Background, Compositional Style, and Performance Considerations in the Clarinet Works of David Baker
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BACKGROUND, COMPOSITIONAL STYLE, AND PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS IN THE CLARINET WORKS OF DAVID BAKER: CLARINET SONATA AND HERITAGE: A TRIBUTE TO GREAT CLARINETISTS Sheng-hsin Lin, B.A., M.M. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS May 2016 APPROVED: John Scott, Major Professor Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Related Field Professor Kimberly Cole Luevano, Committee Member James Scott, Dean of the College of Music Costas Tsatsoulis, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Lin, Sheng-hsin. Background, Compositional Style, and Performance Considerations in the Clarinet Works of David Baker: Clarinet Sonata and Heritage: A Tribute To Great Clarinetists. Doctor of Musical Arts (Performance), May 2016, 149 pp., 7 musical examples, references, 38 titles. David Baker (b. 1931) is an educator, composer, and jazz legend. He has composed at least fifteen works that include the clarinet. Baker’s Clarinet Sonata (1989) has become a standard of clarinet repertoire and a popular recital inclusion. His chamber work Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists (1996) is a composition that interweaves solo transcriptions of five jazz clarinetists. The compositional style of Baker’s clarinet works frequently links jazz and classical idioms. The two works discussed in this document are excellent examples for classically trained musicians who would like to increase their ability and experience in interpreting jazz styles. The purpose of this document is: (1) to provide background, style, and performance considerations for Baker’s Clarinet Sonata and Heritage: A Tribute for Great Clarinetists, for Clarinet, Violin, Piano and Double Bass; (2) based on these style elements, to provide suggestions for interpreting jazz-style works for classically trained clarinetists; and (3) to archive Baker’s published and unpublished clarinet compositions. Appendices include transcripts of interviews with David Baker and other experts in this field (James Campbell, Rosana Eckert, Mike Steinel and Steven Harlos). Copyright 2016 by Sheng-hsin Lin ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am very blessed to have had mentors for all the different stages of my life. My deepest appreciation goes to my major professor at the University of North Texas, Dr. John Scott, and Professor David Baker, my “grandfather” at Indiana University. They have always encouraged and supported me, and they continue to inspire me and give me full freedom to explore and create. This project couldn’t have been completed without the support and assistance I received from James Campbell, my major professor at Indiana University; and Mike Steinel, Rosana Eckert, and Steven Harlos, all faculty members at the University of North Texas,. Thanks to all my classical and jazz (or beyond the genres) musician friends, who help me to explore more of the endless possibilities of music. I learn, grow, and experiment by performing, collaborating, or simply hanging and chatting with you. Music is all about communication. This transcends musical genres. Most of important of all, thanks to my family and friends. Without your love and support, I would not be here to achieve my goal and my dream. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ............................................................................................... vii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER II. DAVID BAKER AND HIS CLARINET WORKS ................................................ 6 2.1 David N. Baker’s Biography......................................................................................... 6 2.2 Compositions ................................................................................................................ 7 2.3 Clarinet Works .............................................................................................................. 9 2.3.1 David Baker’s Clarinet Sonata (1989) and Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists, for Clarinet, Violin, Piano and Double Bass (1996)........................ 10 CHAPTER III. JAZZ ELEMENTS AND STYLE AS REPRESENTED IN BAKER’S TWO SELECTED CLARINET COMPOSISITIONS ............................................................................ 18 3.1 Nomenclature .............................................................................................................. 18 3.2 Clarinet Sonata (1989) ................................................................................................ 19 3.3 Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists, for Clarinet, Violin, Piano and Double Bass (1996) ....................................................................................................................... 23 3.3.1 “Buddy and Beyond” ................................................................................... 23 3.3.2 “Artie” .......................................................................................................... 24 3.3.3 “BBBB” ....................................................................................................... 24 3.3.4 “BG” ............................................................................................................ 24 CHAPTER IV. JAZZ STYLE PERFORMANCE GUIDE BASED ON BAKER’S CLARINET SONATA (1989) AND HERITAGE: A TRIBUTE TO GREAT CLARINETSITS (1996) ........ 26 4.1 General Jazz-Style Performance Guide for Classically Trained Clarinetists ............. 26 4.1.1 The Problems of Jazz Notation .................................................................... 26 4.1.2 Jazz Time Feel ............................................................................................. 27 iv 4.1.3 Swing Eighth Notes ..................................................................................... 29 4.1.4 Jazz Style Articulation, Tone, and Vibrato .................................................. 32 4.1.5 Listening is Key ........................................................................................... 33 4.1.6 Equipment .................................................................................................... 35 4.2 Performance Suggestions on Baker’s Clarinet Sonata and Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists.............................................................................................................. 36 4.2.1 Clarinet Sonata (1998) ................................................................................. 36 4.2.2 Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists (1996) ........................................ 38 CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH .................................................... 42 APPENDIX A. DAVID BAKER’S CLAIRNET AND BASS CLARINET WORKS ................ 45 APPENDIX B. DAVID BAKER INTERVIEW .......................................................................... 48 APPENDIX C. JAMES CAMPBELL INTERVIEW ................................................................... 87 APPENDIX D. ROSANA ECKERT INTERVIEW ................................................................... 113 APPENDIX E. MIKE STEINEL INTERVIEW ......................................................................... 125 APPENDIX F. STEVEN HARLOS INTERVIEW .................................................................... 138 APPENDIX G. ADDITIONAL ARTICLES BOOKS, SCORES AND ONLINE RESOURCES FOR LEARNING JAZZ STYLE ....................................................................... 144 G.1 Books ....................................................................................................................... 145 G.2 Online Resources ..................................................................................................... 145 G.2.1 YouTube Videos ....................................................................................... 145 G.2.2 Online Library Archive ............................................................................. 145 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................... 146 B.1 Primary Sources ....................................................................................................... 146 B.2 Secondary Sources ................................................................................................... 146 B.2.1 Scores ........................................................................................................ 146 B.2.2 Books, Dissertations, and Theses .............................................................. 147 v B.2.3 Websites .................................................................................................... 147 B.2.4 Journal Articles ......................................................................................... 148 B.2.5 Conference and Workshop Handouts ........................................................ 148 B.2.6 Recordings ................................................................................................. 148 B.2.7 Online Articles .......................................................................................... 149 vi LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Page 2.1. David Baker, Heritage: A Tribute to Great Clarinetists, movement I, “Buddy and Beyond,” mm. 103–104. ................................................................................................