NEWS

CASSGB Young Saxophone Soloist Competition CASSGB is running a Young from first-round entrants. It will take Saxophone Soloist Competition place on 12 January 2020 in London for entrants who will be aged 19 (venue to be confirmed). or under on 12 January 2020. The The competition is open to competition is open to UK nationals CASSGB members and non- or non-UK students in full-time members. For non-members there is education and resident in the UK. a fee of £10 which includes a one- Prizes are as follows: year subscription to CASSGB (the • 1st prize: £1,500 plus an normal cost of student membership invitation to perform at is £12). CASSGB’s 2020 Single Reed Day Application forms for the • 2nd prize: £1,000 competition can be downloaded • 3rd prize: £500 from www.cassgb.org and completed forms should be emailed Round 1 is a recorded submission to [email protected]. Turn to Blaz Sparovec (closing date: 15 October) which page 25 for more information. must include a new specially commissioned work that can be wins Nielsen found on the centre pages of this issue. Round 2, the final, will feature Competition a maximum of six players selected The 24-year-old Slovenian clarinettist Blaz SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN Sparovec has won the 2019 International Nielsen Competition. Second prize was awarded to Aron Chiesa (22, Italy) and 3rd prize to Victor Diaz (22, Spain). 35 rare saxophones stolen Following a pre-selection video round, 24 players aged 19 to 27 from 15 countries were invited to attend the live finals in from Italian collector Odense, Denmark on 20-30 March. After three rounds, three finalists were selected for Thieves in Rome have stolen 35 rare saxophones from the Italian saxophone the grand final and tasked with performing collector Attilio Berni. Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Berni estimated the the first movement of Mozart’s Clarinet total value of the stolen instruments to be around €300,000 but noted that many Concerto and Nielsen’s would be difficult to sell. Eight of the stolen instruments were found abandoned in with the Copenhagen Philharmonic. This a local neighbourhood, while the majority remain missing. Among the instruments year’s clarinet jury comprised Paul Meyer stolen were some made in the 19th century and others belonging to celebrated (chair), Michael Collins, Svante Wik, Michel saxophonists. Berni commented: ‘They did not touch the Sonny Rollins saxophone Portal, Boris Allakhverdyan, Yehuda Gilad, ... which suggests [the thieves] did not know what they were doing!’ Claudio Bohóquez, Mats Engström and Over 25 years Berni has built up a collection of over 600 saxophones. He Marco Feklistoff. Social media commentators plans to open what he claims will be the world’s first saxophone museum this criticised the appointment an all-male jury, September in Maccarese, near Rome, saying, ‘This setback makes me even more to which the competition responded that determined to open the museum.’ Details of all the stolen instruments are female jurors had been invited but none had available on his website. accepted. Sparovec receives €12,000, a solo CD www.attilioberni.com recording with the Odense Symphony Orchestra and performance opportunities with up to 10 orchestras worldwide. He studied in Ljubljana with Andrej Zupan before completing his studies with François Benda at the University of Arts in Berlin. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Slovenian National Philharmonic, Slovenian National Radio Orchestra and Göttinger Symphonieorchester. Since 2015, he has occupied the principal clarinet chair at the Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra and is associate clarinet professor at the University of Arts in Berlin. High definition videos of performances from every round of the competition are available to watch for free on Medici TV (www.medici.tv/en).

Saxophones from the Attilio Berni collection carlnielsencompetition.com

4 Clarinet & Saxophone, Summer 2019 www.cassgb.org JANE BOOTH

CW: I’m sensing that you’re finding this silkiness and shimmer of the French work extremely rewarding. instruments was a very exciting moment – a feeling that the impact of JB: Yes, especially working with people the practice you had put in to change in leadership roles who are holding so from a French system to a German much influence. There’s lots of talk of system had been worth it. mental health issues both at work and in the student community – the pressures CW: At one point you must have had a are everywhere. This kind of work can whole house full of instruments. Have help. It gives people a place to talk – a you still got them all, and how many? sounding board – and it’s a confidential space. JB: I haven’t counted for a while, probably about 60-something. CW: Could you say something about But some of them are quite tiny. your orchestral career, which I know has Chalumeaux – I’ve got lots of those. My been hugely varied? real nerdiness is on the chalumeau.

JB: When I was at college my focus was CW: Why are you nerdy about the on chamber music and exploring music chalumeau? that people weren’t playing. I did a lot of digging in the Bibliothèque Nationale JB: They’re unexpected and unusual, in Paris and I sometimes found some and the characteristics of the sounds real gems. There was plenty too in the are wonderful. The benefit is also the British Library, music that really shows downside because you have so little the clarinet as an instrument that repertoire for each one that they don’t partners the voice incredibly well, that really earn their keep, but who’s to can mirror and reflect it. say my instruments have to earn their keep? There’s the bass chalumeau which looks a bit like a dulcian, which If I were to sum up where my passion lies, I’m still looking to take into a baroque orchestra and masquerade as a it is in making effective communication. bassoon player. People assume that the chalumeau This idea somehow encapsulates the kinds was the precursor to the clarinet. Actually it wasn’t. It was in existence of repertoires and pedagogy that have alongside the clarinet through most of the 18th century, and that happened because of the qualities and colours of interested me since my student days the sound. But it’s also impracticable. If you’re just on tour with your soprano But it was also the time when orchestras were furiously chalumeau that’s not too bad. You put in your pocket and off you recording and they were moving through the 18th century. go. But in terms of putting together a body of repertoire to play In complete recordings of, say, Haydn symphonies, where all it’s not so easy! n of a sudden you actually get a piece with in it, I was fortunate enough to be invited to play for various recordings Jane’s five-volume edition of Baermann’s transcriptions of that were coming up. One important step was being invited Schubert Lieder for clarinet and piano is published by Fountayne to join Sigiswald Kuijken’s orchestra La Petite Bande for their Editions (www.fountayneeditions.co.uk). recordings of Mozart operas, which put me into contact with people who worked with Philippe Herreweghe. I was then invited Jane has made many recordings, recently with the label Devine to be principal clarinet with his orchestra, the Orchestre des Music (www.devinemusic.co.uk). These include two volumes of Champs-Élysées, which I did for 15 years. We started off with Mozart chamber music with Ensemble DeNOTE and two volumes of largely classical repertoire, so I was on the instruments I was Danzi’s music for piano and winds with ensemble F2. comfortable with, but then we started to push right into the 19th century and play the works of Berlioz, so I needed a whole new Jane’s forthcoming concerts, featuring repertoire by Telemann, set of clarinets. Mozart, Danzi, and Schubert, include appearances at the Deal A big highlight for me was performing Symphonie Fantastique. Festival (3 July), Sundays at Six (Cardiff, 31 July), Suffolk Villages All the wind players were on French instruments and there was Festival (25 August) and the Manoel Theatre in Valletta with a very distinctive sound that we built up, working with that Ensemble DeNOTE (13 November). She is presently one of Making repertoire and performing it every night. We then went away Music’s Selected Artists for 2019-20. for a period and came back to play the Brahms Requiem. All of the woodwind and brass players had changed instruments to For more information about coaching and mentoring training German-style ones. The contrast in sound when we first started please write to ([email protected]). to play was absolutely remarkable. The rich, chocolatey sound we got from the German instruments set against the brilliance,

20 Clarinet & Saxophone, Summer 2019 www.cassgb.org www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Summer 2019 27 BIG BANDS

Consequently, through the popularity of Four Brothers Band (or the Second Herd) first instrumental track to enter a Billboard both the CBO and these ‘guests’, over 100 recorded Jimmy Giuffre’s chart based on Top 20 chart position. Thereafter, his different albums (across nearly a score of the chord sequence of ‘Jeepers Creepers’, various modern jazz orchestra formats different labels, garnering no less than featuring the three-tenor-and-one-bari consistently won awards or high chart 17 Grammy Awards), exposed millions sax section containing Zoot Sims, Herbie positions (but were not necessarily of punters to Basie’s reeds-men such as Steward, Stan Getz and Serge Chaloff. commercially remunerative) for his many Paul Gonsalves, Lucky Thompson, Wardell Perhaps one of the most beautiful tenor singles and albums, including three Gray, Frank Foster, Marshall Royal and solos in modern jazz, the exquisite Stan Grammys. Possibly his most reed-oriented Frank Wess. Still going strong, the CBO Getz break on Burns’s ‘Early Autumn’ achievements stem from a deliberate must still be of considerable influence on extract from his Summer Sequence, policy to move ‘orchestral jazz’ forward by saxophonists – budding and actual. was a product of the Second Herd’s Next up in this tour of BBs contributing accomplishments, which in its three- • presenting each new band to to the advancement of single-reed activity year life also employed two more super university and college audiences and is , not exactly a monster saxophonists, and Gene Ammons. maintaining close cooperation with musician of the alto sax and clarinet but Later ‘Herds’ (1950-80s) continued to their departments of music education. a great talent spotter and leader who was display the talents of more reeds-men This was coupled with a release to not afraid to innovate after taking over of note, specifically Sal Nistico and the publishers of selected key charts Isham Jones’s band around 1936 and baritonist Nick Brignola. (It is hopefully for college and school use and the creating The Band that Plays the Blues. relevant at this juncture to let the New creation of Kenton Band Clinics to ‘Woodchopper’s Ball’ became their first Grove Dictionary of Jazz explain the further promote his ‘progressive jazz’ record hit in 1939, eventually selling sometimes-confusing names Nestico and style to up-coming generations more than five million copies. Further Nistico. Sammy (Sal) Nestico, born Nistico • regularly hiring new blood into his wartime hits were in part supported by the in Pittsburgh in 1924, was the arranger, line-ups, often from new-graduate saxophonist and arranger Deane Kincaide. while Salvatore (also Sal) Nistico, born in streams It was in 1944 that Woody assembled Syracuse in 1941, was the saxophonist. • hiring some of the most creative BB his First Herd, which lasted for two years, They were cousins.) arrangers available: Manny Albam, embraced the bop revolution (courtesy of Fully aware that several critics and Dee Barton, Ralph Carmichael, arrangements initially from Dizzy Gillespie biographers have noted that few of Stan Frank Comstock, Bob Curnow, Bob and subsequently from Ralph Burns) and, Kenton’s orchestras have ever ‘swung’, Graettinger, Ken Hanna, Neal Hefti, in 1945, added on tenor. This they did successfully coexist with genuine Bill Holman, Hank Levy, Willie Maiden, was the time of Herman’s rabble-rousing swingers and at the same time engaged Marty Paich, Johnny Richards, Shorty hit record ‘Caldonia’, which a year later many of the truly magnificent saxophone Rogers, Pete Rugolo and Bill Russo – was joined by Igor Stravinsky’s Ebony artists of the 20th century between 1941 all of whom were competent writers Concerto, written exclusively for Herman’s and 1990. Starting with the fairly muscular for saxophone. Apparently, Stan was solo clarinet work. Even though Woody duo of soloists Vido Musso (tenor) not a fan of the clarinet – a situation was quite successful with 1946 band and Boots Mussulli (alto), and strongly that made no difference to his activity, his personal life was less so, and influenced by Jimmie Lunceford’s charts, commissioning of a splendid military- it was not until December 1947 that the his Rendezvous Ballroom (Balboa Beach, style but clarinet-free arrangement of our National Anthem for a Croydon concert on his final UK visit Goodness knows how • ensuring that his best soloists were given plenty of elbow room many times the charts for • giving the oxygen of publicity to at least 10 of the finest saxophonists ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and ‘In of the period: Stan Getz (a very short spell), Pepper Adams, Bob Cooper, the Mood’ have been used – Sam Donahue (who delivers an astonishingly high altissimo ending it must be in the millions to his ‘Body and Soul’ solo feature), Bob Gioga, Richie Kamuca, Lee Konitz, Lennie Niehaus (also a good arranger), California) BB Bud Shank and Zoot Sims. line-up ultimately gained him a slot With the benefit of hindsight it is on Bob Hope’s now clear that Kenton followed closely 1943-44 radio in the footsteps of earlier BB leaders show and a Decca (Whiteman, Ellington, Thornhill et al) recording contract. with the objective to continuously This was closely move the music forward, or to cross followed by a boundaries. Furthermore, elements of contract with the this characteristic can be detected in the newly formed works of some of Stan’s contemporary BB Capitol label, leaders: Charlie Barnet, Don Ellis, Maynard which captured Ferguson, Dizzy Gillespie, Thad Jones and ‘Eager Beaver’ Mel Lewis, Tom Kubis, Hank Levy, Billy May, Woody Herman (top left) to shellac – his Bob Mintzer, Boyd Raeburn, , Artie Shaw (above) and Count Bassie (right)

34 Clarinet & Saxophone, Summer 2019 www.cassgb.org CONCERT REVIEWS

by three sopranos, harpsichord, theorbo, frantic section, the piercing note from string players, also frequent collaborators harp and viola da gamba. the opening returned before the whole with Robin, were committed, providing On leaving this venue we were guided ensemble went mad. Bow hair was shape and sense to an otherwise across a square, through builders’ tattered. Delicate soft sounds, almost impossibly-structured piece. hoardings and into another venue: the inaudible, contrasted with fiercely intense Monnet had reassured the audience by Eglise des Franciscains, the shell of a raucous sounds, which at times felt saying that throughout music’s history 13th century church awaiting restoration. uncomfortable. A much calmer section there had always been controversy, and Festival organiser Marc Monnet explained featured sustained notes using growling that even the madrigals would have that we were moving from the 16th and multiphonics. From my seat I could been disapproved of at some point. The century to the 21st – although the fact that see the second violin’s tablet and a foot audience members seemed genuinely the venue had in fact taken us back several pedal used to change the page, which satisfied with the exception of one, who hundred years didn’t go unnoticed. By this happened frequently. While the music offered his sympathies to Billard, asking point we knew that the performers were had an improvisatory quality, it was how on earth he could possibly play this to be the bass clarinettist Alain Billard carefully planned, and the composition music. Billard, graciously, said it was his and the Quatuor Tana, who were to give was particular and exact. I felt I was ready job and we are all free to play the music the premiere of Shadows II by Yann Robin. for it to end around two-thirds of the that we are drawn to – and yes, he enjoys Preceding this was Mauricio Kagel’s Pas de way through its half-hour duration, but playing Brahms and Mozart as well. He also cinq, a theatre-piece from 1965 featuring perhaps my unfamiliarity with this style revealed that he had received Shadows II five actor-musicians stamping around a of music was the reason for this. Further, from Robin very late and had only had six stage adorned with various coverings to the juxtaposition of a brand-new work weeks to work on it, concentrating on it provide varieties of sound. It was bizarre with an incredibly old building created particularly in the last two weeks. and, to my mind, not complex and rather an extra level of tension. It was dark and random. cold – blankets were provided – but the Billard is an exceptional technician. Over 20 years as a member of Ensemble Intercontemporain must put him in prime position for performing the very latest in modern music

Readers with an interest in contemporary music could do worse that investigate Robin’s works for including Art of Metal I and II. These sonic explorations are interesting starting points for exploring the very latest in new music for clarinet, and having listened to more of Robin’s music I feel I am beginning to understand it more. Shadows II is published by Lemoine, a pricey edition but one that nevertheless allows players to explore and experiment with this extraordinary work. Even factoring in all the seemingly random sounds, the notation is written explicitly and each sound is prescribed to be played at an exact time. I mentioned the theatrical element in the string quartet work by Markeas. Perhaps we should not just be listening Shadows II – the main work I had come heightened sense of atmosphere certainly to contemporary music but also watching to hear – opened with a quadruple-forte added to the occasion. for those movements and connections high note on the , sustained Billard is an exceptional technician. between players – all the subtleties that and powering through. Rhythmic slap Over 20 years as a member of Ensemble emerge only after hours of ensemble tonguing punctuated longer silences, Intercontemporain must put him in prime rehearsal. Shadows II is a long work, creating atmosphere right away. The position for performing the very latest in so it probably won’t make up part of music developed as the strings entered modern music. The extended techniques my everyday playlist, but if I got the with fast repetitive patterns, usually high that he can now make available to opportunity to hear it again, either with and without any form of sustained tone, composers must be enviable, and given Billard or another exceptional player, then in contrast to the bass, which played that he has worked with Robin since I would probably take it. n patterns of slap tongue and ghost notes, 2004 there will be very few who know all extremely rapid. After an exceptionally the capabilities of his playing better. The Stephanie Reeve

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Summer 2019 39