the senior recital of

Loucas Vasilarakos, clarinet

ith Dr. Micheal Serego and Austin Frohmader,

On the program: Cce f Caie i A a (K. 622), fi ee ​ Wfgag Aade Ma (1756 - 1791) Moarts Clarinet lives on to be the most standard ork in the instruments repertoire. The piece, Moarts last instrumental ork before his death, as ritten for the clarinet virtuoso Anton Stadler, ith hom Moart harbored a close friendship. In addition to Moarts infatuation for the clarinets tonal beaut, man of Moarts finest clarinet orks ere composed ith Stadler in mind, including the Kegelstatt Trio, Quintet (K. 581), obbligato lines ​ ​ in La clemena di Tito, and the famous Concerto (K. 622).1 Originall ritten for the basset ​ ​ clarinet (a longer instrument that is characteried b its etended range and arm, mello tone), the piece as later altered b publishers to fit the range of a normal clarinet. As a hole, the concerto is divided into three contrasting sections: Allegro, Adagio, and Rondo: Allegro. The first movement of the concerto opens ith a light, orchestral eposition before the clarinet takes over ith the same thematic content. Almost instantl, the simplistic theme captures the qualit of the clarinet beautifull, giving mature lricism a chance to sing above intense passage ork. Within the eposition alone, the clarinets standard characteristics are utilied: beautiful phrases, registral leaps, and flourishes of notes decorating the themes. With instances of minor phrases morphing back into the familiar, light-hearted character that dominates this movement, the eposition ends ith a flurr of notes, shoing off the clarinets technical abilit. These remarkable characteristics are elaborated on in the orks development before a seamless transition in the recapitulation, ending the movement ith the dominating material heard in the eposition.

1 Moart: Concerto in A major for Clarinet and , K.622, San Francisco Smphon, accessed 10 October 2020, ​ https://.sfsmphon.org/Data/Event-Data/Program-Notes/M/Moart-Concerto-in-A-major-for-Clarinet-and-Orches.

Abe de iea (Ab f he Bid), f caie ​ Oiie Meiae (1908 - 1992) Olivier Messiaen can be regarded as one of the most important French composers of the tentieth centur, etending beond Western musical norms and incorporating his Catholic faith, interest in ornitholog, as ell as characteristic modalit into his orks. Subject to both World Wars, Messiaen composed The Quartet for the End of Time during an arduous ​ ​ detainment at a World War II internment camp. The ork, hose title stems from an angelic force announcing there should be time no longer (Book of Revelation), as ritten for fello musicians also interned at the camp. The full quartet is eight total movements, each shocasing Messiaens unique compositional stle, harmon, and orchestration. Upon completion in 1941, the musicians, including Messiaen at the piano, gave the premiere performance to other prisoners and officers at the camp.2 Contetuall, Abss of the Birds is the third movement of the full quartet. Written for ​ ​ solo clarinet, the piece alternates moods, differentiating from sadness to perk optimism. Regarding Abss, Messiaen rites: ​ ​ Abss of the Birds for clarinet alone. The abss is Time ith its sadness, its eariness. The birds are opposite to time; the are our desire for light, for stars, for rainbos, and for jubilant songs. These descriptions are captured holisticall throughout the ork. Beginning ith desolate long ​ ​ tones at a lo, piano volume, the piece gros in intensit, eventuall introducing the birds. ​ ​ These birds are characteried b light, staccato rhthms and comple flourishes over the entire ​ ​ range of the clarinet, bringing stark contrast to the hopeless tones that preceded. These to conflicting dispositions comprise the content for the entire movement, ending ith one final flourish of hope folloed b four lo and concrete pitches.

2 Rebecca Rischin, For the End of Time: The Stor of the Messiaen Quartet (Ithaca: Cornell Universit Press, 2007), 43 - 48. ​ ​

S de cc, f caie ad ia ​ Ad Meage (1853 - 1929) Andr Messager, primaril regarded as a composer of French operetta, as a talented organist, composer, and conductor. A student of esteemed composer Camille Saint-Sans, his

orks are model eamples of the French school of composition, emploing a light and elegant qualit. After having established a career as a composer, Messager rote Solo de Concours in ​ ​ 1899 for the annual Paris Conservator competitions, hich tested and aarded oung musicians at the school. In congruence ith similar pieces composed for this accredited event,

Messagers ork offers a displa of effervescent themes, impressive contrasts, and ambitious virtuosit. Stated b Faur as being familiar ith everthing, knoing it all, and fascinated b anthing ne, Messagers ell-rounded musicianship is demonstrated perfectl in this standard piece.3

Solo de concours opens ith cheerful melod atop a confidentl stated piano ​ accompaniment. Throughout the first section, flurries of scales and arpeggios are used in contrast ith epressive melodies. After an impressive portraal of technique, the ork changes moods completel, alternating song-like melodies and technical accompanimental decorations beteen the piano and clarinet. The cadena eplores the dramatic character that the clarinet can illustrate so ell, ith a complete portraal of the instruments range, dnamic contrast, and technical abilit. The piece then transitions back to familiar, light-hearted melodies before concluding ith a driving displa of technique, confidentl concluded ith unison attacks in both the clarinet and piano.

3 Andr Messager, Roal Opera House, accessed October 18, 2020, http://.roh.org.uk/people/andre-messager.

Cce f Caie, f caie, ig chea, ha, ad ia ​ Aa Cad (1900 - 1990) Aaron Coplands Concerto for Clarinet has become a repertor staple for clarinetists and audiences alike. The ork, ritten over the course of one ear, as commissioned b and dedicated to the legendar ja clarinetist Benn Goodman. Though commissioned, Goodman trusted Coplands esteem and legac, giving him complete artistic freedom to complete the

ork. In fact, the onl editorial correspondences beteen the pair occurred after the concertos completion in 1948. The onl stipulation regarding the commission as Goodmans to-ear eclusivit ith the orks performance, hoever both Goodman and American clarinetist

Ralph McLane (Principal Clarinetist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, 1943-1951) acted as premiere performers for the concerto. Goodman gave the radio premiere on 6 November 1950, and

McLane succeeded ith the concert premiere on 24 November. Initiall, the ork did not garner great success, ith some revies referring to the piece as second-rate Copland.4

Hoever, ith continued American performances and to recordings b Goodman, the concerto gained a significant increase in popularit.5

The concerto can be divided into to continuous sections, or movements. The first contains man epressive, Copland qualities, such as leaping melodic lines and shifting metrical pulses; the movement ends ith a length cadena. This cadena, an enigma amongst clarinetists, introduces the folloing sections tone: a riveting drive ith inherent influence from the ja genre.

All program notes ritten b Loucas Vasilarakos (2020).

4 Larr Mae, The Copland , The Clarinet 12, no. 4 (Summer 1985): 28. ​ ​ 5 Albert R. Rice, Notes for Clarinetists: A Guide to the Repertoire (Ne York: Oford Universit Press, 2017): 42-44. ​ ​