more rhythmic “danza.” Superior de Música de A Coruña. The latter music features enchanting, sun- Louis Arques is a French-born Hernández is an active performer of drenched themes and displays an elegant clarinetist currently living in New York solo recitals, chamber music and solo virtuosity in the clarinet writing. This City, where he is active as a performer performances with orchestras throughout disc’s concluding work is also by Yuste, a of new music and of Afro-Cuban music Spain. Música Entre Historias draws mournful waltz titled Estudio Melódico, with such groups as Grupo Irek, Sonido its repertoire from two sources: works Op. 33. Costeño and the New School Afro-Cuban inspired by literature and composers English composer John Ireland’s Orchestra. This CD is the result of his related to writers. Fantasy Sonata follows. Ireland grew up collaboration with guitarist-composer American composer in London in the literary atmosphere Richard Boukas, who is on the faculty at found inspiration in a translation of of his parents. He was influenced by Mannes/New School of Performing Arts 15th-century poet Dante Alighieri’s Divine the supernatural literature of Arthur where Arques was a graduate student.

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(noted above), where information for each jazz. Music Coming Together contains movement is found by clicking the info arrangements of existing jazz tunes played links next to the sample audio tracks on in a klezmer style and also includes some the page. established Jewish music fused with jazz The music on this disc would fit nicely elements, resulting in a hybrid Jewish/ on a recital, perhaps interspersed with jazz sound. A Bissel Rhythm takes this classical works to leaven the stylistic mix. explorative process one step further, The work for solo bass clarinet, Choro containing original compositions in this Branco, will make a particularly good new hybrid style. addition to the unaccompanied repertoire Over the past century, jazz composers for the instrument. The music for most and performers have experimented with of the works is available for purchase on instrumentation, marriages between Boukas’s web site, although I didn’t see different musical styles and new harmonic Choro Branco there; perhaps the composer languages ranging from blues and the early can add it in the future. traditional march structures to extended According to the CD cover, the disc harmonies, and from substitution chords was recorded live at the New School of – Jane Ellsworth to modal, polytonal and atonal idioms. As Performing Arts in October 2017. A Bissel Rhythm. Paul Green & Two a result, the term “jazz” is rife with many The music performed on this CD was Worlds: Paul Green, clarinet; Charles different, often contradictory meanings. composed entirely by Boukas, and as the Paul Green’s efforts can be viewed as a Tokarz, tenor saxophone; Jason Ennis, subtitle of the CD indicates, was written continuation of the practice of enlivening guitar; Ben Kohn, piano; Daniel in tribute to Brazilian composers of the the scope and breadth of both traditional Broad, bass; Peter Sweeney, drum set. P. past and present. A note on Boukas’s Jewish music and jazz. Green: A Bissel Rhythm, Zoey’s Chosidl, website indicates that it “fuses a wide The reason that Paul Green and Two My Own Freilach, Doina and Ramble, range of traditional genres (including Worlds is so successful is largely due to the Prelude to the Blues, Joe’s Hurra, The choro, baião, maracatu, congada, frevo) with talent of the musicians. Paul Green is a Jewish March, Lisa’s Song. Big Round styles of contemporary composers such as brilliant, sure-footed clarinetist, classically Records (www.bigroundrecords.com). Guinga and Hermeto Pascoal.” The three trained and instantly recognizable as a Total Time 46:00. large works on the disc contain multiple professional of the first order. He is also movements, each of which is dedicated to an accomplished, working jazz player. one or more specific composers. While all Throughout the album Green plays with of the compositions have a stylistic basis in precision and complete control no matter traditional Brazilian popular music, they the tempo or complexity of the music. also seem to reflect Boukas’s own slightly He surrounds himself with a superb more complex artistic sensibility. Perhaps rhythm section that is at once supportive, this is nova brasilidade, in the same spirit rock-solid and comfortable in the subtle as Piazzolla’s tango nuevo. details of both traditions. In particular, The performers give lovely, clean bassist Daniel Broad, guitarist Jason renditions of these works. Boukas is an Ennis and pianist Ben Kohn stand out as excellent guitarist. Arques plays with a first-rate jazz improvisers. Listeners will refined sound on both soprano and bass immediately recognize and enjoy their clarinets, using vibrato occasionally but music interaction with the front line and sparingly. His intonation is accurate each other. and his phrasing well delineated. For A Bissel Rhythm, the album’s namesake listeners accustomed to hearing Brazilian Paul Green and Two Worlds may be track, uses the Misherak and Ahavah clarinetists perform this type of music, the familiar to fans of klezmer music as this is Rabbah scales combined with the joyful sound and style may seem just a bit too the group’s second album, following the up-tempo Freylach scale. These are forms polished, perhaps more suited to a Weber debut CD Music Coming Together. Both of Dorian and Phrygian modes commonly concerto – but this is hardly a complaint. albums feature an unusual instrumental used in Romanian or Ukrainian This CD comes with minimalistic combination: solo clarinet and solo tenor Jewish music. In this piece, these scales packaging: the disc is enclosed in a saxophone with a four-person rhythm embroider the standard harmonic cardboard jacket, without liner notes of section. They also endeavor to unite two structure of Gershwin’s jazz classic “I Got any kind. Those interested in reading different styles of popular performance: Rhythm.” The middle section opens up about the performers and compositions Jewish music, with its distinctive klezmer for improvised jazz choruses from every are directed to the composer’s web site sound and performance practice, and musician in the group. They all deliver

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solid solos within the confines of the realism, twelve-tone composition and a form and scale restrictions. It is quite a more modernist later style. The first and wonderful feat and a true and satisfying second sonatas include the traditional fusion of the divergent styles. fast-slow-fast movements while the third Doina and Ramble recalls a traditional sonata has only two movements in a New Orleans funeral of early jazz slow-fast configuration. Composed in days. It opens with a free-form, highly 1966, the First Sonata showcases Frid’s ornamented and melismatic Jewish doina earlier compositional style with beautiful section which reflects the mournful sweeping lines and melodies throughout. occasion found at the beginning of most TheSecond Sonata (1971) and Third Sonata traditional funeral ceremonies. This is (1982) are more modernistic. All three presented in perfect unison by the clarinet works are a significant discovery for the and tenor saxophone (Charles Tokarz) clarinet repertoire and should be performed and is followed by the exuberant “ramble” regularly by all clarinetists. These works representing the personality, life and showcase the versatility of the clarinet and ramblings of the deceased. abroad. He has played with the Ulysses stretch the performer in all directions. Blues is an obvious choice for this Ensemble, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Finucane and Blumina’s performance recording, and we are not disappointed. Welsh National Opera, Opera North and of the sonatas is magnificent. Finucane Prelude to the Blues makes especially Irish Film Orchestras, appeared on radio paints elegant lines with utmost control effective use of the Misherak scale, which and television programs and performed and nuance and Blumina’s collaboration is remarkably similar to the traditional with chamber ensembles such as the is exceptionally sophisticated and blues scale. While the twelve-bar form of Ysaye, Navarra and Vanbrugh quartets. imaginative. The performers are sensitive the blues is adhered to strictly, the players Finucane is joined by award-winning in their interplay, creating a well-balanced are assigned particular note groupings that pianist Elisaveta Blumina in this collection performance. are derived from the Jewish scale from of three sonatas written by her father, As performers we are often looking for which they can construct their individual Russian composer Grigori Frid. new works and Grigori Frid’s sonatas are improvised solos. Again, a great deal of Grigori Frid is not well known outside an excellent addition to the clarinetist’s thought has gone into this piece, and, of Russia but is a very important figure standard recital repertoire for students unfazed by the underlying complexity of in music history. Frid graduated from through professionals. John Finucane and the structure, the players deliver as if they the Moscow Conservatory where he Elisaveta Blumina present an exceptionally had been playing this new hybrid style of studied with Vissarion Shebalin and elegant performance that will entice the music all their lives. Genrikh Litinsky. Frid is best known listener to further explore Grigori Frid’s Apart from the concept of fusing for his monodramatic operas The Diary life and music. jazz and klezmer styles, what is most of Anne Frank (1969) and Van Gogh’s – Julianne Kirk Doyle striking to me about this recording is the Letters (1975). He served as director deliberateness of every musical gesture. of the Moscow Music Club for Young Irish Holidays. John Finucane, clarinet; There is a great deal to listen to on this People, promoting music of new Elisaveta Blumina, piano. A. Bax: CD. It is recorded well and contains highly composers including premieres of works Sonata; E. Sweeney: Duo; J. Trimble: informative liner notes. The disc is loaded by Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Denisov and The Pool Among the Rushes; G. Barry: with musical goodies and bright moments, Kancheli. The album liner notes provide Trumpeter and Low; H. Ferguson: Four fresh diversity, high accomplishment an extensive biography about Grigori Short Pieces; Charles Villiers Stanford: and great synergy. This is music from the Frid, biographies of both performers and Sonata; J. Wilson: Three Playthings; C. heart. It will delight listeners familiar with a fascinating interview with Elisaveta Moriarty: Opaque Rhapsody. Genuin klezmer and jazz traditions and will fully Blumina about the composer’s life and Classics, GEN 18495. Total Time: engage all clarinetists. interests. Blumina describes Frid as “a 76:44. – Jerry Rife renaissance man,” stating that he loved life In Irish Holidays, clarinetist John and was interested in all fields and aspects Finucane presents music by composers Grigori Frid: Clarinet Sonatas. John of it. Besides being a professional musician from or inspired by Ireland. The CD Finucane, clarinet; Elisaveta Blumina, and composer, he was proficient in other includes standard repertoire by Bax, piano. G. Frid: Clarinet Sonatas Nos. spheres of art such as oil painting. He was Ferguson and Stanford, while introducing 1-3. MDG, 903. Total Time 57:16 a writer and loved to read literature and lesser-known, more recent works by John Finucane has been principal books about science. Irish composers Eric Sweeney, Gerald clarinet with Ireland’s RTE National The three clarinet sonatas showcase Barry, Joan Trimble, James Wilson and Symphony Orchestra since 1995 and Frid’s long career and contrasting interests Finucane’s former student Christopher has an active career as a soloist, chamber with a series of different compositional Moriarty. These newer works are musician and conductor in Ireland and styles including traditional Soviet interspersed among the older standards.

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two artists dialogue back and forth, Playthings (1983) is a welcome find. James creating masterful chamber music. It Wilson, an Englishman by birth, resided in is likewise a treat to hear Ferguson’s Ireland for over 50 years and was professor compact, delightful Four Short Pieces from of composition at the Royal Irish Academy the same time period given thoughtful of Music, though his tenure there did not consideration by these fine musicians. overlap with Finucane. Wilson’s obituary Joan Trimble’s The Pool Among the Rushes tells the story of a composer whose unique is a brief morsel, under three minutes, path was of a largely self-taught “composer and evokes the most traditional Irish who fell in love with Ireland.” Plaything sound of the whole set which leaves No. 1 is rhapsodic in nature. The middle the listener wanting more. Sir Charles movement is a brief, triplety, jaunty jig. Villiers Stanford’s Brahmsian Sonata is the Throughout, Finucane’s tone evokes the centerpiece of the recording. Their playing right colors; his interpretation is expressive. of this masterwork is effortless. The finale, Christopher Moriarty’s The liner notes to the CD by Tilmann Opaque Rhapsody, is the newest work on This recording follows Finucane’s 2017 Böttcher are very detailed and informative. the recording, composed in 2016 and recording with a similar theme, French They provide a great historical perspective dedicated to Finucane. This work requires about Stanford and his cohort as well as Holidays on the same label. Recorded the most aggressive playing for both an apt introduction to the newer works. in Leipzig, Germany, Finucane appears musicians, and they do so emphatically Eric Sweeney’s minimalistic Duo has a in both recordings with German pianist and enthusiastically. Timbre trills, tremolo, wonderfully easy groove. Of the two vocalizations, flutter tonguing and Elisaveta Blumina, active chamber Low works by Barry, is more substantive. growling are all included here. Finucane musician and artistic director of the The duo takes a jazzy, angular, spirited and Blumina show great versatility in their Hamburg International Chamber Music approach. The music ascends gradually effective expression of both Stanford and Festival. More information about both from lowest range to altissimo. The Moriarty. By the time Irish Holidays musicians can be found on their websites. control and intonation is a brief concern concludes, Finucane has given a guided The opener, Bax’s Sonata, sets the at the top of the clarinet range here. tour of 100 years of music from his tenor for the recording. The collaboration Two unaccompanied works provide homeland, offering a unique perspective of and balance between Finucane and a welcome textural change during this standard repertory as well as familiarizing Blumina is expertly done. The graceful Irish tour. I am always on the lookout for ebb and flow and use of rubato in the solo works that are approachable by both the listener with newer works. first movement are most welcome. The clarinetist and audience, and Wilson’s Three – Gail L. Zugger

AUDIO NOTES by Kip Franklin containing all six of Bach’s cello suites dances, one can perceive a slight vibrato arranged for bass clarinet. Although there in the sustained notes, which I find to be The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is have been several previous recordings employed very tastefully and effectively. universally known. He is arguably the of individual suites, this recording is, to While the whole album is masterfully founding father of Western art music, my knowledge, the first to contain all of executed, certain dances warrant specific having qualified and quantified the the suites. They are a bit challenging to mention. Those not familiar with these language of tonal harmony. The harmonic, decipher due to poor English translations, suites will quickly recognize the melodies melodic and musical models he established but the liner notes interestingly detail of the Bourée I and II from Suite No. 3, manifest themselves in the works of Ruiz’s approach to interpretation and the Prelude from Suite No. 1, and many nearly all subsequent tonal composers. the adjustments that have been made others. Other dances to take special Unfortunately, clarinetists have no original in performing these works regarding note of include the Courante from Suite works by Bach and instead must rely on breathing and multiple stops. By reading No. 1, in which Ruiz marries elegant transcriptions and adaptations in order from the original cello part (sounding a articulation with seamless register leaps, to glean the experience of playing his whole step lower than the originals), Ruiz and the Preludes from Suite No. 3 and music. In addition to the existing body of utilizes the complete range of the bass Suite No. 5, both of which feature the transcriptions and recordings, two newly- clarinet, including many rich descents hearty robustness of the bass clarinet’s released albums are anchored in the works to low C! In hearing the recording, one extreme low register. The Gigues from of Bach. quickly has the sense that Ruiz is a total Suite No. 1 and Suite No. 4 also showcase Spanish bass clarinetist David Arenas musician, a master of his instrument with a puckish capriciousness and nimbleness Ruiz has released J.S. Bach Suites expert command of phrasing, cadence that one would not typically associate BWV 1007-1012, a double-disc album and dynamic nuance. In the slower with the bass clarinet. However, Ruiz’s

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Café Goya” offers a more amicable atmosphere. “Friday, Rio Jerte” depicts the Jerte River and the many cherry blossoms that bloom at its banks during the spring months. “Sunday, Plasencia Sepharid” contains flamenco-like gestures that bring the work to a fast and fiery conclusion. After Bach’s Chaconne, this work is the most memorable from the album. It is imbued with flair and character and is deftly performed by Koestvald. If you are unfamiliar with this work, I highly recommend this recording! The double-disc set closes with Dutch composer Willem Frederik Bon’s Etudes for expert interpretation achieves the light on the first disc, being both the longest and Clarinet. The 12 short vignettes collected articulation and facile technique necessary most complex work from Bach. Koetsveld here are not unlike miniature Paganini to convey the aforementioned characters. rises to the challenge with aplomb! Caprices in terms of their technical and Throughout both CDs that comprise The first disc is enough for a stand-alone musical demands. Koestsveld is in his this album, Ruiz’s technical fluency is album and would make an nice addition element here. His technical prowess and practically seamless and his tone is full, to anyone’s library. This recording would musicianship are on full display in these focused and rich across all registers. There be a fitting accompaniment if practicing pieces, and the extreme altissimo register is some audible air noise on the recording Voxman’s Classical Studies. However, is handled with the utmost fluidity. (possibly the result of close microphone the Bach disc only comprises half of the The mechanics of the playing are at an placement), but it does not distract from package. Disc two of Roots! contains works incredibly virtuosic level, but what really the quality of the recording. His attention heretofore unknown to me. Mike Curtis’s A sells these pieces is the well-planned, to interpretation and phrasing on this Week in Plasencia is an especially charming cohesive interpretation within each etude. recording makes it an instant must-have and accessible seven-movement work for Each has its own personality, color, mood, for enthusiasts of Bach on bass! solo clarinet. [See the December 2018 issue etc. One can hear motivic and character Dutch clarinetist Peter Koetsveld for Gregory Barrett’s review of this piece. development taking place over the course also features the music of Bach on his Ed.] Each movement depicts a specific day of each approximately 90-second etude. new album Roots! This release is again of the week at a location in Plasencia, a This, more than anything else, makes a double-disc album, the first of which Spanish city located near the border with the pieces enjoyable to hear. Wit, charm, contains a potpourri of movements from Portugal. The first movement, “Sunday, sorrow and humor are all conveyed Bach’s suites for cello as well as from the Plaza Mayor,” immediately dissolves through Kovestvald’s performance. violin sonatas and partitas. Performed any lingering Baroque sentiments from Both of these large-scale albums are here on the standard soprano clarinet, one disc one. It is heavily syncopated, jaunty recommended as they offer a valuable can again readily ascertain the detailed and imbued with sultry chromaticism. resource for performing Bach’s music on preparation of phrases and melodic “Wednesday, Parque de la Isla” is a bluesy clarinet, as well as for exploring new music lines. Koetsveld’s interpretation of Bach’s lament involving several pitch bends and for solo clarinet and bass clarinet! Happy music is so effortless and seamless that solemn melodies; the ensuing “Thursday, listening! v it comes across as a quasi-off-the-cuff improvisation. This is especially evident in his rendition of the Prelude from Suite No. 1 and the Double from Partita No. 1. Certainly all of the works by Bach are excellent and well performed, but of particular note is the well-known Chaconne from Partita II. Each note is intricately sewn into an ever-evolving melodic line that Koetsveld weaves with delicacy and tenderness. Simultaneously, he delivers the virtuosity of Bach’s rich harmonic elements with careful attention given to tonal color and resolution of tendency tones. This is the stand-out work

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE CLARINET | 79 Clarinet

by Jenny Maclay

SEVEN WAYS TO SUPPORT THE ICA s an international community many benefits to becoming a member connected. If you have a Facebook or of clarinetists and clarinet of the ICA, so encourage all of the Instagram account, follow us for the enthusiasts, the ICA is clarinetists in your life to join! latest clarinet news and the chance to dependent on the support of 2 Share your knowledge by writing an be featured. 4 Donate to the capital campaign. Many Aits members. Here are a few ways to give article for The Clarinet. Become a back and support the ICA: of the ICA initiatives are dependent on contributor to the journal by submitting the generous donations of its members. 1 Encourage a friend, colleague, or an article for our quarterly publication. If you are able, consider donating to student to become a member. There are 3 Follow the ICA on social media to stay this worthy cause. 5 Offer any useful skills to help the ICA. The ICA can always use people skilled in graphic design, website building, translation, outreach and other services. If you’d like to help, contact [email protected] to volunteer your services. 6 Adopt a member. Help other clarinetists become members by taking part in this program. 7 Attend ClarinetFest® – bonus points for being a volunteer at the conference! This is one of the largest annual gatherings of clarinetists, so we hope to see you there at ClarinetFest® 2020! v

ABOUT THE WRITER Jenny Maclay enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, recitalist, orchestral player, chamber musician, educator and blogger.

Photo by Ann Weis Photography She is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician and has performed throughout Europe and North America. She welcomes an international audience of clarinet enthusiasts on her award-winning blog Jenny Clarinet.

80 | THE CLARINET SEPTEMBER 2019

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