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Autumn 2018 Volume 43, No 3 Alan Lucas PAYING TRIBUTE Michael Collins A YEAR IN THE LIFE

PHIL WOODS A unique legacy

EDITOR’S LETTER Editor’s 28 World Sax Congress, , Croatia LETTER Welcome to the autumn issue of & . I would like to begin by paying tribute to Alan Lucas, the co-founder of CASSGB, who has died at the age of 98. Alan was a tireless advocate for the clarinet and also largely responsible for the shift among many UK professional players from Boosey & Hawkes instruments to Buffet. Turn to page 10 for a full tribute to him, including a detailed account of this fascinating period of clarinet history. This issue’s cover artist, , left a vast legacy of high-quality recordings on both instruments, though he was of course best known as a saxophonist. His career highlights are summarised by Kenneth Morris on page 14. I would like to thank Ken, who has been writing for Clarinet & Saxophone for 10 years now, for his colourful and expert writings on all things and single . Talking of anniversaries, it is 20 years since the first synthetic reeds were produced by the Canadian company Légère. Whether or not you are a fan of the plastic, the company’s story is a fascinating one (page 42).

Cover: Phil Woods, 1978 It feels like a rich time to be writing about (or indeed playing or listening Photograph: Courtesy of Tom Marcello to) the saxophone. This year’s prestigious Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) competition was won by a classical saxophonist – and as Michael Pearce points out, the competition has a strong track record of showcasing the sax, with Editor and advertising manager: many past winners and finalists performing on this instrument. Read Michael’s Chris Walters ([email protected]) interview with Jonathan Radford, the 2018 ROSL winner, on page 19. With Jess Reviews, diary and classifieds: Gillam freshly signed to Decca, Rob Burton taking BBC Young Musician by storm Stephanie Reeve ([email protected], [email protected]) and our reviews bag bulging with exciting saxophone CDs every month – for

example, Saxophilia (reviews, page 44) – it seems that the classical saxophone Designer: Hannah Whale is truly having its moment in the sun. Printed and fulfilled by: Cambrian Printers Ltd, Not that the clarinet is relinquishing its own spot in the limelight. On page 22 Llanbadarn Road, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3TN I interview the formidable clarinet soloist Michael Collins, who has just finished

CASSGB library: The CASSGB library is currently an ambitious period of recording what seems like virtually the entire clarinet housed at Stapleford Granary, . There are repertoire on the Chandos label. It was a pleasure to speak to Michael, who has over 4,000 titles of sheet music and other books, a had a challenging year to say the least, as you will discover when you read journals and recordings. A complete collection of the article – although, thankfully, it hasn’t stopped him developing his parallel Clarinet & Saxophone is also available. Members have full access by mail order, and the library is career as a conductor or continuing to break new ground as a clarinettist. administered by Stephanie Reeve. Orders are made Two articles in this issue are devoted to technical matters of very different via our website (cassgb.org/library) or in writing to kinds. Chuck Currie shares some invaluable advice on reed seasoning and Stephanie Reeve: [email protected] adjusting on page 30, while we present some new findings on the mechanics of

Copy dates: 15 January (for spring edition), articulation on page 32. Have you ever wondered what’s going on scientifically 15 April (for summer edition), 15 July (for autumn when you articulate a note on the clarinet? If so, this article, which springs from edition) and 15 October (for winter edition) a dedicated laboratory at the University of New South Wales, Australia, should offer some answers. Clarinet & Saxophone tries to avoid inaccuracies. If readers believe that an error has been made they Before I sign off, I’d like to remind you to sign up for CASSGB’s gala single should contact the editor before taking any other action. reed day in Nottingham on 23 September. CASSGB’s days are always great The advertisements in Clarinet & Saxophone fun, and this year there will be opportunities to play in massed ensembles do not imply endorsement. and hear performances from top artists, as well as sampling our buzzing trade © All copyrights reserved 2018 • ISSN 0260 390X exhibition. See the news section (page 4) for more details, and I hope to see many of you there.

Chris Walters, editor [email protected]

SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN

Autumn 2018 Volume 43 Number 3 The official publication of the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain (CASSGB)

2 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org CONTENTS

PHOTO: BRIAN MCMILLEN

Regulars

4 News 13 Single Reed Doctor INSIDE 44 Reviews 44 CDs 47 Sheet music PHOTO: BEN EALOVEGA 50 Diary 14 54 Membership update Phil Woods and classifieds

56 Inspirations Kenneth Morris profiles Christian Forshaw – saxophonist, and leader of 22 44 The Sanctuary Ensemble Michael Collins Reviews – Saxophilia

Features PHOTO: ROYAL OVER-SEAS LEAGUE AND JAMES MCCORMICK

14 Into the Woods Kenneth Morris examines the life and work of the American saxophonist Phil Woods, who left one of largest and most impressive recording legacies of any single-reeder

19 Jonathan Radford The channel-hopping saxophonist and reigning Royal Over-Seas League Gold 19 56 Jonathan Radford Christian Forshaw Medallist tells Michael Pearce about the difference between French and British conservatoires’ approach to the classical saxophone 36 Heather Roche Ian Mitchell profiles Heather Roche, 22 Michael Collins a Canadian and now -based Chris Walters hears from the solo clarinettist clarinettist, blogger and contemporary and conductor about current projects and music advocate future ambitions amid a challenging year 38 Film Noir 25 ClarinetFest 2018 saxophone Stephanie Reeve reports from the professor Kyle Horch writes International Clarinet Association’s annual about the birth of Film Noir, an flagship event ambitious new piece for sax octet by Ivor McGregor 28 World Sax Congress David Zucchi visited this year’s World Sax 41 P. Mauriat Congress to perform with his quartet, The Clarinet & Saxophone is grateful to all Domino Group. He reports here on the many our advertisers for their continued other performances on offer there support. In this new feature, we shine a light on one of them in each issue, 30 Reed seasoning and adjusting beginning with P. Mauriat Chuck Currie suggests that a little time spent on reed management pays dividends 42 Redefining reeds This October marks the 20th 32 Science of articulation anniversary of Légère Reeds. Some recent scientific studies of clarinet Michael Pearce hears from are presented by the School of co-founder and president Physics, University of New South Wales, Mark Korschot about the Australia company’s journey 36 Heather roche

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 3 NEWS CASSGB 2018

Anna SINGLE Hashimoto REED DAY SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY Sarah Marinescu

After many months of planning, CASSGB’s 2018 Single Reed Day is now CASSGB would like to thank our just a few days away. Building on the success of our 2016 event held many supporters without whom the in London, it will offer an opportunity to meet other CASSGB members, day would not be possible, including: play together in massed sessions, browse and try out a wide range of products, attend masterclasses and talks, and hear performances from ABRSM an exciting selection of up-and-coming and established artists. Barnes and Mullins D’Addario Our international line-up of guest artists includes: Devon & Burgani Hummingbird and Maskarade • Roeland Hendrikx, clarinet (sponsored by ) Music Publishing • Naomi Sullivan, saxophone (sponsored by D’Addario) Ridenour Clarinet Products • Anna Hashimoto, clarinet (sponsored by Vandoren UK) Selmer Paris • Nik Carter, saxophone (sponsored by Yamaha UK) Sempre Music • Jason Alder, Trevor James • Marco Gerboni, saxophone Trinity College London • Basilisk Duo (Freya Chambers and Simeon Evans, / Uebel ) Universal Edition Roeland Hendrikx • British Clarinet Ensemble Vandoren • The Band of the Grenadier Guards Clarinet Quartet Weiner Urtext Edition • The Household Division Saxophone Ensemble Wind Blowers • Warrant Officer Class 1 Sarah Marinescu of the Grenadier Guards Yamaha (massed single-reed session conductor) Yanagisawa

CASSGB is running a series of guest artist profiles on our Facebook page with more information about all our guest artists. Along with our massed single-reed choir, we are pleased to announce that bass clarinet specialist Sarah Watts will lead a massed bass clarinet ensemble as a special UK tribute to Harry Sparnaay, the ‘godfather’ of the bass clarinet, who died last year. As with our massed single-reed Jason Alder choir, parts will be available on the day for players of all ages and abilities, so don’t forget to bring your instruments! The event will take place at the Lakeside Arts Centre and Music Department, Nottingham University, NG7 2RD on Sunday 23 September from 10am to 8pm (registration opens at 9.30am). Tickets can be booked via our dedicated Eventbrite page (www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cassgb- 2018-single-reed-day-tickets-46649060596) or by visiting www.cassgb. org and clicking through to information about the event. Tickets cost £10 for students, £35 for CASSGB members and £50 for non-members. The latter rate includes a free year’s membership of CASSGB for those who The Band of the Grenadier Guards pay by direct debit.

Naomi Sullivan

Basilisk Duo The Household Division SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN

4 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org Clarinet and Saxophone Society.pdf 1 2018-07-11 10:52:49 AM

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legere.com/freedom NEWS

Royal Conservatoire of Testament launches Clarinet published by Saxtet

Following March’s world premiere of Testament, Festival and Conservatoire a concerto for and orchestra by Jeffery Wilson (see summer issue, page 36), Saxtet Clarinet Competition Publications have published the work in two formats: one with orchestral parts and the other with On Sunday 14 October, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) will host reduction. a new Conservatoire Clarinet Festival, featuring masterclasses, concerts Wilson said: ‘Having played the saxophone and workshops for clarinettists of all ages and abilities. Sponsored by myself for over 45 years it seemed timely to pen , the day will feature Buffet artists Nicolas Baleyrou and a concerto for this most iconic instrument and to Maximiliano Martin, as well as RCS teaching staff John Cushing, Yann Ghiro, combine elements of improvisation with more formal Lawrence Gill and Josef Pacewicz. compositional techniques. This is a musical language As part of the festival, the RCS has launched a new Conservatoire that has been forming over the years and now, I feel, Clarinet Competition, sponsored by The Wind Section music shop. The is coming to fruition.’ competition is open to all young clarinettists of school age and pre- ​ A version for wind orchestra is due to be performed undergraduate study. After an initial video round, four finalists will be by Rob Buckland and the Music chosen to compete in the live final during the one-day festival. The first Service later in 2018. Buckland gave the premiere prize winner will be awarded a voucher from The Wind Section worth performance and is the work’s dedicatee. £2,000, which can be put towards the purchase of an instrument. A Most Promising Award will also be given to an applicant from the first round www.saxtetpublications.com who shows potential for the future. Please note that entries for this year’s competition closed on 30 August. The competition was advertised in early August on CASSGB’s regular email newsletter, which exists to provide members with news and information between the quarterly issues of Clarinet & Saxophone. Email [email protected] to be added to the email newsletter recipient list if you do not already receive it. The newsletter is free of charge and available to both members and non-members. Tickets and more details about the festival can be found on the RCS website.

www.rcs.ac.uk

First RCM Yamaha Clarinet Prize winner announced

Lewis Graham has won the inaugural Royal College of Music (RCM) Yamaha Clarinet Prize. The prize was open to RCM students in their second year of an undergraduate music degree who had been awarded a distinction in their first-year recitals. The competition was Lewis Graham (left) adjudicated by Geoff with adjudicator Geoff Parkin Parkin, clarinettist and director of arts at the Royal Over-Seas League. RCM’s head of woodwind, Simon Channing, said: ‘We are so grateful to Yamaha for their generous sponsorship and for their support of the RCM woodwind faculty. The support comes just a month after Yamaha generously put on an absolutely fantastic class at the college demonstrating the acoustics and sound production of the clarinet.’ Yamaha’s Jeremy Smith said: ‘We are delighted to have partnered with the Royal of College of Music for this annual Yamaha Clarinet Prize. Rob Buckland and Jeffery Wilson We look forward to continuing this partnership and supporting these talented individuals.’

6 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org THE SHAPE OF CLASSICAL SAXOPHONE TO COME.

Introducing the first classical alto saxophone from D’Addario Woodwinds. Precision milled, not molded, the D’Addario Reserve Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece is the most consistent ever made. Coupled with its unique oval inner chamber, you’ve got a mouthpiece that’s unmatched in response, flexibility, and projection.

REINVENTING CRAFTSMANSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. NEWS London Jazz Festival announced

This year’s EFG London Jazz Festival will run from Friday 16 November to Sunday 25 November. As usual, the Festival will encompass many prominent London venues, including the Barbican, the Southbank Centre, Cadogan Hall and Kings Place. Single reed highlights are as follows. The Near East Quartet and Kyungso Park (the latter playing gayageum, a traditional Korean stringed instrument) will perform on Monday 19 November at 7.45pm at the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room. Featuring saxophonist/clarinettist Sungjae Son, the quartet released their self-titled album on ECM this summer. Meanwhile, ’s Weather Walker Trio with cellist Abel Selaocoe will appear on Thursday 22 November at 8pm at Kings Place (Hall Two). Garland doubles on saxes, bass clarinet and flute and has played in ’s band and more recently with , among many other projects. Weather Walker is his most recent album, available on Spotify to give an idea of his current stylistic direction. Kings Place (Hall One) will host the Quartet on Wednesday 21 November at 7.30pm, featuring the saxophonist Dave O’Higgins. On Friday 16 November, in the same venue’s Hall Two, there will be a concert entitled Ethan Iverson Residency: Raising Hell with Henry Purcell. Featuring the sax players Cath Roberts and Dee Byrne, this event will see pianist and composer Ethan Iverson take inspiration from British music, from to , Purcell and Constant Lambert. It is one of several Ethan Iverson residency concerts. And on Friday 23 November, British saxophonist Camilla George will perform at 7.45pm in the Purcell Room, presenting material from her second album The People Could Fly on Ubuntu Records. George has been called ‘the Golden Girl of Jazz’ by the Evening Standard. The above represents only a selection of concerts featuring clarinet or saxophone, so be sure to visit the festival website for full listings and to book tickets.

efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk

Camilla George

8 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org Blaasinstrumenten Import Nederland BV TRIBUTE

TRIBUTE: by Peter Eaton

Alan Lucas, who has died aged 98, was one of the most influential people ALAN LUCAS in the clarinet world in during the second half of the 20th century. If you’re 1970, the business was initially set up in Alan’s home, but they taking a break from playing your Buffet clarinet to read this soon took the well-known premises in Pages Walk as a home magazine, you have Alan Lucas to thank to a large extent on for the next 10 years. both counts. He was almost single-handedly responsible for Alan’s first approach was to the wholesalers, including B&H, bringing Buffet so strongly to the attention of the suggesting that all the products could be offered together. clarinet fraternity here in England during the 1970s and was also B&H were standoffish. Dennis Gillard, head of the B&H the principal driving force in the formation of the Clarinet and manufacturing division at Edgware, is Saxophone Society of Great Britain in the middle of that decade. said to have responded, ‘We don’t need Buffet. We possess Anyone who visited the Buffet premises in Pages Walk, south the market for clarinets. There’s nothing you can do about east London in the 1970s will remember the friendly welcome it. It’s ours, I wouldn’t waste your time, you’ll never take this from Alan and his team and the huge number of top-quality from us, clarinets are our business.’ Alan also approached clarinets available to try. Technician John Coppen joined Alan Bill Lewington, who had been making a strenuous effort over along with a number of sales staff over the years, the most loyal the years to counter the B&H dominance in clarinets, but being Martin Way. even Bill said that he didn’t want to offend B&H and that in The quality of the instruments was generally somewhat higher his opinion Alan would not succeed. So, Alan decided that than the more traditional offerings from Boosey & Hawkes, the only way forward was to establish an independent retail where standards had fallen and complacency had set in. It was business, at least initially. He first moved into schools, offering the perfect time for Alan to mount this strenuous and ultimately demonstrations for children on the understanding that he could highly successful move into the English clarinet market. The nature of the sound of the Buffet clarinets was somewhat different to the B&H instruments players had been used to and, perhaps even more significantly, the balance of tuning was very different indeed, but there were so many advantages that players quickly found solutions to these problems. One of the first models to be taken on by professionals was the S1, which for some reason was perceived to be a large bore model but which in fact was not. It didn’t take long for players to gravitate towards the more usual R13 model. The formation of Buffet Crampon UK came about following an approach to Alan from his old friend Martin Tolchin. Tolchin owned a business in New York, supplying instruments to schools. The Buffet outlet in New York had been liquidated so Tolchin had formed a trading group representing Buffet and Schreiber and asked Alan if he would represent Tolchin Instruments in the UK. Alan was happy to take up this offer and so, in around 1969 to

10 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org TRIBUTE

speak to the parents in the evening. He used other peripatetic clarinet teachers to work in the same way. One idea was to offer the schools what he called his ‘instant orchestra’, which proved very successful, although Alan put in many hours of work to establish it. He soon set up a successful rental business, where customers could hire an instrument for a few months and then return or purchase it. The Schreiber Evette clarinet was a bestseller, and they sold around 800 in their best year. Alan went to see the leading clarinettists in the country at the time, and Jack McCaw among them. Jack was one of the few clarinettists who were playing Buffet clarinets anyway. John Fuest, principal clarinet of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, was also helpful to Alan. John felt particularly offended by the lack of support offered to him by B&H at Edgware. Paul Harvey and Steve Trier also did a lot to help, and Georgina Dobree was an early ‘capture’. Of course, there were substantial discounts available to these leading players, sometimes as much as 30%, and a few managed to get away without paying at all. Alan offered teachers 10% of the selling price of an instrument bought on their recommendation, and many people quickly jumped on that idea. The Evette & Schaeffer clarinet was a good student instrument, and it encouraged many to try the professional models, leading to many eminent players changing over to Buffet instruments. Unfortunately, Martin Tolchin had overvalued his business in the past and was charged with fraudulence on the stock exchange. The group was broken up as a result, with Boosey & Hawkes buying Buffet in 1981, Alan being part of the package. Alan was never happy at B&H; there were aspects of jealousy, and his undoubtedly successful approach did not fit with the more established methods at B&H. I am personally aware of both sides of that argument. In an attempt to persuade them of the considerable merits of his previous approach to marketing, in October 1984 he wrote a detailed document entitled ‘Buffet clarinets: a proposal for marketing in the UK, 1985’, which makes interesting reading. It was supposed to be confidential but Alan kindly let me have a copy. It was essentially an attempt to get the top management at B&H to take a similar approach to the one he had taken in the Pages Walk era, but his approach fell on deaf ears, even though sales levels had fallen following the takeover. Eventually B&H decided that they had some spare capacity in their pensions fund and offered Alan a pension. I have two substantial personal reasons to thank Alan. Firstly, in the mid-1970s, I was keen to see what I could do in the field of clarinet mouthpieces. Alan took an interest in my mouthpiece work and gave me a box of old Buffet mouthpieces that he didn’t want, to experiment with. He had lots of them because then, if you bought a Buffet clarinet, the last thing you wanted was the mouthpiece. People just threw them away. Secondly, he made a substantial contribution to my being able to purchase clarinet production equipment and parts from Boosey & Hawkes towards the end of 1985. I had been designing and producing clarinets in conjunction with Tony Available from Ward and Derek Winterbourn since 1982 but was desperately Curly Woodwind Liverpool 0151 707 8383 keen to set up my own production. At this time, Hugo Schreiber Gear4Music York 0330 365 4444 Hayes Music Southampton/Romsey 0238 086 0889 was in overall control at Edgware. He was an old friend of Alan’s Lakeland Music Penrith 0176 886 4024 and that friendship ultimately paid dividends. I made contact Paul Ryan Music Dublin 01 679 8571 directly with Mr Schreiber by telephone. Alan had spoken to Prozone Music Chesham 0149 477 6262 him about me, and things moved very quickly from that point. Reeds Plus Ludlow 0158 487 3418 It is easy to imagine a lesser man than Alan thinking, ‘We must Sax.co.uk Crowborough 0189 266 2533 keep all this B&H equipment away from Peter Eaton because Sax.co.uk London 0207 836 7172 there’s a danger he might do something with it.’ Thanks, Alan! n The Sax Shack Stoke-on-Trent 0178 232 3242 Trevor Jones Music Bristol 0117 922 7402 CASSGB would like to offer our sincere thanks to Peter Eaton for this warm and personal tribute. We would be delighted to hear View the full range of P. Mauriat instruments at from anyone else with memories of Alan.

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 11 NEWS Special report BOPFEST JAZZ FESTIVAL 19 to 25 November 2018 Toulouse Lautrec Jazz Club and Restaurant, London by Chris Walters

BopFest is a jazz festival run by jazz musicians jazz, with young New York pianist Alex Bryson, Nat Steele and Allison Neale. It features a week of double bassist Dave Chamberlain and drummer some of the best British bebop and straight-ahead Matt Fishwick. jazz, with a host of visiting US and European On Friday 23 November, Artie Zaitz’s Organ artists complementing the line-up. Now in its third Combo performs, plus the Mark Crooks and year and supported by Arts Council England, its Graham Harvey Duo (£14). Young guitarist Artie intimate central London venue offers cabaret style Zaitz leads a Hammond organ-based combo seating for 80 people. There is also a separate paying homage to the late 50s and early 60s Blue piano bar and restaurant for support acts. It runs Note recordings of Grant Green, with organist Ross at the same time as the London Jazz Festival. Stanley, Steve Brown on drums and Dave Pattman Several saxophonists from the UK and further on congas and percussion. afield are appearing at this year’s festival, which On Saturday 24 November at lunchtime, the also includes an improvisation workshop with jazz club features Ofer Landsberg quartet music tenorist Grant Stewart on the afternoon of (1-3pm, £14). Israeli guitarist Ofer Landsberg Saturday 24 November (see below). leads his new London quartet paying homage to Each evening there is a duo performing in the the greats of the music, and Bud restaurant at 7-7.50pm, and the main act starts at Powell, with Alex Bryson on piano, Dario di Lecce 8pm in the jazz club upstairs. One ticket covers on and Matt Fishwick on drums. both events. On Sunday 25 November the evening On Saturday 24 November in the afternoon, the timings are 6-6.50pm and 7pm. Seating is first jazz club hosts Grant Stewart in a saxophone and come first served, with tickets available via the improvisation workshop (4-6pm, £20). Visiting Allison Neale website (www.bopfest.co.uk). NYC tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart leads a Monday 19 November features the Claus saxophone and jazz improvisation workshop for Raible/Herwig Gradischnig Quintet, plus support amateur and professional players alike, for all Grant stewart from the Will Arnold-Forster Duo (£14). The instruments, bringing the latest jazz improvisation German pianist Claus Raible opens BopFest with a techniques from New York to London. With pan-European quintet co-hosted by Austrian tenor accompaniment from pianist Rob Barron. saxophonist Herwig Gradischnig, exploring the Saturday 24 November’s evening event features music of great bop pianist/composer , the Grant Stewart Quartet, plus the Eriko Ishihara with UK trumpeter Steve Fishwick, drummer Matt and Allison Neale Duo (£16). Visiting from NYC, Home and bassist Giorgos Antoniou. tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart, influenced by On Tuesday 20 November, the Rob Barron and , presents a New Quintet performs, plus the Claus Raible and hand-picked quartet of the UK straight-ahead Giorgos Antoniou Duo (£14). Rooted in the bebop jazz musicians, with Rob Barron on piano, Dave and hardbop tradition, UK pianist Rob Barron’s Chamberlain on bass and Matt Home on drums. group focuses on fresh new arrangements Sunday lunchtime on 25 November features of classic jazz, popular songs and original Nat Steele with Grant Stewart (1-3pm, £16). UK compositions, drawing influence from Cedar vibraphonist Nat Steele, in collaboration with Walton and as well as from the visiting NYC tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart, current New York scene. plays his take on the classic 1950s Prestige album Wednesday 21 November sees the Osian Sonny Rollins with the with Roberts Quartet, plus the Dave Chamberlain Duo Gabriel Latchin, Dario di Lecce and Steve Brown. (£14). Welsh Sonny Rollins-influenced tenor Finally, on Sunday 25 November in the evening, saxophonist Osian Roberts leads a quartet of Leon Greening will appear, plus support from UK straight-ahead and bebop musicians paying the Dave Warren and Julian Bury Duo (note homage to his musical heroes, featuring Gabriel timings given above, £16). UK hard-bop pianist Latchin on piano, Jeremy Brown on bass and Matt Leon Greening leads a sextet in a new project, Fishwick on drums. celebrating the music of the great Art Blakey

PHOTO: JOHN ABBOTT Thursday 22 November features Allison Neale Sextet. Featuring Steve Fishwick, Osian Roberts, and the West Coast Quartet, plus the Luke Steele Joe Fenning, Adam King and Matt Home. n and Gabriel Latchin Duo (£14). Seattle-born alto saxophonist Allison Neale, influenced by Art www.bopfest.co.uk Pepper and Paul Desmond, presents her quartet Instagram: @bopfest with a programme of West Coast and Cool School facebook.com/bopfest

12 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org SINGLE REED DOCTOR SINGLE REED DOCTOR Our resident single reed doctor answers questions sent in by readers. Please send your questions – or further responses to advice given here – to [email protected]

Q: I have been playing clarinet for over 40 years but didn’t start until I was 25. My main problem occurs whenever I have to go from left hand C to D in the lower register. My third finger tenses up and I can’t play smoothly. I also experience aching in one of the two incisors that rest on the mouthpiece. I switched to double lip three years ago, which helped a lot, but this is tiring on the lips.

A: Thank you for your questions and I congratulate you on (long then short), always legato (not tongued) and with your enthusiasm for clarinet playing. Your problems are an emphasis on a light touch and smooth finger action. experienced and shared, to a greater or lesser degree, by Ultimately the fingers should be able to do their job with far many players, and I hope the following suggestions might less effort. help. It is worth noting that the change of pitch between C When fingers seem to refuse to behave as we wish, to D begins immediately once the finger has been lifted, tension is almost always the reason. The third finger (ring while the change from D to C only happens once the finger finger) is a weak finger for many as it has less independence is closed and back in position. This means that in order to and flexibility than other fingers and moves in tandem with perceive a smooth and even sounding transition between the ‘pinky’ finger for most motions. You have identified notes, the player is required to compensate for the acoustics a situation where this finger of the instrument with the action must be smoothly lifted from of the fingers. This principle a position of covering the tone When fingers seem to applies to all finger or key hole after it has been engaged actions, and there is a process of in sealing that same hole. It refuse to behave as we familiarisation to undergo in order may be that you have used an to learn the action required. The excess of strength in closing wish, tension is almost practice of controlled trills and the ‘C’ hole, or perhaps your interval studies is excellent for wish to raise the finger at the always the reason this, with careful listening and appropriate time has introduced constructive self-criticism. The an awareness or anxiety, the likely result will be far greater result of which means you must overcome an unnecessary finger control and musical fluency once one returns to the degree of muscle engagement just at the moment you challenging passages. wish to move your finger. In either case the retraining of You also mentioned that you experience pain in your the finger(s) to better control their action is going to be teeth from contact with the mouthpiece. You are not alone necessary. Avoidance of unnecessary tension is going to be in this and, though a double lip embouchure may help to your goal. cushion your teeth, is does take a great deal of practice and I recommend breaking down the motion of any commitment. In my opinion this degree of effort is only troublesome finger action to its most basic movements and worthwhile if you desire the tonal difference and subtle trying, for short periods of time, to lift and place the finger control of nuance to be gained. You do stand to learn how as lightly as possible. Start slowly and consciously to move to breathe and support your tone better, but at the cost of the finger in both directions, placing down and lifting up tired lips. A much simpler answer may be the use of a self- (two distinctly different motions), all the while seeking to adhesive mouthpiece patch (many brands are available) discover how little tension is actually required for adequate to cushion and isolate the teeth from the hard surface of performance of this action. Such practice is often done the mouthpiece and its vibration. You can even stack two using different rhythms with great benefit – for example, a patches if you need a greater degree of cushioning. Patches semiquaver followed by a dotted quaver (short then long) also help protect mouthpieces from scratching and wear by and the reverse, a dotted quaver followed by a semiquaver the teeth, so are well worth a try.

Thomas Dryer-Beers is a former professional orchestral and jazz performer, lecturer and teacher on all members of the woodwind family. For over 20 years he has served as instrument sales manager for Woodwind and Reed, Cambridge (www.wwr.co.uk). Further thoughts on performance and related topics can be found on his blog – search online for ‘Blogspot Wind Player Advice’.

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 13 PHIL WOODS

Kenneth Morris examines the life and work of the American saxophonist Phil Woods, who left one of largest and most impressive Into recording legacies of any single-reeder WOODSthe ‘Ladies and Gentlemen – may I present a magnificent or arrangements, or even on rather-less-than-first-class master of mellifluous , an extraordinarily exciting themes from others. But even these splendid attributes extrapolator of the Parker idiom, and a genuine genius at were supplemented by an ability to deliver an attractive, galvanising pop genres!’ While I am pretty confident that individual and consistent sound and style across literally Phil Woods never put in an appearance at the Leeds Palace many hundreds of appearances as a leader or sideman. of Varieties, I’m quite sure that Leonard Sachs, the master of Indeed, your author gave up counting the number of albums ceremonies, would have introduced him in a similar vein. Phil has appeared on – Wikipedia lists 80, and Spotify, Philip Wells Woods was born in Springfield, YouTube and www.philwoods.com between them mention on 2 November 1931 and died on 29 September 2015 aged over 100 more! 83 in East Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania from complications of Aged 12, Phil took up the alto saxophone, apparently emphysema. Without doubt one of the leading saxophonists after inheriting one, receiving initial lessons at a local music of the generation that followed Charlie Parker, Phil combined shop. With a natural ear for music and the ability to quickly an awesome technique with the ability to produce an master sight-reading, he must also have displayed an early endless supply of creative and accessible improvised solos, proficiency on single-reed instrumentation as, during his either based on standards, high school years and shortly his own compositions thereafter, he received It would be no exaggeration early instruction from the pianist-composer Lennie to claim that he, almost, Tristano at the Manhattan School of Music. Later he was sprang fully formed as a accepted into the where, on a four- world-class artist in 1954 year course, he was obliged to major on the clarinet, there being no curriculum at that time for saxophone. (Here we have a similarity between Phil and our own ’s experience at the – not the only similarity, in fact, as both men went on to work as performers, and arrangers in studios, on films, on pop albums and with groups of various sizes, at the same time carrying the flag for the ‘new’ bebop jazz style.) Phil’s first alto saxophone hero was , shortly after to be followed by and Charlie Parker.

14 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 PHOTO: BJØRN ERIK PEDERSEN www.cassgb.org PHIL WOODS

PHOTO: BRIAN MCMILLEN

In his own words, Phil declared, The 80s finds Phil at ‘I am more a stylist than an innovator,’ but there can be no doubt that no other altoist the top of his game as transformed the Parker heritage so consistently into contemporary a leader, guest soloist jazz as Phil did. The Swiss critic, Peter Ruedi, states in Joachim- and educator with a Ernst Berendt’s The Jazz Book that ‘Phil [was] the most complete alto regular international player in jazz [in 1972]’ with the editors adding: ‘His full, springing, touring commitment triplet-based bop rhythmic sense is without equal’. How our man PHOTO: BJØRN ERIK PEDERSEN came to be such a remarkable and consistent stylist becomes clear as we unravel his musical career from the time of his graduation from Juilliard in 1952. Phil Woods, 1983 My sources indicate that Phil’s first professional work was probably with Charlie Barnet’s Band, a swing outfit, running just a little out of fashion by the early 50s. The first signs of his preference (and talent) for performance in a sax, and three-rhythm combo probably came to fruition with pianist George Wallinton’s quintet, featuring the trumpeter . In 1954, an association with the guitarist and the Prestige record company got Phil his first album, subsequently reissued as a two-part compilation titled Early Quintets (Original Jazz Classics). The earliest part of this session, recorded in August, contained Phil, John Wilson on trumpet, Jimmy on guitar plus Bill Crow on bass and on drums. While subsequent albums made by Phil as a small-group leader between 1954 and 1961 (Pot Pie, Bird Calls, Woodlore, , Altology, , , Phil and Quill, Bird Feathers, Warm Woods and ) show his technique and fluent solo improvisation to have marginally improved over those seven years, it would be no exaggeration to claim that he, almost, sprang fully formed as a world-class artist back in 1954. However, the early appearance of other extremely competent altoists (and and on Four Altos) on Phil’s early albums underscore that the source of his improvisational skill was his own ears. Phil always loved working Phil Woods, 2007 with other fluent improvisers, be they guitarists, saxophonists, pianists, trumpeters or whatever. Their qualities, like those of his heroes, sparked his own. task he found rather boring) and as an educator (something It did Phil’s career no harm at all that he could sight-read he participated in for the rest of his life). band arrangements and double on clarinet and other reeds. In an attempt to relieve boredom and build a new performance , as early as 1956, brought Phil on to a US State scene he relocated to Paris, in March 1968 (with his bride Department-sponsored tour with , with whom from 1957, Chan Richardson – Charlie Parker’s partner from 1948 his further collaborations to 54) to lead his European Rhythm Machine. This amounted to four albums was an attempt at avant-garde jazz which initially through to 1990. Later Your author gave up had on keyboards (subsequently work with Quincy lasted the UK’s Gordon Beck) plus on bass from 1959 to 65 over eight counting the number and on drums. Garnering hosts of albums. Subsequently commission work from European radio stations, the he recorded with many of albums Phil has group lasted until 1972 when Phil returned to the other composer-arrangers USA, ultimately landing up in Pennsylvania where including (1964), appeared on he founded, in 1973, his most artistically successful Gary McFarland (1962), band: a quartet with pianist Mike Melillo, bassist Steve (1962-68), Gilmore and drummer Bill Goodwin. This unit with (1958-82) and George Russell. My All Jazz Guide occasional expansion to a quintet or sextet plus several important fails to give any of the records under Phil’s leadership less than substitutions (in particular Jim McNeely/// three stars – and this article will attempt to cite as much as is on piano) and additions (/Bryan Lynch on practical of his five-star work. Also in the 60s, Phil worked with trumpet/flugel and trombonist Harold Crook) became Phil’s , trumpeter and drummer , principal performance vehicle for the next 25 or so years. Early filling any spare time with studio activity as a session musician (a in the same period, Phil secured his first Grammy for the ➡

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 15 PHIL WOODS

album Images with composer-conductor Michael Legrand (1975), a second for Live from the Showboat with his sextet (1977), a third for More Live (1982) and a fourth for At the Vanguard Music is that which cannot be said, but (1983). It is also worth noting that on a number of Phil’s albums upon which it is impossible to be silent VICTOR HUGO from the late 70s onwards he substitutes a clarinet or as his solo horn on selected tracks (eg 1988’s Evolution, with his Little Big Band, and Bop Stew, plus 2002’s Brass Wind Publications American Songbook – these CDs are available on Concord or Avatar). The 80s finds Phil at the top of his game as a leader, guest soloist and educator with a regular international touring commitment. I am indebted to John Fordham’s obituary of Phil, published in in September 2015, for confirming that he helped found an annual Arts Festival in Delaware and coached student jazz bands around the world, including our own National Youth Jazz Orchestra. One of the first jazz educators to embrace the compact disc as a jazz improvisation tuition aid, his early 1980 book-disc combination was extremely helpful to me personally. As mentioned earlier, the quantity of Phil’s recorded work still available is voluminous – and the good news is that it is quite difficult to find anything really substandard! Happily, much of his world-class (five-star) work can still be purchased or streamed (from Amazon or Spotify respectively) which, with a brief commentary, is listed below against the original record label. I’ve New Publications for Ensemble not been able to trace current sources for some of the best items – this does not mean that they are not available at all, just that n Lip Service Flexible 4 Part arr Gordon Lewin my trawl was limited to UK sources and probably misses some retitled secondary or tertiary reissues. Additionally, there is n Autumn Leaves Saxophone Quartet arr Jeffery Wilson much material logged under other leaders or supporting artists. n Petite Fleur Saxophone Quartet arr Jeffery Wilson Here, then, is a short listening list to get you started:

• Rights of Swing (Candid, 1961). Early signs of Phil’s composing/ www.brasswindpublications.co.uk arranging/soloing competence. Now on several Amazon reissue CD collections and on Spotify for streaming. • Musique Du Bois (32 Jazz, 1974) – the European Rhythm Machine in fine form. On Amazon and Spotify. • Phil Woods Quartets/Quintets 20th Anniversary Five-CD Limited Edition Set (Mosaic, 1976-92). Not traced. • Phil Woods/ (tenor sax) (Evidence, 1980). Great doubling on clarinet and flute by the saxists with fine backup from //Bill Goodwin. CD on Amazon. • Birds of a Feather (Antilles, 1981). Hal Galper’s first recording with the Phil Woods Four with first-class, fiery solos from the leader. Not traced. • Bop Stew and Evolution (Concord, 1987 and 1988). Quintet and Little Big Band, see above, on fine form. CDs on Amazon. • Live at the (JMS, 1996). An incredible two-CD duet concert, just Phil and Geoff Beck. On Amazon (CD and MP3) and Spotify. • The Rev and I (Blue Note, 1998). Spotify. • Encontro (On Jobim) (Philology, 2001). Duet, just Phil on clarinet and Spanish guitarist Irio De Paula. Spotify.

At this point I should introduce the Italian Philology label, which is dedicated to our man. From 1991 to 2001 they issued 10 more CDs (Elsa, Just Friends, , Our Monk, Voce E Eu, The Solo Album, Balladeer Supreme, Woods plays D’Andrea, Woods Plays Woods and Dameronia. I believe this material to be important enough to warrant its own article. As previously indicated, Phil Woods almost never got a bad review for his recorded work across all genres (and instruments) and chose his compatriots with skill. Very few single-reed players have projected such musicality and sparkle over such a long career with such consistence. A true master. n

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JONATHAN RADFORD

The channel-hopping saxophonist and reigning Royal Over-Seas League Gold Medallist tells Michael Pearce about the difference between French and British conservatoires’ approach to the classical saxophone, and his plans for future projects Jonathan RADFORD PHOTOS: ROYAL OVER-SEAS LEAGUE AND JAMES MCCORMICK When the first Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) Music Competition was held in 1952, violinist Robert Cooper took home the total grand prize of £10. Since then, it has grown into one of UK classical music’s most prestigious annual competitions, with a £75,000 prize fund shared among solo performers, accompanists and chamber ensembles, as well as recital opportunities for the winning musicians in major venues including London’s Wigmore Hall. Open to UK and Commonwealth citizens under the age of 30, famous names to have reached the competition’s later stages include cellist Jacqueline du Pré, pianist Piers Lane, oboist Douglas Boyd and soprano Susan Bullock. Unlike many established classical music competitions, it also has a long history of showcasing the saxophone, with 10 former winners and finalists to date including John Harle (1980), Gerard McChrystal (1988), the Apollo Sax Quartet (1989), Sarah Markham (1995), Sarah Field (2000), Huw Wiggin (2014) and the Ferio Sax Quartet (2015). Although I really admire the French way of playing, I want to find some kind of a balance between the English and French styles and not be closed to one specific way of playing

Now it is Jonathan Radford’s time to shine. After first winning the wind and brass final, the 28-year-old saxophonist progressed to June’s Gold Medal final at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The 10-strong panel of adjudicators praised his ‘exceptional musicianship and emotive playing’ of works by Yoshimatsu, Turnage and Khachaturian, and he was crowned 2018 ROSL Gold Medal Winner, receiving £15,000 in prize money. from Suffolk, Radford first started learning the flute aged eight. ‘I was singing in a choir at school when a flautist came to play with us,’ he says. ‘I wasn’t fascinated so much by the music itself, but how the sound was produced, how the keys moved and just how a tube of metal could make such a great sound.’ Despite initial reservations about whether their son’s new interest would last, Radford’s parents eventually bought him a flute and he started lessons. Aged 11, he then had to take up a second instrument in order to apply for a music scholarship at his school, Thetford Grammar, which is when the saxophone entered the fray.

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 19 PHOTO: KARIMAGE JONATHAN RADFORD

‘Each week, my teacher at the time brought along a different instrument for me to try out. He eventually brought in the saxophone. I really didn’t know much about it, but it just clicked straight away and so I started the saxophone lessons.’ Soon after, Radford successfully auditioned on both saxophone and flute for Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, with a career in music already in the 13-year-old’s sights. ‘My first teacher, who was an ex-military musician, was really generous with his time. We had our lessons on Sunday mornings and he’d literally stay all morning telling me about his experiences, the life of a musician and what it involved. All these stories really appealed to me and made me think of music as this kind of dream world and something I really wanted to do. So that’s what pushed me go and do it. It wasn’t so much a conscious decision, but more of a natural thing to do.’

From Chetham’s to Paris

During his time at Chetham’s, Radford studied saxophone with Andrew Wilson, who also happens to be the former teacher of 2014 ROSL Gold Medallist, Huw Wiggin. Every year, Radford and the Chetham’s saxophonists would make the short trip across town to the Royal Northern College of Music Saxophone Day, which one year featured Claude Delangle, a Paris Conservatoire professor, as a special guest. Inspired by the Frenchman’s playing, Radford started to look into other players around Europe and began taking private lessons with Dutchman Arno Bornkamp and French saxophonist Vincent David while still a pupil at Chetham’s. After finishing school, Radford left Manchester to study in Paris full time. His ultimate goal was to study with Claude Delangle at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (more commonly known as the Paris Conservatoire). But with only 12 students allowed in the saxophone class at any one time, along with a notoriously competitive entrance ‘competition’, Radford first went to study with Vincent David in Versailles. ‘To get into the Paris Conservatoire you have to fit into a certain style – very much a French way of playing. You have to have a certain sound and a very high just the tradition of the place really. But if you’re technical level. I was 18 when I went to Versailles and I didn’t speak any French, studying saxophone in the UK, you’re not going to so it gave me the chance to both study the language and also the time I needed be so specialised in purely classical playing. to prepare to get into the Paris Conservatoire.’ ‘Also, in the UK you’re very much prepared for a After four years in Versailles, Radford finally won a coveted place at the Paris life after your studies. They’re trying to make you Conservatoire. Four years later, he would graduate with masters degrees in as employable as possible. But in France, that’s both saxophone and with distinction – the latter as a member less important. The primary focus is to play your of the Yendo Saxophone Quartet, which he co-founded with fellow Paris instrument as well as you possibly can and then Conservatoire students. From the outset, he always intended to return to the UK later think about what happens after.’ after his studies, and During his time in Paris, in September 2017, Radford premiered new he began a Junior I’m just trying to perform as much works by composers Luis Fellowship at the Royal Naón (co-commissioned College of Music (RCM) as possible, take advantage of by Radio France), Betsy in London, studying Jolas (commissioned by the with the saxophonist as many opportunities as I can Paris Conservatoire) and Kyle Horch. collaborated with IRCAM, ‘I always wanted to and work towards a long-term a French institute founded come back to the UK,’ to promote the interaction says Radford. ‘Although sustainable future as a solo between scientific research, I really admire the technological development French way of playing, I and contemporary classical want to find some kind recitalist and chamber musician music. of a balance between As part of his studies at the English and French styles and not be closed to one specific way of playing. the RCM, Radford had to curate a project that It is interesting that get into Paris I had to force myself to play in a way that would not only help his own career plans, but also perhaps wasn’t me 100%. But because I’ve made that move to copy something contribute to the development of the community else, it’s almost easier to now come away from that and find my own voice.’ of the college. Always keen to promote new music, Beyond the aesthetic of sound, Radford also explains how the approach to Radford arranged two large-scale concerts based studying vastly differs between the two countries. ‘Conservatoire life in France around contemporary music for saxophone and is very different. For example, you don’t study any doubling instruments or study mixed ensemble. Alongside premiering new works much jazz either. You really just concentrate on classical playing. Every week, by RCM composers, he also showcased lesser- at least as undergraduates, we would have to prepare our studies, we would known existing repertoire including Webern’s have our set pieces with piano and everything was very systematical. I think it’s Quartet for tenor sax, , clarinet and piano.

20 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org JONATHAN RADFORD

ROSL and beyond

With an upper age limit of 30, many musicians repeatedly enter the ROSL to help support and build his career. One of his competition over many years before making it to the final rounds. Although initial plans is to commission a new work for Radford had been thinking of entering for some time, he was in no rush to do saxophone and piano. so too early. In fact, it wasn’t until his pianist, Christina Zerafa, asked if he had Before the ROSL competition, Radford had considered entering and, if so, would they like to do it together, that he decided already been named a Park Lane Group Artist, to finally give it a go. It turned out to be a good decision – Radford, accompanied a Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artist with by Zerafa throughout, won at the first attempt Making Music, and a Countess of Munster ‘I always try to go into competitions not expecting too much,’ he says. Musical Trust Recital Scheme Artist. Now with ‘Obviously, I try and be as prepared as I can be, play my best and enjoy it as much the ROSL Gold Medal stamp on his CV, he will as possible, but never thinking also receive numerous that I’m going to win. So I was in the UK you’re very much opportunities through ROSL completely surprised when Arts and their longstanding my name was called out in the relationships with major wind and brass final and even prepared for a life after your venues and festivals more surprised when I won the throughout the UK and Gold Medal.’ studies. But in France, that’s Commonwealth. As part of the prize package, With an increasingly busy Radford also receives a £5,000 less important. The primary diary of recitals, what does Gold Medal Scholarship the future hold? ‘I’m just administered and mentored focus is to play your instrument trying to perform as much by ROSL Arts. These funds can as possible, take advantage be spent flexibly on projects as well as you possibly can of as many opportunities as I can and work towards a long-term sustainable future as a solo recitalist and chamber musician. I’m lucky enough at JONATHAN’S ROSL PROGRAMME the moment to have a lot of help from various recital schemes, so it makes it easier to arrange Preliminary video round your own recitals. But obviously when they come to an end, it’s going to be more difficult. So I’m trying to work on that and hopefully • De Falla, Manuel: La Vida Breve, Danse Espagnole No 1 (1904-5) for alto things will continue in the future.’ saxophone and piano After a successful crowdfunding campaign, • Lauba, Christian: Jungle (1992-4) for solo alto saxophone Radford and the Yendo Saxophone Quartet • Maurice, Paule: Tableaux de Provence (1948-55), ‘II. Cansoun per ma mio’ recently released their first CD, Utópico – and ‘V. Lou Cabridan’. described by Neil Crossley in the spring issue of Clarinet & Saxophone as ‘full of such uplifting, Woodwind and brass semi-final expressive, constantly shifting and evolving music that it makes the whole album feel alive.’ As for recording a solo CD, just like with the • Yoshimatsu, Takashi: Fuzzy Bird (1991) for alto sax and piano, ROSL competition, Radford is biding his time. ‘I. Run, bird’ ‘I want to record something at a time when • Turnage, Mark-Anthony: Two elegies framing a shout (1994) for soprano I feel I’m really ready. But more importantly, I sax and piano, ‘II. Shout’ and ‘III. Elegy 2’ want to have repertoire to record which I want • De Rose, Peter: Deep Purple arr Wiedoeft for alto sax and piano (1933) to be able to defend and which resonates deeply with me. When I’m putting together concert Woodwind and brass final programmes, I always like to have a theme or thread running through the programme that links everything together. If I were to record • Debussy, Claude: Rapsodie for alto sax and piano (1901-11) a CD, I’d also want a programme with a really • Turnage, Mark-Anthony: Two elegies framing a shout (1994) for soprano strong, consistent idea. It would be easy just to sax and piano, ‘I. Elegy’ put together a programme of French saxophone • Khachaturian, Karen: Sonata for violin and piano op.1 (1947) arr for repertoire or something like that, which would soprano sax and piano, ‘III. Presto’ still be interesting, but whether it would be a long-term project I’d be able to look back on and Gold Medal final be proud of is something different.’n

Jonathan Radford is a Vandoren UK artist • Yoshimatsu, Takashi: Fuzzy Bird Sonata (1991) for alto sax and piano, and plays Selmer Series III saxophones. ‘I. Run, bird’ • Turnage, Mark-Anthony: Two elegies framing a shout (1994) www.jonathanradfordsaxophone.com for soprano sax and piano, ‘I. Elegy’ @jonradfordsax • Khachaturian, Karen: Sonata for violin and piano op.1 (1947) arr for soprano sax and piano, ‘III. Presto’

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 21 MICHAEL COLLINS MICHAEL COLLINS Chris Walters hears from the solo clarinettist and conductor Michael Collins about current projects and future ambitions amid a challenging year

PHOTO: BEN EALOVEGA

Michael Collins is arguably the UK’s CW That’s wonderful news and preeminent solo clarinettist and I’ve never conformed to I’m delighted to hear it. also a busy conductor, with a wealth of recordings, premieres and other a school, I’ve never been MC It’s really odd you know, it musical accomplishments to his name. hasn’t sunk in. Life is put on hold His representatives contacted Clarinet bothered that it sounded for a year because you don’t know & Saxophone to tell us about what was if you’re going to survive or not. scheduled to be his period instrument like this or that person, I didn’t know whether to laugh debut, playing the Mozart concerto or cry at the good news, so I did with the Academy of Ancient Music. both! It’s a very strange feeling, What follows is the conversation we I just want to be myself like you’ve been given another had, which took an unexpected turn. chance. So I’m trying to look after Michael revealed that he had been suffering from cancer and myself and I’ve made a few decisions. I’ve just got to pace it a bit. had just been given the all clear after six gruelling months of I’ve been living life in the fast lane and look where it got me. chemotherapy – all without taking a break from performing and I’m not going to slow down, I’m just going to be sensible in the . We also covered his many recordings for the Chandos sort of things that I do. To learn period instruments in the middle label, his current projects, future ambitions, and thoughts on of playing the modern clarinet, all sorts of things – I’ve got to go clarinet playing and music making in general. to the Minnesota Orchestra to play the Adams concerto, I’ll be in Japan for five weeks coming up, I’m conducting as well… it’s just CW Hi Michael, and many thanks for talking to us. I wanted to too much, trying to learn a new instrument with all its strange ask about the concert with the Academy of Ancient Music. fingerings. So I’ll probably conduct in the concert, but it hasn’t Are you excited to be debuting on a period instrument? been decided as yet.

MC Where do I start… I hope this doesn’t change things but I’m CW How did the chemotherapy affect your schedule? not going to be doing it. Well, I am probably going to be doing it, but just conducting. The fact is, a year ago I was diagnosed with MC Do you know, I didn’t cancel one thing. Not one. I worked all cancer. It’s been quite a journey. I accepted the concert before the way through it. I had no problems about it. It’s because it’s I was diagnosed and of course I just put it on the back burner part of my life in a way. After one chemotherapy session I got on because exactly a year ago, on 1 July, I had a massive operation. the plane to Melbourne, I did eight concerts with the Melbourne They got rid of the cancer but then I had to have six months’ Symphony playing and conducting, then came back and had chemotherapy as well, which wasn’t a walk in the park. Anyway, another chemo session. It was the slotting them into my diary I had my scans only yesterday and I’m 100% clear. that was the problem!

22 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org MICHAEL COLLINS

It was exhausting but I thought, I’m not going to give in to it. and the London Mozart Players, in fact a very close one with There were times when literally I had to ask someone to get me the Mozart Players, which is great because they are on top form out of the chair, you’re that tired. But I thought, I’m going to get at the moment, playing so well. Over the eight years with the on and do it, and it was the best thing because then you find a City of London Sinfonia I started off with the chamber orchestra different kind of energy which overrides this terrible feeling that repertoire and it’s just developed, one thing leads to another. You you can’t do anything. get invited to conduct a symphony orchestra and you go from It affects people in different ways, and it’s how you let it there. For me that’s the path I never thought I’d go down, but it affect you. They told me something very simple and that was seems like a natural progression. to go and get a dog. Because it will force you out of the chair and that exercise will put the chemo on the back seat a little. CW Do you have much time for teaching? It’s absolutely true – it’s worked a treat. So when you get that overwhelming feeling that you can’t move, you know you’ve got MC I try to slot in a masterclass or two when I travel because it’s to take the dog for a walk, and then you kind of recharge some always great to hear what’s going on with the clarinet around energy from somewhere. the world. Also I feel that I learn an awful lot, because in a masterclass you can bounce ideas and get ideas back, whereas CW I’m so happy to hear that you are on the mend and as with teaching one to one it’s more about going through all the committed as ever to your work. Perhaps we could discuss the ground work. So in a short sharp masterclass you can gain an recordings you’ve been doing for Chandos, which must be one of awful lot. the most ambitious catalogues of clarinet recordings that has been done in recent years. In concerts I’m always looking for MC This latest disc, of Crusell clarinet concertos, has been CD of the month for Gramophone and new pieces to play, new commissions. has had all these five-star reviews which I was thrilled about. In fact I recorded it only about a It’s always been an interest of mine week before I was diagnosed. I thought that was the reason I was tired, from recording all these to build up the repertoire wonderful pieces, and I was also conducting. It was really odd to know that this had come out, probably one of the best discs I’ve done, under those circumstances. The funny thing is that I’ve done everything now with Chandos so it’s going to slow down a bit. I’ve done all the major and not so major repertoire. If I’m going to re-record stuff I did a while PHOTO: BEN EALOVEGA PHOTO: ago it would require a bit of thought about the right approach. So that’s exciting. Plus, with the conducting, that’s really gone off in another direction. I’m doing quite a lot of that now. I’ve been conducting the Philharmonia and the BBC Symphony – I’ve made a CD with them. I’m not cutting back on the clarinet, I’m just becoming more involved with conducting.

CW What’s driving you most at the moment?

MC In concerts I’m always looking for new pieces to play, new commissions. It’s always been an interest of mine to build up the repertoire a little. And starting from February next year I’ve got about 12 concerts at the Wigmore in one season. I’m playing all sorts of things – two clarinet-and-piano recitals, a , and I’m taking part in Stephen Hough’s residency there and CW Is there anything you’ve noticed about trends in clarinet playing all the chamber works of Brahms, including the quintet playing from the masterclasses you’ve given recently? and the trio with Steven Isserlis. My residency will have things like the Schubert Octet, the Beethoven Septet… and that’s rather MC I tell you what I’ve noticed, and maybe it’s a good thing, nice, to have this ongoing focus at Wigmore. I’m really excited maybe it’s not so good. It’s that the technical aspect of clarinet about that. It will always feel a bit like home for me. playing has shot up. It doesn’t mean that pieces are played faster Then, I’m going to start a sort of artist-in-residence thing with or more brilliantly, it’s just that the trickery side of playing, the the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. And that will be conducting use of circular breathing and double tonguing, has become a and playing. Or sometimes not playing, just conducting. It could regular part of clarinet technique. And as much as I think there’s a be a piano concerto or violin concerto on the programme, or other time and place for it, they tend to use it an awful lot, for example times it might be Weber, Mozart, Nielsen, and I’ll play and direct in the slow movement of the Mozart which is myself. totally unnecessary. And just in some ordinary Weber or Mozart they start double tonguing, which again is totally unnecessary. My CW How did you start with conducting? view, and I say this wherever I go, is build up the diaphragm and sustain a phrase. And build up your tongue muscle and be able MC I started off conducting chamber orchestra, and I was with the to tongue fast with a single tongue. It’s possible. It’s like opting City of London Sinfonia for eight years. I’ve just left them actually, out, to find this easy quick fix to achieve the same effect. And in partly because my major plan is changing after this last year. Also fact I don’t think it does achieve the same effect, that’s the point. it was restricting me from working with symphony orchestras in With circular breathing you know when someone’s doing it, you London, and I wanted to explore that repertoire. Since leaving can hear it in the phrase. And music needs to breathe. What’s I’m forging a relationship with the English Chamber Orchestra the point of playing for five minutes without taking a breath? ➡ www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 23 MICHAEL COLLINS

Particularly when many of us say that the clarinet is the nearest I’ll do it myself. And that was really why I started this journey I sound to the human voice. That’s part of music – breathing. It suppose, and that’s how it’s grown. worries me that it’s reached this stage right around the globe. I remember my time in the Philharmonia Orchestra. We had some really great conductors coming along all the time. We were CW What about styles of clarinet playing? Do you feel that those doing Beethoven’s ninth with Guilini. I got to rehearsals at the are changing? Festival Hall quite early just to do my reeds, and he was looking round the platform to make sure all the chairs were in the right MC I won’t mention any places or names but I was doing some place. He came and sat next to me and said, Mr Collins, perhaps masterclasses on the Mozart concerto, which I struggle with a bit we can discuss how you want to shape the solo in the slow because they usually turn up with the clarinet rather than the movement and where you’re going to breathe. To me, music is basset. I strongly believe that if you’re going to play it, try to get a two-way thing, and that’s the point. As a conductor I know I’m closer to the instrument it was written for. But that’s by the by. never going be the best technician but I do know that I’m one There were four of them in the class and they played it exactly of them, that I feel and work with them on the same level. It’s a the same, each and every one. It was identical and I was amazed. two-way collaboration, therefore it’s give and take. I would never I said, this is incredible, I’ve never heard such a thing. I said, can dictate because I’m only too aware that people have their own limits. If a conductor told me to circular breathe, I might suggest As a conductor it’s a two-way that they find another clarinet player! collaboration, therefore it’s CW What’s on your conducting wish list? MC I just want to be careful and choose the repertoire where give and take I’ve got something to offer. There’s so many people doing their Beethoven symphonies and their Brahms symphonies and they imagine they’ve got the direct line with the composer. I don’t. I absolutely hold my hand up, I’ve idea, whatever that is, and there are certain composers I feel closer to than others. I still feel very close to British music, very much so. I love Vaughan Williams, I love his symphonies, and I’d love to get my hands on PHOTO: BEN EALOVEGA PHOTO: those. I’ve done number five and I’d like to do more. So watch this space!

CW We certainly will, Michael, and thanks so much for talking to us. Once again, I’m delighted to hear that you are well. n

What is it that all these you please be yourself and play it how you want to play it. They players have in common? said, we’ve been told to play it like this, because if we don’t play it like this in auditions we won’t get through to the next round. Jill Allen Freelance • Alan Asquith Freelance • Kevin Banks Even to the extent of their own musical personality being shoved Bournemouth Symph • Dan Bayley Freelance • John Bradbury BBC under the carpet in order to conform. I thought, no wonder all Phil • Mandy Burvill Ex RLPO • Simon Butterworth BBC Scottish • the orchestras around the world – and they’re all wonderful – but Rosa Campos Fernandez Hallé • Michael Collins Soloist • Nick Cox they all sound the same now! Gone are the days when the Czech Ex RLPO • Les Craven WNO • Barry Deacon BBC Scottish • Andrew Philharmonic sounded worlds apart from the London Symphony Dickinson Freelance • Stuart Eminson Freelance • Yan Giro BBC Orchestra. It’s one international way of playing. I’ve never conformed to a school, I’ve never been bothered that Scottish • Oliver Janes CBSO • Liz Jordan Freelance • Mark Jordan Ex it sounded like this or that person, I just want to be myself. I’ve BBC Phil • Kath Lacy RPO • Lynsey Marsh Ex Hallé • Sarah Masters got my own ideas of what it should sound like and how it should Freelance • Steve Morris Freelance • Jim Muirhead Hallé • Mark go, and I’ll stick to that. Whether that’s close to the American O’Brien CBSO • Timothy Orpen Freelance • Jo Patton CBSO • Robert style, British style, German style, I have no idea. And I just wish Plane BBC Welsh • Colin Pownall BBC Phil • Lynn Racz M/cr Camerata that young musicians could have some of that get up and go • Marianne Rawles Freelance • Daniel Rye WNO • Lenny Sayers BBC about them and not copy. Maybe that’s also because we listen to Welsh • William Staff ord SCO • Chris Swann Freelance • Gavin Tate recordings that are perfect, and the sound is perfect, and we try to Lovery Freelance • Massimo deTrollio Freelance • Tom Verity RLPO copy that way of playing which of course is never like it in real life.

CW Perhaps that links back to the conducting – a desire to influence things more broadly. They all use

MC It’s exactly that. When I started conducting I had spent most of my life playing concertos and I was getting fed up of feeling that SUPERPADS here’s yet another orchestra, another conductor and frankly they are more interested in the Mahler symphony in the second half. So the poor old clarinet concerto gets short changed. And of course, something like the Mozart Clarinet Concerto is far more difficult created by Eddie Ashton of WOODWIND & CO than Mahler’s fifth to bring off in terms of style, unanimous Tel. 0161 775 1842 Mobile 07808 161947 phrasing and so on. I thought, well, let’s cut out the middle man,

24 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org

superpads winter 2016 ad.indd 1 25/09/2016 19:55 CLARINETFEST CLARINETFEST 2018

Stephanie Reeve reports from the International Clarinet Association’s annual flagship event

Ostend, Belgium

The small Belgian coastal town of Ostend concerto Sciamachy ohne Schatten, Sarah Watts and Jason Alder teamed played host to the International Clarinet accompanied by full wind orchestra, up with Thomas Aber, Stefano Cardo, Association ClarinetFest in July 2018. was premiered by Roberts in Liverpool’s and Sauro Berti to These huge events take years of planning, Philharmonic Hall in June. For this concert, perform a work thought to be the earliest and following successful ClarinetFests in remarkably, it was rewritten with a for the line-up of two clarinets, alto, Ghent (1993) and Ostend (1999), Guido completely new piano accompaniment bass, contralto and contrabass. Dating Six, director of Ostend’s ‘Conservatory at – not an arrangement – and retitled from around 1900, Hymne a Sainte-Cecile Sea’, wanted to bring the festival back to Sciamachy... Schatten Suche. Roberts also by Daniel Bonteux is a lovely serene Ostend. Following the sad deaths of Six played the work that inspired Connor to movement. and his son Jef in a car accident earlier write his concerto, Bela Kovac’s Homage Sarah Watts was back later that day this year, the task was taken on by Eddie a M. de Falla. Graham Fitkin’s CUSP was with pianist Anthony Clare, a partnership Vanoosthuyse, supported by members of commissioned and first performed by known as Duo Scaw, to perform three new Six’s family and a large team of volunteers. Roberts on clarinet in 1999 in Ostend, and works: Into the Depths by Elizabeth Kelly As well as gala performances, recitals, Fitkin rearranged the work for bass clarinet for contrabass clarinet and piano, plus premieres, workshops, masterclasses and for this event. All were well played, Glitschig by Sohrab Uduman and Urban competitions, the ‘Guido Six International and Connor’s concerto was particularly Myths by Joe Cutler performed on bass. Festival’ was added. appreciated by audience. There will be Watts also joined Stephan Vermeersch With up to nine events taking place at more on these projects in a future issue of (clarinet), and Jason Alder (contrabass) to any one time it was impossible to attend Clarinet & Saxophone. play Donald Martino’s Triple Concerto for everything, so the clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet focus here is on British artists and composers. Concerts in the Thermae Highlights from the gala concerts are also Palace included a sublime included if only to give a snapshot of a performance of the Brahms very busy festival and introduce a few names Quintet by or works that readers may like to investigate and the Roman Quartet Duo Scaw further. Jason Stefano Recitals Alder Cardo

Of the recitals, many included new works. Most of these concerts were held in the Kinepolis, one of three screens at the cinema. The dry acoustic provided an interesting listening experience, but performers, especially those with little rehearsal time, found it difficult. Andrew Roberts gave a well-balanced and interesting mix of repertoire which Andrew included two world premieres on bass Roberts clarinet. Bill Connor’s bass clarinet www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 25 CLARINETFEST

with piano. The three clarinets seemed Gala and guest artist the sheer variety of orchestral colours more like one instrument with a seven- achieved by composers. The Concerto octave range. concerts by Marco Pütz was fun and entertaining Also on bass clarinet the American with a filmic quality – Messiaen, but player David Gould gave a concert of four Lunchtime and evening concerts were more easy listening. There was also a new works, including one by British-born held at the Kursaal, a large concert hall, new work for clarinet choir and band: Peter Bannister. Three Songs Without or the Thermae Palace Hotel, the main Roland Wiltgen’s Congress, which has Words After comprised base for the festival. These 12 concerts four movements, ‘Procession’, ‘Allegretto’, three lyrical movements interspersed with used regional, national and military ‘Intermezzo’ and ‘Scherzo-finale’. Each technical cadenza figures. At the other end orchestras and bands from across Belgium, explores colourful and contrasting ways of the range, Paul Vowles gave an excellent Luxembourg and France, all of whom of the band collaborating with the choir. recital on E flat clarinet. Paul’s own works provided excellent accompaniments to Malcolm Arnold’s was performed Iblis is a work of four short characterful the huge range of new and often difficult by Nicolas Baldeyrou in a very effective movements, each depicting a scene from works on the programme. arrangement for clarinet and band, the tale of Lucifer. T&I by Francesca Le The Flemish Chamber Orchestra keeping the character of the original. Lohé was also effective, based on Tristan accompanied Peter Cigleris in a premiere Accompanied by the Royal Band of the und Isolde. After performance of Peter Wishart’s Serenata Belgian Guides, this was extremely well a humorous and Concertante, a work composed in 1947. performed. quirky piece by Six contrasting movements began with Three gala concerts featured jazz David Gurlington, a ‘Prelude’, and wonderfully sustained soloists, including the Jazz Paul’s own high notes set an atmospheric opening, Orchestra with five soloists. Stephane Krebble Giant’s with a lively ‘Rondino’ finishing the Chausse had a lovely fluid sound and Dance, based on work. Jonathan Cohler’s new edition of fast mobility around instrument. Bass a Belgian Folk the Mozart Concerto was a little over- clarinettist Joris Roelofs had great Song, was a fitting embellished for some but aside from this versatility, performing a modern end to an assured was a carefully prepared performance. programme. Perennial favourite Eddie performance. Concertos for clarinet and band were Daniels had another good mix of mainly new works. Most memorable was repertoire including Quietude, originally

Felix Peikli The final Tuesday evening gala performance featured a large number or concertos, and here the highlight was Anthony McGill performing Copland Peter Cigleris Barbara for Buddy de Franco. Up-and-coming Giora Borowicz Norwegian clarinettist Felix Peikli is a Feidman name to watch out for – a fantastic player with a lovely sound and feel, whose Moonlight Serenade provided a beautiful interlude to his programme. Paquito d’Rivera stole the show with his brilliant playing, unique sound and amusing dialogue which included the revelation Stephane Chausse that ‘Wynton Marsalis once told me that Mozart was from New Orleans’ in the Stephan middle of a K622-inspired cadenza. Vermeersch on clarinet and bass clarinet with a quartet of violin, accordion, guitar and double bass performed some but with a mixture of spiritual, jazz and Latin pieces thrown in. As with Paquita d’Rivera, Feidman displayed an infectious love of the music as well as some phenomenal ensemble playing. Anat Cohen (clarinet) and Marcello Goncalves (seven-string guitar) were a brilliant duo in jazz and Brazilian music. Much of the programme featured Cohen’s own works, alongside other works from Brazilian composers.

26 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org CLARINETFEST

David Gould

Concerts in the Thermae Palace included a sublime performance of the Brahms Quintet by Andrew Marriner and the The British Clarinet Ensemble Roman Quartet. Also, Michael Collins (see interview on page 22) played Debussy’s Première Rhapsody beautifully with the movements entitled ‘Canzone’, ‘Cadenze’ Garde républicaine band. and ‘Csardas Cromatiche’. The final Tuesday evening gala performance featured a large number Masterclasses, lectures and or concertos, and here the highlight was trade stands Anthony McGill performing Copland. The beautifully controlled opening was immensely tranquil, while the second Of the masterclass leaders, Nick Cox and movement was energetic and feisty. Sadly, Michael Collins were both well received, balance was compromised in places by the each offering a different perspective large orchestra. on technique and performance. Some 24 lectures covered a range of subjects Clarinet Choir Festival including a ‘Development of the Clarinet Choir’ talk which mentioned the UK’s Ionian Clarinet Choir (ICC). Presenter Dr The British Clarinet Ensemble (BCE) was in Friedrich Pfatschbacher confirmed that not attendance to give a performance as part only is the ICC the oldest clarinet choir in with. Many solo recitals of the clarinet choir festival. Of the 24 or Britain, but it is almost certainly the oldest were given in the Kinepolis so groups, most brought music from their in Europe, and was also the first European cinema, which presented own country, with the BCE playing Andy clarinet choir to make a recording in 1974. enormous problems for Scott’s Momento. Some BCE members In the audience was Ian Rogers, current some. Most players are stayed to hear groups from South America, conductor of the ICC! adaptable to circumstances, Istanbul, , Europe and North America. The large trade exhibition offered the but to be expected to Many of these were amateur players and chance to view and test all the latest play in a venue akin to an audiences were large and supportive. developments in clarinet instruments anechoic chamber was The bass clarinet featured prominently, and accessories. Publishers offered huge unreasonable. Audiences and Four Brothers were joined by 36 other ranges of music with many new works were often very small in this bass clarinettists to perform a new work available for sale, and it was good to see venue, and many excellent with five movements by five composers. Lancashire-based Forton Music’s Rob presentations were heard The theme was the five elements, and the Rainford and Lynn Williams with a well- only by a handful of people. work featured some evocative moments stocked stand. This was partly due to the Joris Roelofs and an interesting effect using foil over sheer number of events the bell. And finally... and also the layout of the A gala performance was given by the venues which were spread Festival Clarinet Choir conducted by Bert out across the town. Perhaps the bigger Picqueur. Eternity, by Picqueur, was a The final day was at the Thermae Palace issue of the sheer number of events can beautifully atmospheric work. The next and included an excellent performance be addressed in future festivals, but two works were the last arrangements of Stockhausen’s In Freundschaft given in wanting to give as many players as made by Guido Six. Widor’s Symphony by Barbara Borowicz and a lively jazz possible the chance to perform, this may No 6 used the clarinet choir to enhance masterclass with Paquito d’Rivera. Those be a difficult compromise to reach. The the organ, but the organ overpowered the who stayed right to the end were rewarded quality of performance was on the whole choir, at least from the back of the church. with a show by Les Bons Becs. Led by very good, and even the performances that Symphony Concertante by Joseph Jongen Florent Heau, this quintet of clarinets and took clarinet playing to new extremes, not was more effective and an enjoyable percussionist gave a unique performance always to the taste of everyone, deserved collaboration, offering good interplay that can best be described as the single- the opportunity to be tried and tested. The between the choir and organ. reed equivalent of Stomp, only with more next two festivals will be in the USA – see The festival was closed by the Belgian slapstick, brilliant arrangements and some www.ica.org for more information. n clarinet ensemble Claribel, whose players astonishing technique. All were captivated had been hard at work stewarding and by the show and I feel there will be strong With thanks for their contributions to Jane directing players and audience throughout calls to bring them to the UK. Bagot, Stephen Bagot, Keith Bowen, Colin the week. Their performance featured the Events of this size naturally present Bridge, Helen Kendrick, John Kendrick, John infectiously entertaining Joseph Balogh logistical concerns but there were a few Mackenzie, Ian Mitchell, Andrew Roberts, performing his own Clarinet Festival, with problems that could have been dealt Ian Rogers, Andrew Smith and Sarah Watts.

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 27 WORLD SAX CONGRESS WORLD SAX CONGRESS David Zucchi visited this year’s World Sax Congress to perform with his quartet, The Domino Group. He reports here on the many other performances on offer at the event

Once every three years, an unwitting city pianist Hannah Creviston. Also in this Leroux’s L’unique trait de Pinceau, for finds itself the centre of the saxophone category were Gillian Blair’s performances soprano and baritone saxophones. Leroux world for a week. Whether one attends with harpist Elinor Nicholson and many (b. 1954) has written extensively for the World Sax Congress (WSC) to more that time unfortunately did not the saxophone, and his fluency with the premiere a new work, gain international permit me to attend. technical capabilities of the instrument performance experience, network with Personal highlights began with the was clear. The inventive use of extended other saxophonists, or simply witness an gala concert on the first night. While techniques, without ever resorting to enormous quantity of performances, each programming four saxophone concertos their cheap deployment, was a highlight congress has an vast for me, and the amount to offer. extraordinary Without a doubt, It was a delight to hear John Adams’s technical challenges this year’s congress of the work were in Zagreb, Croatia Saxophone Concerto for the first time in executed flawlessly was an outstanding by Delangle. success. The person, having heard Timothy McAllister’s Arno Bornkamp’s UK saxophone premiere of contingent was out recording of the work so many times Guillermo Lago’s in full force, ready Leyendas was to uphold their honour whatever the in a single concert is not without its risks, everything that fans of this virtuoso outcome of the World Cup. While solo each work was sufficiently distinct and, could have hoped for. Lago (the nom- performances from well-established perhaps more importantly, each performer de-plume of saxophonist Willem van artists were perhaps not as numerous as had such a wildly different sound Merwijk) achieved significant success from other countries, emerging talent concept that one wondered sometimes as the baritone player of the Aurelia was to be found in spades. Standout whether they were even playing the Saxophone Quartet, and in recent years performances from various groups same instrument. The winner of the 2017 has turned his talents to composition. I included the Saxophone Octet Josip Nochta Saxophone Competition, can hardly imagine a concerto written led by Naomi Sullivan and the quartets Antonio Garcia-Jorge, opened with a with the performer so clearly in mind, and Kaleidoscope, Marici and Momentum, concerto by the Croatian composer Boris Bornkamp’s brilliant sound soared over the among others. Individual talent was also Papandopulo (1906-1991). Though I was orchestra and effortlessly filled the hall. on display, and UK saxophonists showed unfamiliar with this, I was pleased to The final performance of the night was a dizzying array of talent in a wide variety hear a more traditionally conceived work by the American saxophonist Timothy of genres, from the saxophone-and- so wonderfully performed, and I hope McAllister. It was a delight to hear John electronics performances of Thomas Plater it will work its way into the repertory Adams’s Saxophone Concerto for the first and Alistair Penman to Emma McPhilemy’s before long. This was followed by Claude time in person, having heard McAllister’s exceptional recital with the American Delangle’s performance of Philippe recording of the work so many times.

Gradec in Zagreb, Croatia

28 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org WORLD SAX CONGRESS

The performance did not disappoint, and Another wonderful feature of the dozens of international performances congress was the abundance of booths of this work with major orchestras have with the latest instruments, gadgets and clearly left McAllister with a command that toys on display – saxophones of every size few others can match. and scope, accessories and 3D printed The second highlight for me occurred mouthpieces. It was all rather tantalising, Timothy the following day, where the two major though I wonder how the booths McAllister draws were the Prism Saxophone ultimately fared when one accounts Quartet and the Selmer Showcase. The for the well-known lack of liquid assets Thomas former presented a flawlessly prepared possessed by most musicians. In any case, Plater programme of new American works and my birthday and holiday wish lists are William Bolcom’s arrangement of Robert more or less sorted for years to come. Schumann piano pieces. The latter was Saxophonic matters aside, Zagreb itself a revolving door of extraordinary talent, was a delight. We enjoyed well-priced from emerging chamber groups to some food and drinks, friendly shop owners, of the most well-established figures of the beautiful architecture and cultural saxophone world – classical and jazz alike. curiosities that would be worth a return An additional highlight was the visit (the Museum of Broken Relationships, Gillian Blair performance by the Yendo Quartet, a Paris-based quartet featuring the UK’s own Jonathan Radford (see interview There were, as ever, many on page 19), who delivered a stunning rendition of quartets by Grieg and eccentric appearances, the Debussy. Whatever one’s thoughts are on saxophone quartet transcriptions most sensational of which was of string quartets, this quartet’s clear Kaleidoscope conception of the possibilities of phrasing surely the Rock‘n Sax and colour elevated their performance from what could have been a simple Tokyo Rock‘n Sax demonstration of saxophone technique to for one). The Zagreb Academy of Music a brilliant interpretation of two chamber is a gem of an institution, wonderfully masterpieces. equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. While jazz saxophonists were on It was a perfect place to host the bulk of the whole less represented, there was activities. still a good deal on offer. Most notable On the whole I was immensely inspired was the Thursday night concert by the by my time in Zagreb. I was amazed at how Jazz Orchestra of Croatian National inclusive and supportive an atmosphere Television, which featured soloists Attilio had been created by the organisers, and Berni, Rosario Giuliani, Victor Gaines, would highly recommend attending. I look Perico Sambeat, Krzysztof Urbanski and forward to seeing you in Kurashiki City, Branford Marsalis. As in the concerto Japan, for the next one in 2021! n gala concert, the risk of programming inertia was thankfully avoided by having Alistair Marici six saxophonists of extraordinary ability Penman and distinction with clearly established musical identities – and of course the humorous addition of extended sub- contrabass and soprillo saxophone solos. There were, as ever, many eccentric appearances, the most sensational of which was surely the Tokyo Rock‘n Sax, whose head-banging, full-throated metal and Queen covers entertained audiences on two separate occasions. I am not embarrassed to say that I enjoyed this group immensely, though perhaps by day four of my first ever World Saxophone Yendo Quartet Congress I may just have succumbed to Stockholm Syndrome.

Prism Saxophone Quartet

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 29 CHUCK CURRIE

Chuck Currie suggests that a little time spent Reed seasoning on reed management pays dividends and adjusting

I am frequently surprised at how many There is just more ‘meat’ to work with. granite plate). I have this in my gig bag, fine players say they only get 20% With extremely thick blank reeds bought along with sandpaper, reed clippers and performance-quality reeds out of a box. a little on the hard side, this comes very a ReedGeek. Place the reed table down I get 80%, and even the best reeds are close to actually making your own reeds. directly on the granite or glass and press better with adjustments. This takes up It is a little more work than adjusting much of the water out with your thumb, to 10% of your practice time but is well standard blank reeds but produces pushing from the stock up to the tip. Sand worth it. It just makes achieving musicality fantastic results. The most conical reed the face of the reed extremely lightly too, easier! There is some art to it, but it is made of premium seasoned cane that is just for the comfort of having very smooth mostly science. All too few students are the thickest blank at heel, heart and tip cane on the bottom lip – not enough to taught to maximise the potential of their is the Vandoren V21. Soak new reeds a change the acoustics. equipment and their ability to achieve few minutes in water. I don’t recommend nuanced musicality with ease. wetting reeds in the mouth. Saliva exists to break down organic material… which is Equipment exactly what cane is! Play the new reeds for five minutes, not above mf – a terrific time to work 1. Glass plate, 3/8” thick, 3.75” x 7”. on your long tones! Dry out the table The best place to get this is at an auto and then check it for warping by placing glass repair shop. Make sure they polish the ReedGeek on the back at an angle the edges so you can’t cut yourself! If and moving it slowly up and down the you want something really flat and really length of the table, looking between the heavy, buy the Granite Surface Plate from ReedGeek and the table at a bright light. Lee Valley Hardware (www.leevalley.com/ Many reeds are convex or concave on the en/wood/page.aspx?p=32526&). back and will not seal to the mouthpiece table. The larger the reed, the more of 2. ReedGeek. Available at good music them are warped – from about 25% of retailers or direct from www.reedgeek. reeds to over 50% of com – for flattening the reed table and bass clarinet, tenor sax or baritone sax all adjustments to the surface of the reeds. Here is a picture of a reed with reed. This relatively new product is convex warpage. Scrape as in the diagram revolutionary and indispensable. There and picture to flatten. Sand the table of the reeds over 3,200 are also fine tutorials available at the Micromesh, followed by 6,000 Micromesh ReedGeek site. sandpaper. This is an abrasive that was developed for polishing commercial 3. Sandpaper. 600 grit from any hardware aircraft windows! 600 grit commercial store. The very best is 3,200 and 6,000 wet/dry sandpaper from a hardware store Micromesh, available online (www. works well, but I’m a fanatic. If you finish internationalviolin.com/Shop/micro-mesh- with 6,000 Micromesh, the table of your sandpaper-steel-wool/micro-mesh-sheets- reed will be as smooth as glass. Pull pads). 20 degrees

4. Reed trimmer for each size of reed. The Cordier model is the best-known standard clipper, but you need to try them out to Push 20 degrees ensure they cut cleanly, and they need to be replaced every few years. Vandoren makes superb trimmers designed to You can be quite aggressive! Note how duplicate their own tip cutting for specific much ‘reed dust’ accumulates. models of their alto saxophone and soprano clarinet reeds. Most results come from the first sanding, but each time the reed is soaked, just a Reed care and seasoning little more fibre comes up in the table, so repeat this process (except for the ‘face’ sanding) the next two times you season Purchase reeds on the slightly hard side the reed. It is now about 80% seasoned and adjust them from there, rather than and just needs to be played a few more clipping, which can affect the balance. In days to be performance ready. This gives my opinion, all adjusting works better on Next, the initial sanding. Place the an incredibly smooth reed table that seats ‘thick blank’ reeds with conical profiles. sandpaper on the 3/8” glass plate (or well on the mouthpiece and seals the

30 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org CHUCK CURRIE

reed to the rails and tip of the mouthpiece on the mouthpiece on the instrument. Take 4. Low end response. Tongue repetitive when vibrating, improving articulation a little less mouthpiece than normal into staccato notes on the bottom four notes of and tone. It takes about a week of playing your embouchure and turn the mouthpiece the instrument. See how responsive they five minutes per day for the reed to have a clockwise about 30 degrees, so that your are. If they are dull, stuffy or just do not polished ringing sound. embouchure only controls the right side, resonate nicely, scrape the bottom 1/8” to Reeds must be kept at playing humidity. with the left side of the reed free. This 1/2” of the reed just above the bark. The I recommend Vandoren Hygro Reed Cases will dampen the right side of the reed so less responsive the notes are as you move for this. They hold reeds in great condition you can test the left side. Blow an open up from the bottom notes, the higher you with a sponge that provides humidity C sharp (sax) or G (clarinet). Blow a good have to scrape, but just up to the centre. when moistened and are the only cases solid sfz ff without tonguing, followed Scraping all the way from the bark up to that leave the table of the reed quite open by a long diminuendo al niente. Do the the centre point of the reed improves to humidified air. The reeds never develop same thing on the other side, rotating the response and resonance over the entire mould because there are holes that allow mouthpiece so that the right side is free. instrument. Note that we are still avoiding air movement. The initial resistance and the progressive the heart of the reed. lack of response as you diminuendo will inform you which side is ‘stuffier’. If the 5. High end response and ease of register ‘free’ side (left or right) seems stuffy change. Tongue pp repetitively on A above compared to the other, some cane should the staff and higher to check articulation be removed from that side. Scrape around response. At the same time, check the heart and up to the centre of the tip of response to register changes by slurring the stuffier side. Here is the area to scrape up and down from C below the staff to if the right side is more resistant, and how G above the staff and up to to angle the ReedGeek. high E on clarinet. These are all the same When the reeds are two to three weeks fingerings except for the thumb vent key old they are at their absolute best, if and the first finger venting for the high E, played for approximately an hour per day. so it is easy to test the response through At about three to four weeks, the table the registers this way. On saxophone, slur gets a little rough and ‘pulpy’ and may between D below the staff, D in the middle require one more sanding. If the table of the staff and then high D with the palm feels rough at any point, give the reed key to test register changes. These tests about three passes with sandpaper again. will tell you if you need to work on the tip At four to five weeks, the reeds are still of the reed in the centre from 1mm from comfy and expressive, but can start to get the very tip, down to 3mm below the tip. ‘flabby’. At this point, a great reed can To adjust for ease of articulation and sometimes be brought back by clipping Note that we are avoiding the centre register changes, you can scrape this area the tip by about 0.25mm. This doesn’t or ‘heart’ of the reed, as well as the last with the side of the ReedGeek. always work but is worth a try, and the millimetre of the tip. Leave these areas reed can be improved a bit in response alone to ensure full resonance as well as after this by scraping it extremely lightly clear articulation. from 1mm below the tip up to the beginning of the heart with the ReedGeek. However, this is the beginning of the end for the reed, and it is no longer suitable for performance, only practice. Another week or so and it is a goner. However, the ‘bullnose’ of the ReedGeek is the sharpest and most precise part of Reed adjusting the tool, so it can be ideal for this purpose for fine tuning.

Most of this is done over the first three days of seasoning. Then the reed is ready for its final polishing and adjusting. 3. Middle register response areas. Usually these areas are adjusted pretty well by 1. Warped table. We have to repeat this the time we have adjusted the side to every few days during the seasoning side balance. However, if a reed feels too process and check weekly when the reed resistant in all registers, scrape above the is in playing rotation. The reed will keep top and around the sides of the ‘heart’ changing with usage and weather, so we shown above. are not done with this after the initial That’s all there is to it! If you are seasoning. The following balancing also willing to commit to this, within a few continues from time to time, usually very weeks you will triple or quadruple your slightly, during the reed’s performance percentage of performance reeds, at the life. expense of about 10% of your practice time. Even better, your standard of what a 2. Side to side balance. This is the single performance reed can do for your tone and most common issue with reeds. 75% of articulation will increase exponentially. At reeds need balancing and if you are not first, you will ruin the odd reed, but that’s already doing this, it will change your life. how you learn – and they won’t have been To test for balance issues, place the reed performance reeds anyway. n www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 31 SCIENCE OF ARTICULATION SCIENCE OF ARTICULATION Some recent scientific studies of clarinet tonguing

By Weicong Li, André Almeida, Lauren Inwood, John Smith and Joe Wolfe (School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Australia)

The clarinet has been studied scientifically provides us with a tireless, reproducible, Figure 1 shows results for the low E in more detail than any other wind experimental subject, which has exactly on a B flat clarinet (D3 concert, 147 Hz) instrument, and much is well understood. and independently controlled blowing tongued normally. The mouth pressure and Our lab has a website explaining music pressure, lip force and position, tongue barrel pressure are shown in kilopascals acoustics, including our own contributions force and acceleration. It also has a (kPa); one kPa is 1% of atmospheric on clarinets and saxophones, especially transparent mouth, in which we can drill pressure (or about 0.15 psi for Americans). on the frequency response of instruments, holes without asking the university ethics The change in pressure in the air near the on how pitch, loudness and timbre are committee. You can hear it play on our bell is much smaller and shown in pascals. related to blowing pressure, lip force and website. The site also has the scientific At the right of the curves, we notice also vocal tract properties, and on the use of reports of our research, so we omit the that the sound wave at the bell has a the vocal tract on altissimo notes, pitch technical details and most of the results in more interesting shape than that inside bending, bugling and multiphonics. Most this brief account. the instrument. This is because the bell studies, however, have concentrated on steady notes. The start and end of reed displacement (mm) notes (collectively called transients) are 0.3 important to the quality of the sound and b 0.2 c the elegance of the performance. Several 0.1 a students and staff in our lab have worked 0 on transients over the last few years, 4 which explains the number of authors mouth pressure (kPa) listed for this brief report, which aims 2 to explain some of our recent results in simple language. 1 barrel pressure (kPa) Two studies involved experts and 0 students playing modified clarinets. -1 These had sensors to measure blowing

pressure and sound in the player’s mouth 5 radiated sound pressure (Pa) and microphones in the barrel and bell. In 0 one study, a sensor on the reed measured -5 tongue contact. In the other, an endoscope inside the mouth recorded high-speed 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 video of tongue and reed motion. time (seconds) Two additional studies used an Figure 1: Three frames from the high-speed endoscope video as a clarinettist tongues low E (below). automated clarinet playing system. We The images correspond to the times labelled a, b and c on the top graph, which shows the reed’s hasten to say that this machine is not displacement from its initial position. The graphs above show the pressure in the player’s mouth, intended to replace musicians. Rather, it the sound pressure in the barrel, then the sound outside the bell (from Inwood et al., 2016).

32 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org SCIENCE OF ARTICULATION

radiates higher harmonics better than the Because a travelling variation in pressure and a three-metre long ‘clarinet’ (a plastic fundamental, whereas the sound inside is a sound wave.) When this sudden tube) while we worked on understanding is dominated to a great extent by the change in pressure reaches the bell, it and quantifying transients. fundamental. is reflected and returns, and when it Over a tenth of a second or so, these Initially, the reed is pushed towards the reaches the reed it is reflected again (more reflecting waves grow in size, due to mouthpiece by the tongue amplification by the reed (frame (a) from the high- and the player’s breath. speed video) and the graphs The clarinet has been studied Let’s see why. Imagine a begin as the reed begins to sudden increase in pressure move. For about 0.02s, the scientifically in more detail than in the bore arriving at the reed stays in contact with reed. It pushes the reed the wet tongue, which pulls any other wind instrument, but away from the mouthpiece, the reed beyond its point of which increases slightly mechanical equilibrium. (If most studies have concentrated the aperture between you exaggerate your tonguing reed and mouthpiece. This – a bit like – on steady notes increased aperture allows you can probably feel the slightly more air to enter the tongue pulling the reed.) mouthpiece, which increases At (b), the reed’s springiness has pulled about reflections and resonances on our the mouthpiece pressure: an arriving it away from the tongue and it begins website). In practice, this is complicated increase in pressure produces an even to return to its mechanical equilibrium because, especially for high notes, the larger increase in pressure. Conversely, a position (c): its rest position for this reflected wave returns while the tongue decrease in pressure arriving at the reed blowing pressure and lip force. Tongue and is still moving with the reed. So one of our pulls it towards the mouthpiece, reducing reed have no further contact during the experiments used a normal mouthpiece both the aperture and the flow of air ➡ note except in the case of staccato, when the tongue touches and immobilises the reed to begin the final transient. The reed is stiff and light. So, if there HOW DOES THE REED CONVERT THE were no lip, it would return to equilibrium, overshoot and proceed to oscillate at ENERGY OF STEADY AIR FLOW INTO its own resonance frequency of a few SOUND ENERGY? thousand vibrations per second. But the lip slows the reed’s motion and also has mechanical losses. These effects In the absence of a resonating bore, let’s see how the flow U into the mouthpiece discourage the reed from vibrating at depends on blowing pressure P. At first, U increases rapidly with increasing high frequencies — occasional squeaks P. But if you blow hard enough, P will close the reed against the mouthpiece, excepted. So, because of tongue and lip, stopping the flow. This occurs at lower P for large lip force (red curve on the the motion (a–c) is much slower than graph) than for small (blue). Consider playing with P and U values given by the natural vibration of the reed. At (c), the red dot. The ratio of pressure to flow for steady or DC flow (the reciprocal the reed has lost the mechanical energy slope of the dashed line, P/U) is the DC resistance for this point and, like an initially provided by the tongue: from here electrical resistance, it takes energy out of the system. But now consider the on it will be driven only by the sound wave ratio of small change in pressure to the corresponding change in flow (∂P/∂U for in the bore. mathematicians). Near the red dot, increased pressure decreases the flow, and As in most examples we recorded, the vice versa, so the resistance for a varying or AC flow is negative (reciprocal slope blowing pressure in Figure 1 gradually of the solid black line). So the positive DC resistance of the reed takes energy increases throughout the attack. Here, it out of the steady flow and the negative AC resistance puts some of that energy is about 1kPa above atmospheric when into the oscillating air flow. the reed starts to move. When the note Airflow vs blowing pressure starts, the blowing pressure is about 2kPa. Consequently, as the reed moves away from the mouthpiece (a–b) and back towards it (b–c), the aperture into the mouthpiece correspondingly increases and decreases, producing a sudden increase then decrease in airflow. These changes in flow produce a small increase then decrease in pressure in the mouthpiece. One of our technical papers explains these changes and gives experimental measurements of them: the physics of the process is somewhat similar to the ‘water hammer’ that one hears sometimes in old plumbing. For now, just note that the early changes in the pressure are tiny and, on this scale, only just visible on the graph before 0.03 s. The change in pressure travels down the bore at the speed of sound: 340 metres per second. (Why this speed? www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 33 SCIENCE OF ARTICULATION

into the mouthpiece, which lowers amplification system, once the pressure On a different timescale, Figure 2 shows the pressure further. So the combination peak in the mouthpiece is equal to the whole notes. It graphs three different of the mouth pressure and the elastic reed pressure in the mouth, then further pressure measurements (bell, mouthpiece provide amplification for pressure waves opening of the reed does not increase and mouth) for four different articulations: reflecting at the reed. See the box for the maximum mouthpiece pressure – we normal tonguing, with accent, sforzando, another way of understanding the reed call this saturation. Further, if the reed and staccato. The note is C5: written C in gain. (This simple argument neglects the vibration is so big that the reed actually the middle of the stave. On this time scale, time for the reed to accelerate and so it closes the mouthpiece aperture, the we don’t see the individual vibrations, just fails for high notes. the envelope of the sound wave. This is related to Two studies involved experts The sound pressure in the mouthpiece is one of the limits to much larger than that at the bell, but their the high range of envelopes are roughly the same shape. the instrument.) and students playing modified Unlike the others, the average pressure Over most in the player’s mouth is not zero, because of the example clarinets. These had sensors to the player is blowing high pressure air shown in Fig 1, to power the instrument. Notice that the the amplification measure blowing pressure and black line for the mouth pressure becomes gain of the wider when the note starts: that wider system is about sound in the player’s mouth shading is the sound measured in the three decibels mouth. The vibrating reed produces an per cycle: each oscillation in pressure is vibration doesn’t get any bigger – though oscillating flow into the clarinet and an roughly 40% bigger than its predecessor, the aperture can stay closed for longer. oscillating flow of equal magnitude into and has twice the energy. A sequence As the note approaches saturation, the the mouth. However, the sound pressure whose amplitude increases by the same proportional rate of increase falls below in the mouth is smaller than that in the factor over equal times is an exponential exponential and, in just several cycles, the mouthpiece. This is because the clarinet increase. Exponential increases cannot note reaches its steady amplitude (Figs 1 resonates at the frequency of the note continue indefinitely. In the case of our and 2). played — and more importantly, the

pressure in mouth pressure in mouthpiece pressure at bell 5 5 normal accent

0 0 pressure (kPa) pressure (kPa)

tongue releases reed tongue releases reed -5 -5 010.5 1.5 2 010.5 1.5 2 time (sec) time (sec)

5 5 tongue touches reed to stop vibration sforzando staccato

0 0 pressure (kPa) pressure (kPa)

tongue releases reed

-5 tongue releases reed -5 010.5 1.5 2 010.5 1.5 2 time (sec) time (sec)

Figure 2. The pressures measured at the bell (pale), in the mouthpiece (darker) and mouth (black) for four different articulations. The dashed line shows the moment when the tongue ceases to touch the reed, an arrow (in staccato only) where it touches the reed again. (From Li et al., 2016).

34 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org SCIENCE OF ARTICULATION

reverse: a resonance of the bore is driving notes have slowly falling blowing pressure. rise much above this value, the note starts the reed. The player’s vocal tract also has Near the end of the note, the pressure falls slowly. When we asked players to play resonances, but usually the frequencies slowly below the break-even value: the minimal attack, they raised the pressure of the vocal tract resonances occur value where reed amplification just makes slowly until the note started, then either well away from the playing frequency. up for losses. So for this player’s accented held it steady or reduced it slightly before (Interesting exceptions occur in pitch and sforzando notes, the decay rates are slowly increasing it again. For a given lip bending, altissimo, bugling and the first slower than for the normal note, which is force, however, tonguing can start notes at bar of Rhapsody in Blue; see our web site in turn slower than the staccato, where the lower blowing pressure than the starting for details.) amplification is ‘turned off’ suddenly by pressure in a slow pressure increase. Notice how the blowing pressure is the tongue. For human players, the coordination of varied during the note, and how the From thinking about the explanation tongue release and increase in blowing moment when the tongue releases the in the box, you can probably see that the pressure was different at different pitches: reed is coordinated with the blowing reed gain depends on blowing pressure, for all articulations at the higher pitches, pressure. For the normal note, the mouth lip force and position, lip damping, reed the tongue almost always released the pressure builds at the slowest rate and ‘hardness’, the shape of the mouthpiece reed before the break-even point; this reaches its maximum value shortly and the amplitude of the note. Further, rarely happened for low notes, particularly before the note reaches its maximum the losses depend on the note played and with expert players. There is a likely amplitude. It then stays constant at that acoustic properties of the clarinet with explanation for this. First, low notes have value throughout most of the note. In a given fingering, so the rate of increase longer vibration cycles (a note an octave the accented and sforzando notes, the in sound after tonguing is a complicated lower has a vibration that takes twice as pressure reaches a long), so the same amplification per cycle higher value than gives a lower rate of exponential increase for the normal note, Two additional studies used (in decibels per second) for lower notes. but is then reduced, Further, lower notes saturate at higher so that the note an automated clarinet playing pressure amplitudes. For notes initiated amplitude is, as with the same pressure perturbation, required, largest system, which provides us these effects give longer transients for near the start and low notes. By starting the transient for low reduces through it. with a tireless, reproducible, notes above the break-even point, players Observe that, in the achieve transient times more comparable normal note, the experimental subject with those of high notes. tongue is released at As Figure 2 suggests, when playing at the lowest blowing mf, our players used the highest blowing pressure. From our brief discussion of function of all these factors. Experiments pressures and thus achieved the highest the amplification at the reed, we expect under controlled conditions using the exponential rates of increase for accents that lower blowing pressure causes less playing system showed that increased and sforzando. In fact, their attacks for air flow into the mouthpiece and lower tongue force or initial reed acceleration these articulations were much like their initial amplification, and therefore a make the note start earlier after tongue attacks for normal notes at ff. We also slower rate of increase in the sound release, but do not affect the exponential noted that expert players could achieve amplitude. Probably without thinking, the rate of increase. Large tongue forces or faster rates than students. Finally, not player has done this because he wants sudden tongue release can however cause all clarinettists use the same tonguing the normal note to start more slowly than the higher harmonics to grow more quickly, technique. For some, unlike Figure 1, the the accented, sforzando and staccato which affects the timbre of the transient. tongue motion had a large component of notes. (Most players in our study could not Clarinettists sometimes like to start a motion parallel to the reed. For others, describe confidently their coordination of note slowly. If the tongue releases the the sides of the tongue curled upwards tongue and pressure.) reed when the blowing pressure is below on either side of the reed. For further To understand the end of the notes, let’s the break-even value, then the note does discussion and detail, and for much more consider first the staccato final transient. not start until the break-even value is about clarinet and saxophone acoustics, Here, the tongue immobilises the reed, reached. If the blowing pressure doesn’t we refer you to our website. n so the sound wave in the bore receives no amplification. The sound cannot stop immediately, however. (If it did, we’d hear For further discussion and detail, and for a ‘click’ or ‘pop’ at the end of the note.) The energy stored in the standing sound much more about clarinet and saxophone wave in the bore is gradually lost, as heat to the walls and as sound energy radiated acoustics, we refer you to our website from the bell and tone holes. The fraction of energy lost in each cycle is nearly constant, so this produces an exponential Acknowledgments. We thank the Australian Research Council for support, Yamaha for decay in the amplitude. instruments, Légère for reeds and our volunteer subjects. For the other notes, the decay is slower. In each of these, the note is stopped by The introductions ‘Clarinet Acoustics’ and ‘Saxophone acoustics’ are at gradually lowering the blowing pressure. http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/ or search ‘music acoustics’ As it is lowered, the amplification factor gradually falls; when the pressure reaches The scientific papers supporting the present article, as well as sound files and video, a level at which the amplification factor in are at http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/articulations.html a cycle becomes less than the fraction lost each cycle, then the note begins to decay. A multimedia introduction to waves and sound is at For this player, the accented and sforzando http://www.animations.physics.unsw.edu.au or search ‘physclips’ www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 35 HEATHER ROCHE

HEATHER ROCHE Ian Mitchell profiles Heather Roche, a Canadian and now London-based clarinettist, blogger and contemporary music advocate

You may have noticed that times they seeing the word ‘multiphonics’! Working reply and offer comments or ask questions. are achanging. We all know of fruitful on them increases control of production Not everything might be perfect in such player/composer pairings throughout enormously (great for those high and an array of topics, but there is a friendly the clarinet’s history: Stadler/Mozart, quiet Debussy challenges) and allows and honest approach that encourages Baermann/Weber, Hermstedt/Spohr, one to discover new finger combinations dialogue. Mühlfeld/Brahms. However, all these and methods of production that can Chatting to Heather in her flat around were very much a personal one-to-one be transferred to all sorts of repertoire the corner from Goldsmiths College in relationship and the fruits of this teaming (see the final note of the second of Paul south east London, I asked her how this up were spread by the player going off Harvey’s Three Etudes on Themes of interest in ‘contemporary’ music came on his (always his) travels to show off Gershwin where he introduces an optional about. Growing up in Victoria, British and disseminate what has become core multiphonic, for instance). Reviews of Columbia she went through the standard ‘standard’ clarinet repertoire. Imagine the horn player Punto (1746-1803) in band system – learn as you go. Her senior if the internet had been around for any the 1790s stated: ‘In his cadenzas he high school band master was a clarinettist of the above composers to dip into, or produced many novel effects, playing two- and encouraged Heather to apply to for any of the read music at the players to pop local University of a performance At the moment she is particularly enjoying Victoria. There she on YouTube or studied ‘standard’ blog about the exploring the contra, for which she hopes clarinet repertoire works written with Patricia for their special some women composers might write Kostek, focusing instruments – on developing Stadler’s or Hermstedt’s and even three-part chords.’ They’re used technique and sound. She got to know added keys, for instance. in much jazz (mid-1940s ’s some of the student composers from the Nowadays one can find that pretty well legendary tenor sax solo on Diggin’ the composition department and began to anything is written about by someone Count; ’s wonderful bass play their works, allowing her to escape somewhere on the internet. I searched for clarinet playing), in eastern European folk her shyness and jitters on stage and ‘clarinet multiphonics’ and got 29,500 hits music and can also be great fun to fiddle feel comfortable with contemporary in 0.43 seconds. Not a bad return – but around with on your own when no one is music. Soon she became caught up in the how to find out if they are worth anything? listening! excitement of working closely with (living) Many are not. There is often confusion and Heather’s website covers many kinds composers. conflicting results: a lack of clarity about of multiple sounds, each described quite For her final recital she chose the Berio what the results might be, a personal view extensively, with fingerings, audio and Sequenza, receiving help from Dániel Biró that may not stand up to scrutiny, varied visual demonstrations – also, usefully, who was on the staff of the composition notations and more. What to do? Well, showing what doesn’t always work. department and had memorised the guitar many composers and performers now have Her regular blogs cover a wealth of Sequenza, which has a similarly melodic a splendid resource they can trust. Heather other topics too: short articles on some focus to the clarinet one. The rest of Roche has developed and continues to composer/performer relationships, a programme was the Finzi Concerto and the develop an extensive website covering fascinating look at a variety of methods Beethoven Trio Op 11. I doubt Finzi and many aspects of what some call ‘extended of articulation including double tonguing Berio have rubbed shoulders since! techniques’ in a thoughtful and helpful (showing Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Not wanting to follow her chums to way, sharing a huge amount of information Night’s Dream), topics on all sizes of the masterclass circuit in the States, on always taken from personal experience. clarinet, women composers... The list goes the suggestion of a Canadian National Wait! Don’t turn to another article on on. One useful aspect is the opportunity to Youth Orchestra tutor she applied to study

36 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org HEATHER ROCHE

with Joy Farrall at the Guildhall School of Dr Roche might not have known what to (https://heatherroche.net). Heather is also Music and Drama in London. She sent off do with herself on completion. Luckily life a regular tweeter (@heather_roche) and a CD of her Berio performance and on the stepped in and she went off to Cologne, the day after we met she tweeted a picture strength of that was offered a scholarship which only had one new music ensemble, of a tattoo she had put on her arm of the for the MMus course in orchestral artistry. Musikfabrik at the time. However, by fingering of her favourite multiphonic. Probably because there were lots of chance, Roche had met a cellist at the That is commitment. n orchestral extracts to learn, she gravitated Impuls contemporary music academy once again towards the composition in Austria who needed a clarinet for a department and began to discover new new Cologne-based ensemble – hand works and composers such as the Italian werk, which: ‘Defends the values of Giacinto Scelsi (1905-1988). sustainability and recycling throughout Next stop was the Graz new music the music world. From the paper mountain summer course in Austria, where the novel of existing works, we salvage the finest experience of being surrounded by like- materials for refining and reimagining. minded musicians allowed her to push Using the Pierrot line-up, we not only away the attitude still prevalent in Canada, pursue classically composed works for our and inherent in the Guildhall course, own instruments, but add to our repertoire that the only way to make it is to get an works for unconventional instruments, orchestral job. Back in London and being for example, common items (tables, out of action due to a back injury she was balloons, etc), voices, and electronic thinking of what to do next. Having done sound sources’. Heather was with them some orchestral auditions, she quickly for seven busy years before returning realised this route was not for her and to London, where she has developed an began to think of further study. Advised active performing career, playing all not to think of where to study but who sizes of clarinet. At the moment she is to study with, and having come across particularly enjoying exploring the the pianist Philip Thomas, professor of contra, for which she hopes some contemporary music performance at the women composers might write, as University of Huddersfield, she applied to she has found none yet who have undertake a PhD. done so. Thus she reached base camp. The We ended our chat by ascent to the dizzy heights of a doctorate, discussing audiences and what her not surprisingly perhaps, continued her thoughts were about attracting habit of mixing with composers. This people to new sound worlds. had influenced her approach and way One of her fascinating blogs, of playing so it was natural that the entitled ‘9 gateway pieces composer/performer relationship had to contemporary music for to be central. Yet she couldn’t take the pop lovers’, is about this: she thought of simply sitting at a desk writing pairs up examples of (mainly) – she wanted her research to be practice- experimental- or post-rock based. This proved not to be persuasive enough for Thomas, who Heather Roche continues insisted that her focus shouldn’t be the clarinet to develop an extensive website just because she was a clarinet player. Rather, covering many aspects of what she had to show why her work couldn’t be about some call ‘extended techniques’ any other instrument but the clarinet. She responded that it had to be the clarinet music with ‘contemporary classical’ music because: ‘It has such a history of how it that is not a million miles away in sound developed; there are so many famous world – yet the former might attract 5,000 cases of clarinet/composer relationships at a festival, and the latter a couple of that led to wonderful repertoire; also, it is hundred at a concert. How to get the 5,000 such a flexible instrument in terms of all to be aware of the other? It does happen, the possibilities for exploration that are but rarely. Of course, it should work both never ending. As soon as you think you’ve ways. finished you can start taking it apart! You It has been pleasing to find someone so can’t do that with other instruments – admirably committed to a wide range of you can’t take a violin apart, or at least ‘contemporary music’ (an uncomfortable shouldn’t!’ So, she organised case studies and ill-defined phrase these days) who with seven composers (her ‘lab rats’ as is keen and willing to put a lot of work she called them), working with each on into sharing it through social media. I detailed development of a new piece. encourage people to explore her site

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 37 KYLE HORCH

Royal College of Music saxophone On Friday 22 June earlier this year, at about 7.50pm, I stood in front of eight players from the Royal College of Music (RCM) Saxophone professor Kyle Horch writes Ensemble, about to give the to begin the second work in the annual concert that I conduct. An exciting moment. It was the about the birth of Film Noir, world premiere of a new piece for saxophone octet – Film Noir, by Ivor McGregor – and the culmination of an idea that had begun four an ambitious new piece for sax years earlier. The commission of the piece was partly funded by CASSGB*, so I was asked to write something for the magazine about octet by Ivor McGregor the new piece and the process by which it went from idea to reality.

FILMThe saxophone octet is a medium I have been encouraging since NOIR 2001, when I started leading Saxophone Ensemble projects as part of my work as a saxophone professor at the RCM. In creating the ensemble I was inspired, probably like many of my colleagues in the saxophone teaching world, by the excellent Paris Conservatoire Saxophone Ensemble, which I heard perform at the 2000 World Saxophone Congress in . Practical considerations, however, have meant that I have needed to adapt the Paris model – a 12-part ensemble including sopranino and bass saxophones – to suit the circumstances of a London music college. The RCM’s budget has never yet stretched far enough to allow the purchase of a bass saxophone. And, while the Paris class has a constant number of 12 saxophone students, the numbers of saxophone students at British music colleges fluctuate from year to year. Sometimes the RCM class has been as large as 18 students in recent years, but 20 years ago eight to 10 students was more usual. As the first person to conduct the work, I found it a really fascinating piece and a successful addition to the saxophone octet repertoire

When I began the ensemble all those years ago, there were few published saxophone ensemble arrangements available, and most of what existed was in the 12-part format. To run the RCM ensemble I have therefore needed to encourage new compositions and arrangements for the type of ensemble the RCM resources could support. So, I have found that a saxophone octet has been a more practical medium than the Paris 12-part model. I think of it as a positive thing, not a limitation. I feel that by eschewing the bass and sopranino saxophones, all the students are then asked to play the SATB members of the saxophone family that they already play in saxophone quartets, and will most often be asked to play in professional life. And furthermore, when seeking to develop repertoire for the RCM ensemble by asking composers to write for it, I feel a saxophone octet is a beneficial medium to suggest for the composer as well – it has more possibility to have future performances in other colleges, or in a professional situation if two quartets collaborate in a performance.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK 38 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org KYLE HORCH

For example, in the 1990s the Spitalfields Festival had the Apollo commission. I had seen this be successful before: and Saxploitation Saxophone Quartets collaborate in a performance in the USA, has commissioned of Roderick Skeaping’s octet Cries, Bells, Chants and Whispers. More several fine saxophone works from major composers recently, Joel Love’s octet Three Images was premiered by the Kenari by creating consortiums of interested players who and Barkada Saxophone Quartets at the 2016 North American Saxophone band together to fund the commission; in the UK, Alliance National Conference, a wonderful performance that can be Graham Fitkin’s work for and CD seen on YouTube. accompaniment, Passing, was commissioned in a So, with these thoughts in mind, I have gradually been building up similar way by a group of players led by Andy Scott. a collection of new octet compositions and arrangements for the RCM With these examples in mind, I contacted three friends and colleagues: Naomi Sullivan, head of saxophone at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire; Alistair Parnell, director of the Equinox Saxophone Ensemble; and Andrew Wilson, director of the Chetham’s School Saxophone Choir. Would they be interested in joining forces in commissioning, and then performing, Ivor’s new piece, with the price being 7.5% of the FILM NOIRensemble over the past 18 years. Some of these new works have been drawn from student composers (many of whom have since gone on to professional success) such as Charlotte Bray, Charlotte Harding, Kristina Arakelyan, Jody Ellen Robinson, Elizabeth Drury and Jorge Puig; I have also prevailed on professional colleagues such as Mark Allaway, Andy Jackson, Liz Johnson, Ian Stewart, and now Ivor McGregor, to write for the octet combination too. I have known Ivor McGregor for many years as a violinist. He lives near Birmingham and we have often worked as colleagues over the past 20 years, booked as freelance RBC saxes, Naomi Sullivan players with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In April and May 2014, we had several CBSO concerts together, and chatted as usual during tea breaks. During our conversation one day, he mentioned that he also Like film noir, the saxophone has worked as a composer. I was immediately curious to hear Ivor’s music, so at the following rehearsal he loaned often been found lurking in the me some recordings from live performances of some of his chamber works. I really liked what I heard, finding it shadows, struggling under a sense thoughtful, intelligent contemporary music possessed of an original voice that offered a challenge to players and of cynicism, a lonely voice in the listeners but not in an awkward or unattractive way. He had never written for saxophone, and asked if I had any conservative orchestral world suggestions in that direction. Always being on the lookout for interested composers with my RCM Saxophone Ensemble conductor hat commission fee to be paid as a library purchase of the on, I suggested the ensemble as an outlet and explained the advantages finished work? All the other groups were intrigued of writing for saxophone octet. We continued to correspond through the with the idea, which by that point had a title and a autumn of that year about the possibility of a new piece for the Ensemble’s general concept, Film Noir. Naomi, Alistair, and Andrew June 2015 concert, but in the end, Ivor had too much performing work in agreed to come on board, which meant we now had his diary to permit composing a work at that time. ‘No worries!’ I replied, a further 30% of the commission. That left the final ‘Consider it an open invitation.’ 20%, for which I made an application to the CASSGB In April 2017, Ivor emailed me out of the blue and said he was finding for funding. July and August 2017 were spent in front the time and motivation to compose again, and was I still interested in a of my computer agreeing the group commission with work for saxophones? ‘Absolutely!’ was my reply. When I was next working Naomi, Alistair, and Andrew, writing applications, in Birmingham in June 2017, we met and had a long conversation, followed having Ivor proofread them, making revisions, and up by more emails, about the saxophone, instrumental ranges, technical sending them off. With all the groups involved, and possibilities, initial ideas for the proposed work, and funding possibilities the multiple performances of the new piece planned, to help make it happen. From my perspective, the fund-raising was the including one by the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire major hurdle. Ivor suggested applying to the RVW Trust, whose guidelines Saxophone Ensemble at the 2018 Zagreb World permit them to fund up to 50% of the commission of a new work, which Saxophone Congress, we managed to get positive was to be entitled Film Noir. Since music colleges aim to present the new responses from both the RVW Trust and CASSGB by music of their own student composers, I could not turn to the RCM to November 2017. Then, Ivor could finally get down to fund 50% of a commission from a professional composer from outside composing, safe in the knowledge that his work would the institution. This meant finding another solution for the other half be paid for and given numerous performances. of the commission fee. On reflection I felt it would be best for Ivor and After that, things moved on fairly quickly. On 30 his new work if I reached out to colleagues and tried making it a group December 2017, Ivor wrote to me saying he had ➡

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 39 KYLE HORCH

completed the piece, attaching a draft of the score. We noir genre in cinema. That the first performance takes place in the RCM is arranged for him to come visit me at home in London at very significant for me, as I was a student there of violin and composition the beginning of February 2018. Ivor’s purpose was to back in the early 1980s. My composition teacher Alan Ridout was a massive have me play through individual parts from the score support and great influence on me. It is surely fitting that I take this to let him hear how they would sound on an actual long-awaited opportunity to signal my gratitude and admiration for this saxophone, taking comments from me where needed unassuming and gentle man by dedicating Film Noir to his memory.’ about technical or notational issues in case he wanted to As the first person to conduct the work, I found it a really fascinating make any changes before printing out the parts. Having piece and a successful addition to the saxophone octet repertoire: a done that, he duly sent me a set of parts on 30 April, strong, solid core of crunchy, often dark harmonies, mixed with quirky, which I handed out to the ensemble at the end of May. playful interactions between all the parts and, at times, an almost comic, All ensemble concerts at the RCM are done as projects, waltz-like melody evoking the Viennese setting I associate with the rehearsed intensively over a period of seven to 10 days film The Third Man. All of which leads to a powerful, striking ending. before the concert. The first read-through of Film Noir Naomi Sullivan conducted the second performance, given by the Royal was done on Sunday 17 June. Ivor was able to come Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) Saxophone Ensemble on 10 July at the down to London for that first rehearsal, which was really World Saxophone Congress in Zagreb. She wrote to me afterwards, saying helpful in getting us on track with the style quickly. ‘Ivor’s piece is weirdly tricky, but I think it’s effective and really works!’ She We rehearsed it several more times in the following has also written her own programme note about the piece, which gives her days, and gave the premiere on Friday 22 June to a very more considered perspective on the work, summing it up brilliantly: ‘Film positive reception from the audience. I felt a sense of Noir invites both players and listeners to experience the vivid world of the completion and satisfaction at having brought a new film noir genre but unlike many protagonists of this cinematic world, as the piece of music from idea to performance, as well as considerable relief that I had not made a mess of conducting of it! A set of score and parts of the final What kind of piece is Film Noir? Ivor writes: ‘the title Film Noir is not to be taken too version of Film Noir has been donated to literally – there is no actual programme or narrative in this piece. Rather, I wanted to the CASSGB library, so get borrowing!

piece reaches its dramatic end we are freed before meeting our downfall. The voice of the saxophone is used by Ivor McGregor to explore the complex characteristics of film noir and his new work captures all this, and much more. Like most aspects of the film genre, the saxophone has often been found lurking in the shadows, struggling under a sense of cynicism, a lonely voice in the conservative orchestral world. If is the hero of our saxophone story, his life was certainly shadowed by paranoia, musical adversaries, wisecracking competitors and imitators trying to take him down with their dastardly deeds. Looking back to these 1940s films, the stories Dress rehearsal at the Royal College of Music have such a distinct flavour, and with nostalgia comes a sense of humour: in Double Indemnity the femme fatale has a heated exchange evoke a sound-scape which might have come from an with the antihero, in the grocery store, over a row of tinned peaches. Ivor imaginary film. Film noir refers to the type of films made McGregor’s Film Noir really challenges your imagination and evokes this in the 40s and 50s, usually very gritty black and white world so effectively. I’d encourage any saxophone ensemble to investigate thrillers (Double Indemnity, The Third Man, Casablanca, this very welcome, new addition to the repertoire; it’s a rewarding Cry of the City and The Wrong Man to name but a few). challenge for all involved.’ Their themes usually centre around corruption, crime In late June 2018, between the RCM and RBC performances, Ivor made and the sleazy darkness of human nature, typically some small revisions to the score. The future performances planned during involving cynical, hard-nosed detectives, femmes fatales 2018-19 – a further RBC Saxophone Ensemble performance in Birmingham, and downtrodden victims. Allusions to these characters as well as others by the Equinox Saxophone Ensemble and the Chetham’s might be felt throughout my piece as part of the allusive School Saxophone Choir – will be of the revised, final version. Do look out fabric and the listener is free to imagine his or her own for these performances on each ensemble’s web pages. A set of score and scenarios. It falls broadly into two main sections and parts of the final version of Film Noir has been donated to the CASSGB plays in a virtually continuous state of development library, so if there are any enterprising octets or pairs of quartets out there and harmonic restlessness. The language is dissonant looking for a new piece to work on, get borrowing! Ivor’s music is published and sometimes even abrasive; I wanted to unashamedly on the Hummingbird Maskarade imprint, which will publish the work for borrow from the “full leather jacket” feeling of jazz sax sale in due course. Many thanks to CASSGB for supporting the composition without actually writing in that style. After all, this is of this excellent addition to saxophone octet repertoire! n classical sax as opposed to the breathier, more - laden sound of the big bands and great jazz exponents *All CASSGB members can apply for funding for their projects if they meet the who blossomed at virtually the same time as the film specified criteria. Find out more here: www.cassgb.org/funding-applications

40 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org ADVERTISER FEATURE

Clarinet & Saxophone is grateful to all of P. Mauriat our advertisers for their continued support. In this new feature we shine a light on one Albest Musical Instruments Co Ltd, the company behind P. Mauriat saxophones and other wind instruments, was founded by Alex advertiser per issue, beginning with this profile Mingmann Hsieh, a saxophone enthusiast, in 1998. A student at in , Hsieh had already developed of P. Mauriat by Ben Chapman from JHS, strong ideas on the sound quality, playability and looks of an P. Mauriat’s distributor instrument during his formative years in the military, where he played the . As the millennium approached, Hsieh precision and consistency required in order to achieve excellent resolved to bring his vision to fruition, and the P. Mauriat brand response and intonation, a manufacturing process that is unique was born. to P. Mauriat and something the company prides itself on. Lacquering is completed in three separate stages in order to Mission achieve a timeless, vintage look that will last for decades, before the instrument begins the final phase of production, the process P. Mauriat was created to ensure that musical instruments of of hand engraving. This painstaking work is performed by one of the highest quality were easily accessible to everyone, enabling P. Mauriat’s specialists, armed with nothing more than a simple musicians of all standards to enjoy the finest sound quality. P. handheld tool and years of experience. Once complete, each Mauriat’s aim is to deliver ‘the dream horn of the future’ to the instrument is carefully inspected and tested by a full-time quality modern-day musician, producing the highest grades of build control artist to ensure that only the finest instruments make quality, sound and performance with every instrument. Despite their way into the hands of musicians. P. Mauriat’s instruments are continually pushing the boundaries of enjoyed by players of all abilities, from what can be achieved, improvement keen amateurs through to top-level and refinement remains the aim; to Hand engraving is touring professionals. this end, regular testing, feedback and performed by one of critique is sought from endorsing artists, Endorsing artists professional players and hobbyists in order to facilitate new advances, and the P Mauriat’s specialists, P. Mauriat’s growing roster of endorsing challenge of turning a good instrument artists is made up of players from all into a great one remains a constant, armed with nothing corners of the world, covering a wide unrelenting objective. variety of nationalities and musical more than a simple styles. As well as providing a home for Instrument production established acts from the traditional handheld tool and brass-based worlds of blues, soul and Every P. Mauriat instrument is jazz, P. Mauriat seeks to embrace players handmade, bringing out the innate from modern musical settings, giving characteristics and sound years of experience younger acts a platform on which to of each exclusive build their careers. Among the most model. The company employs around 35 recent additions to the P. Mauriat stable of talent include John people, 12 of whom are employed in the Waugh, who, along with teaching and performing session work, company’s factory in Taipei, Taiwan. The records and tours with pop rock band The 1975; and Evgeny Minev, craftspersonship that goes into each a London-based saxophonist and the first Bulgarian to sign an instrument is second to none, with every endorsement deal with P. Mauriat. He is set to release his debut step of the production process given as album in 2018. much time as is necessary for the required The music of today demands an instrument that can adapt result to be achieved. Hand production is and excel in a number of different settings and applications. preferred over automated machine work Constructed using top-quality French brass, P. Mauriat saxophones wherever possible; for instance, the exhibit fantastic response, full-bodied sound, precise intonation French brass employed in the creation and outstanding mechanics, allowing each player to freely of every saxophone is exceptionally transmit their musical ideas, and to realise their maximum resonant due to the extensive potential. n hand-hammering process it must undergo in the For more information about P Mauriat instruments, factory. In fact, a single distributed in the UK and ROI by JHS, visit www.jhs.co.uk. saxophone body will be hammered as many as 400 times before it is allowed to proceed to the next technician for final shaping. Each tone hole is drawn from the saxophone, one by one, to ensure the

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 41 LÉGÈRE

Redefining REEDS This October marks the 20th anniversary of Légère Reeds. Based in Ontario, Canada, the company’s brand of synthetic reed is used by some of the world’s top clarinet and saxophone players and has become a leading alternative to cane reeds. Michael Pearce hears from co-founder and president Mark Korschot about the company’s journey

MP: How did the company first come controlled cutting machine (CNC) and we years later. Although we have advertised about? painstakingly made 60 reeds to take with more recently, the demand has really risen us to ClarinetFest. I’m not a musician. I’m a through word of mouth right from the MK: The story begins with my co-founder, material scientist, and up until that point, beginning. Guy Légère, who was working as a PhD I only had Guy’s word that the reeds were We eventually moved into a second scientist in a remote part of Quebec. Aged working well. But I was fully on board and space and the set-up grew quite 28, he decided to take up the clarinet as we took our 60 reeds to Columbus for organically as demand increased. Our a hobby. He is a scientific guy and quickly ClarinetFest. factory is based about one hour north became a little frustrated with reeds, so We sat around in our booth for the of in a town called Barrie, which he started to look around to see what the first few hours and no one really paid is also Guy’s hometown, and all of our alternative options were. too much attention to us, until Richard product is made in Canada and distributed Then one day, he saw an article about Hawkins [professor of clarinet at Oberlin from there. this fantastic material called I’d say one of the oriented polymer, which he I could see it was quite promising, main turning points thought might be a promising was the development substitute for cane. I work as since the properties of oriented of the Signature a professor in the Department Series reed. Guy of Chemical Engineering and polymer pretty closely match the had been working Applied Chemistry at the on synthetic double University of Toronto, and reeds for a long in 1997, Guy just walked important properties of moist cane time and during that through the door, sort of process, around 2009, like a cold call, with this idea that maybe Conservatory of Music] came over and we made a discovery which was a way of this material would work well for clarinet started playing and expressed great achieving even better results by making and saxophone reeds. I had done some surprise at how well our reeds worked. the reed from a slightly stiffer material research on the material and published As other people heard him play they and making it slightly thinner, allowing for some papers, and pretty much right away, quickly also came over to the booth and more transverse flexibility in the reed. The I could see it was quite promising, since I think within an hour or so we had sold practical outcome of this was a slightly the properties of oriented polymer pretty all the reeds we had taken with us. There richer tone and more overtones in the closely match the important properties of was a lot of hype. And at that point, I knew sound. The result was the Signature Series moist cane we were going to have a big success on reeds which, right from the beginning, So I thought it was interesting and our hands. were perceived to be a little more suited agreed to help out. We worked away at to high-end professional players and it, sent some samples out to local players MP: How did the company grow from were to become more popular than our and there was some promise. Then in the there? Was there a particular turning original cut, which is now branded as the summer of 1998, we made the decision to point? Classic Reed. go to ClarinetFest in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to that, Guy and I had worked for MK: We incorporated the company MP: Your website says it takes around two about three or four weeks in Guy’s house, shortly after the ClarinetFest, leased a weeks from when the plastic is moulded in a small lab space in his basement, small industrial space and hired our first to the reed being packaged. What happens where he had built a homemade numerical employee, who is still with us today, 20 during that time?

42 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org LÉGÈRE

MK: Firstly, the important thing to explain are doing. But the way the reed is held players in the Philharmonic, for is that you use the words ‘from when the when machining, the methods we use example, using our reeds. So I definitely plastic is moulded’. An ordinary piece for machining, the tooling we use, all are foresee a time when synthetic reeds of plastic cutlery, for example, is made things which can be improved and we will be considered a normal part of the in a moulding process: you close a steel continue to work on to ensure every reed equation and it wouldn’t be unusual to mould, force some molten polymer inside, is exactly what we expect it to be. choose a synthetic reed. cool it, open the mould, and out pops the part. It’s very easy and inexpensive. But MP: You recently launched the ‘Légère MP: Finally, what does the future hold for that’s not how our reeds are made at all. BETA Testing Project’, allowing any player the company? Although they are made from a type of to register and become involved in the thermoplastic, we first take the material testing process of new products. What was MK: We still have plans to introduce and process it in a very special way to align the thinking behind this? additional cuts of reed to achieve a wider the molecular chains. So if you imagine variety of tonal options for players. Last a tray of spaghetti, with the spaghetti MK: There were a couple of reasons. year, we introduced the European Cut representing Firstly, it’s a great Signature B flat clarinet reed, which has the molecular opportunity to proven to very popular, and we’d like to chains, these are We are aiming to be test our reeds replicate that success in some of our other then stretched with a wide single reeds. and pulled in a possible choice for variety of players. The other main push right now is on our order to line up We have a large double reeds. Oboe and bassoon reeds are all the chains. players in the world’s artist community our two commercially available products, This causes and many high- but we’re also working on cor anglais the material to top orchestras level friends of reeds and other double reeds such as become stiffer and the company bagpipe reeds. it can be made as who help us We are fortunate to have found what stiff, or even stiffer, than natural cane. So with testing, but we also want to check I think is the perfect synthetic material that’s the first part of the process. that our reeds are widely accepted and for making reeds. The foundation of the Then we let the material sit on the shelf enjoyed by players at a variety of levels. company is the discovery that this material for a while before cutting the reeds from a The other thing is that it’s a great way to is perfect for the job and it’s been a huge solid block of the processed material. All get our message out. People are excited to technical challenge. Going back to that reeds are then hand-finished, inspected be involved, we’re excited to have people first ClarinetFest, I thought we had a by hand and tested in our specially-built involved and the feedback we’ve received great product here and it was going to be bend tester before finally being labelled, has been extremely valuable as part of easy, but it’s actually really not been. Our packaged and shipped out. the development process. Unfortunately, material is very different from working not everybody that registers can take part with ordinary plastics and there are so MP: Your website also says you are as we only have a limited number of trial many challenges to getting it just right. It constantly working to improve the reeds, but we’re trying to include as wide a has been, and continues to be, a fantastic consistency of your reeds. With today’s variety of people as possible. technical challenge. n advanced technology, how come this remains such a challenge? MP: Do you think one day all players will www.legere.com be using synthetic reeds? MK: We have an extremely good material that we use for the reeds, so that does MK: I’d like to think so. I think people not change, but there is always going to will always have individual preferences. be a little bit of fluctuation because the We can only make three or four cuts of a strength of the reed is extremely sensitive clarinet or saxophone reed and people to the thickness of the tip. The machines will always want a variety of choices. What have a certain precision but there is a limit we want to accomplish is to be available to what they can do. We machine to within to players who wish to play at the very the tolerance of a fraction of a thickness of highest level. Certainly we are aiming to a human hair. That’s the kind of tolerances be a possible choice for players in the we’re able to achieve nowadays, so this world’s top orchestras. And we’re there is super high-precision machining we already. We currently have numerous

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 43 CD REVIEWS

CDCD REVIEWS Saxophone

Editor's SAXOPHILIA Saxophilia choice Redshift Records

Want to listen to a few old classics, nicely arranged for identity. The repetitive fragments of melody are frantic sax quartet, safe in the knowledge that you’ll come away and anxious in much of this work, but the sublimely gentle, humming the tune? Well this definitely is not the disc for you! meditative fourth movement made my lips start aching in This is brand-spanking new music, 21st century composition, sympathy just listening to three minutes of long low notes. fluid and exhilarating sound worlds – all packaged into an Next up is Derek Charke’s Last Call, premiered by Saxophilia album that’s as cutting edge as the latest Apple iPhone release in 2002, then Obsess by Dorothy Chang (2003) and Gylaling (other brands of smartphone are available). written by John Burke (2004), also a Saxophilia commission. Saxophilia (www.saxophilia.com), with their self-titled The fifth and final work on the album is Triple Saxophone album released on Redshift Records, are a Vancouver-based Quartet composed by Saxophilia’s baritone player, Colin quartet. Formed in 1996, they comprise Julia Nolan (sop), Macdonald, which can be performed with one live quartet and Kris Covlin (alto), David Branter (tenor) and Colin MacDonald two pre-recorded. ‘With Vigour’ (I) is cool, with funky sounds (baritone). They’re Canadian, the music they play is Canadian, utilising loopstation-esque writing that halts abruptly to give they’re supported by Canada Council for the Arts, and this way to the rather softer ‘With Tenderness’ (II). This movement recording really sets the standard for what’s happening with lets us hear multiple layers of sound, little bits of melody Canadian new music right now. repeated and passed around the ensembles with care. It’s the In their own words: ‘This recording represents the best ‘close your eyes and chill’ movement, before ‘With Fervour’ of 20 years of devotion to newly created Canadian works. It (III) brings us moments of Stravinsky-like ‘groove’, alongside was an intensely prepared labour of love for Saxophilia. We motifs popping up as rapidly as meerkats in the sand, leading think it contains some of the strongest pieces composed for the disc to a climatic finish. saxophone quartet in the 21st century, encompassing widely This piece, like the entire disc, isn’t just ‘fire in a pet shop’ varying approaches to the capabilities of the saxophone contemporary music that’s overly complex for the sake of it. quartet. Explore and enjoy!’ It’s melodic, authentic and makes sense to me. It has heart and The album opens with Peter Hannan’s Fast Truck Bop, a soul. The saxophony is of the highest quality throughout and five-movement work that has its origins in a previous piece the recording is real: keys clicks, breath sounds and the rest. Hannan wrote which involved recording live traffic noise For me, more programme notes would enhance the listening then notating it for instrumental performance. The result is a experience, but I guess that’s what the internet is for, and, like fast-moving, often hypnotic piece that grabbed me from the the packaging of that Apple iPhone, less is more. outset. Dividing it into five short movements was particularly effective I felt, as each movement has its own individual Neil Crossley

44 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org CD REVIEWS

BOTH DIRECTIONS AT ONCE: THE LOST ALBUM À MONSIEUR ADOLPHE SAX Quartet Joaquin Sáez Belmonte (saxophone) Impulse! records Natalia Lentas (pianoforte) Dohr On 7 June 2018 the New York Times announced it, and on 22 June the (UK) Times did the same. They both carried illustrated leading articles in their arts sections The relatively young age of the saxophone publicising the release of this CD on 29 June. It’s not every day that a jazz tenor/ compared to other woodwinds means that soprano saxophonist like John Coltrane – who died in 1967, recorded this album historical research into the saxophone is also in 1963 and had it released 55 years later – makes headlines in the international at an early stage. This CD brings together quality press. What is going on? Well, in three words: a musical metamorphosis. works written by composers who were active Coltrane was not at all artistically inconspicuous in the four years before this around the time Adolphe Sax was inventing ‘lost album’ was originally captured to tape in Rudy Van Gelder’s New Jersey and refining his new instrument. The 12 studio. He had already blazed the trail of post-bop jazz into ‘modal jazz’ (with pieces from six composers are performed ) garnering a host of fans in the process (eg Kind of Blue). So on 6 on a 1927 alto saxophone made by Selmer, March 1963, in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, along with pianist McCoy Tyner, not entirely authentic perhaps, accompanied bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer , post-bop and ‘free’ jazz began on a Broadwood pianoforte from 1865. to co-exist, although the term ‘free’ was not assigned at the time. Most of the repertoire is compiled from Later albums from Coltrane contain much more of this new approach to Fantasia, Concours and Variation style pieces, improvisation, but the ‘lost album’ documents his very first excursions into all between three and 10 minutes long. the avant-garde. Some might call this a tentative exploration into the future, Belmonte’s tone is vocal and communicative, bolstered by tracks that stick with a commercially successful jazz style. Firstly, suiting the operatic variations, and while we are treated to both soprano and tenor solos. Secondly, all three of the the fast vibrato may not be to everyone’s accompanying musicians are absolutely at the top of their game. Thirdly, we have taste, it forms part of the interpretation. (as the Times’s John Bungey puts it) a mixture of blues, be-bop and ballads. And The technique is impeccable and intonation fourthly, the recording fidelity is excellent. surprisingly secure given the age and Seven tracks deliver 47 minutes of interesting and well played jazz (buyers of disparity between instruments. The alto is a a deluxe edition can get an additional disc with seven alternative takes – three of Modele 26. The composers featured, none of which are devoted to a Coltrane-signature ‘innovative’ track, ‘Impressions’). Track them familiar, are Beeckman, Buot, Corbin, 1 is an untitled 12-bar in a minor key with Coltrane on soprano in typical post- Mayeur, Genin and Marie. bop style. ‘Nature Boy’ follows on tenor with McCoy resting and a strong hint of future developments. The third track, also untitled, has Coltrane back on soprano Stephanie Reeve with even more hints of the avant-garde and a tremendous solo from Tyner. In the vein of My Favorite Things Coltrane next plays ‘Vilia’ on tenor – very tasteful. ‘Impressions’, based on the ‘So What’ chord sequence, demonstrates Coltrane, on tenor, edging toward the avant-garde again. ‘Slow Blues’, the longest track, provides a lesson on how to squeeze more out of the most hackneyed sequence in the whole of jazz, with fine performances from everyone. The group closes out with ‘One Up, One Down’ with Coltrane on tenor – a brisk own composition with a generous helping of his improvisation, again leaning toward the avant-garde. Nothing to frighten the horses and everything to confirm John Coltrane as a true jazz pioneer.

Kenneth Morris

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 45 CD REVIEWS

CDCD REVIEWS Clarinet COPLAND: SYMPHONY NO 3 AND CLARINET CONCERTO Berliner Philharmoniker, (conductor) Testament

This CD features a concert recorded live at the Clarinet Concerto is a great piece, comprising the first Philharmonie, Berlin in September 1970 with movement in a smooth style, which always the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Aaron reminds me of Debussy’s orchestration of Erik Satie’s Copland. This previously unreleased material is Gymnopedie No 3, and a second movement that flies along a valuable insight into a composer conducting with jazz-infused textures – not surprising considering his own music along with that of Elliott Carter that this work was originally written for Benny Goodman. and Charles Ives. Overall the recorded sound These two movements are linked by a cadenza for the is very good and there is little audience noise soloist. Leister shows a phenomenal technique throughout, to intrude on these performances apart from a managing the wide intervals with ease. His tone is clear well-deserved bravo at the end of the symphony. and concise, and you have to remind yourself that this is a My one gripe is that occasionally the bass of live performance – and what a performance it is. the orchestra sounds a bit muddy, but this can There are only two things for me that detract slightly happen with a live recording. from the performance. As there is no percussion included The CD opens with Carter’s youthful Holiday in the orchestration, Copland asks for slap bass. Due to the Overture, a work that fizzes with excitement, with muddy sound of the recording, instead of a sharp kick this complicated fugal lines and moments of great is more like a soft slap. Secondly, while admiring Leister’s virtuosity within the orchestral sections. For me playing and the fantastic top B flat and ending the opening tempo is a little slow, and some of to the work, I feel he could be more relaxed and laid back the punchy woodwind figures are not as clear as in the cadenza. Where he finds time to breathe during this they could be. The tempo does seem to go up a section amazes me. notch in the central string fugue passage, and The concluding work of this CD is Symphony No 3, here the brass and woodwind figurations really where the Copland world of Americana ballet music is come alive. The closing of this work is a tour de represented in a full-blown classical symphony for large force of orchestral colour, and the cheeky ending orchestra. This is no easy work, but here the orchestra always makes me smile. does a fantastic job, making the music sound easy. They The crowning achievement on this CD is Ives’s obviously love playing it and are clearly inspired to have Decoration Day. The multiple split string parts the composer as conductor. The concluding movement are as clear as a bell, and both the conductor and begins with the famous ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ orchestra seem to relish every time signature, which is then developed into a rousing blockbusting with every little complicated rhythmic passage finale. To all composition students: listen to the earlier executed precisely. The fast march section is movements and you will find elements of this fanfare exhilarating and played with real panache, and throughout the whole work. It’s a great work, played by a certainly you cannot help but get caught up in great orchestra and conducted with real flair by Copland. the excitement of the music. The last sounds you hear on the CD are applause and a The other two works on the CD are both by rather big bravo. Bravo indeed! Copland: his Clarinet Concerto, featuring the soloist , and Symphony No 3. The Adrian Connell

46 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org MUSIC REVIEWS

Clarinet

Editor's choice LES SAISONS Tchaikovsky, arr Giuliano Forghieri A WEEK IN PLASENCIA Clarinet and piano Mike Curtis Ut Orpheus Clarinet quartet Metropolis Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons started out life as a piano suite of 12 specially commissioned Mike Curtis already has a number of clarinet quartets to his name taking pieces. To give it historical context, he wrote inspiration from all styles – classical to jazz, Latin and other world styles. it just after his first piano concerto was A Week in Plasencia was inspired by a visit to the little-known town of the premiered and while he was working on Swan same name, east of Madrid, which followed a busy week in the latter at the Lake. 2015 Clarinet Fest. All eight movements (eight rather than seven, because This suite works well for clarinet and piano both Sundays at the beginning and end of the week are included!) reflect and I enjoyed playing it very much. A more apt a different location around the town. As expected, Spanish and Latin title might be The Months as there is a piece rhythms and decorations permeate the work, written for three B flats and for each month of the year. They vary hugely bass clarinet. ‘Sunday, Plaza Mayor’ is for clarinet 1 and bass only, a light- in style, employing different tempos, keys, hearted stroll through the town’s central square. All four players join the time signatures and articulations in order to excursion to the aqueduct in ‘Monday, Acueducto San Antón’ – one in a characterise the different features of each bar, alternating between simple and compound feels. ‘Tuesday, Parque month. Most of the clarinet parts (depending Ornitológica’ is lively and contains the trickiest rhythms in the form of on tempo) could be managed by an able a 9/8 bar with a 2+3+2+2 division. The next two are duets: ‘Parque de Grade 6+ player, but I don’t think these la Isal’ is for clarinet 2 and bass, while ‘Café Goya’, a potentially tricky pieces are necessarily best suited as teaching number with a great 11/16 section, is for clarinet 3 and bass. ‘Friday, Rio aids. Any number of them grouped together Jerte’ is a cool, flowing river, with three crotchets in the melody against would work beautifully in a solo recital. The two crotchets in the bass. Saturday is the ‘Fiesta de Rumba’. Perhaps we separate movements are mostly individually could finish here, but the final ‘Sunday II, Plasencia Seprahrid’ finishes the of a fairly substantial length but the arranger work in the calm reflective manner that Curtis must have needed after his has incorporated sufficient rests within hectic week. the clarinet part. The piano parts vary in The rhythms look complicated but the feel is relaxed and difficulty enormously. The slower pieces have straightforward as long as the pulse does not rush. Some experience with perfectly manageable piano parts for your Latin rhythms would make this a little easier at first. Articulation and average pianist, but the faster ones require dynamics are carefully considered to add further colour. It is a super piece quite advanced accompanying skills. Having to play and should be entertaining for audiences. Individual movements said that, there’s plenty of substance in the are around two to three minutes each so could be played individually or clarinet part to play without an accompanist, tailored to suit the group performance. The whole work would probably at least initially. The edition itself is very be around 15 to 20 minutes. Suitable for Grade 6 upwards. nicely laid out, with proper consideration given to page turns in the clarinet part and Stephanie Reeve plenty of direction given to interpretation.

Viv Halton

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 47 MUSIC REVIEWS

Saxophone

PAPILLON: VARIÉE Pierre Bouillon, arr Christian Dohr Alto saxophone and piano Edition Dohr

DOLLY SUITE This is a very well-constructed standalone piece of approximately Grade Faure, arr Giuliano Forghieri 6/7 standard. It is basically a theme and variations but the sections Clarinet and piano are not always necessarily titled ‘variation’. Instead they are sections Ut Orpheus labelled with speed markings and different time signatures. The whole piece remains in one sharp for the saxophone, sitting easily under the This is another transcription of a piano fingers at all times. It has a medium-difficulty piano accompaniment suite by Giuliano Forghieri, but this with sensible and helpful piano cues in the saxophone part and is one is more varied in standard for the page-turn ‘friendly’. The articulation is well thought out and effective. clarinet player. The first piece of the It’s possibly a bit light on the dynamic markings, but at this level you’d six movements is the very well-known expect the soloist to be capable of inputting their own shaping and ‘Berceuse’, probably only about Grade dynamic ideas. There’s a short cadenza that is easily playable and 4 on the clarinet. There are a couple at helpfully cued into the piano part. Technically, this piece is mostly Grade 5 movements and the rest, again straightforward with just some nifty tonguing required in the very last depending on the speed taken, are Grade section and a liberal use of palm key Ds to get around the semiquaver 6-8. triplets in the last section. It put me in mind stylistically of the ‘Carnival The piano parts are consistently much of Venice’ trumpet variations, though not as long (or difficult!). It would harder than the clarinet parts and would be a nice addition to a medium-difficulty recital. require a very able accompanist. I think the suite works well for the clarinet, but Viv Halton I would have liked to have had some rests incorporated into the work (it is very full-on throughout) and perhaps CAVATINE DU BARBIER DE a few more directions with regard to SEVILLE (ROSSINI) interpretation. Again, it would probably Louis Mayeur, arr Christian Dohr not be my first choice as a teaching aid, Alto saxophone and piano but it would be suited to someone who Edition Dohr is already well versed in musical style and confident at forming their own Louis Mayeur was a Belgian clarinettist, interpretation without the aid of printed saxophonist and composer and arguably directions. As with the Tchaikovsky more importantly one of Adolphe Sax’s (page 47), it is a very stylish edition, well inner circle. Sax commissioned a number of set out and easy to read. works from Mayeur for the saxophone, to be published by his company and used in his Viv Halton class at the Paris Conservatoire. I think operatic-style pieces work very well for the classical saxophone, with the alto particularly being so close in sound to the human voice. Apart from a little confusion with bar numbering between the piano and sax part right at the start, this is a well laid out and nicely presented edition. The first page (marked ‘Andante’) requires some subdivision but is otherwise straightforward to play. In C major, it has a lovely lyrical tune that you can enjoy, experimenting with rubato and dynamics. The second ‘Moderato’ section sits nicely under the fingers and as with Papillon (reviewed above) is sensibly and effectively articulated. This work sits at around Grade 7/8 as it requires a slightly more advanced technique of fast-tongued semiquavers and more consistent fast passage work. A rewarding and enjoyable piece to play.

Viv Halton

48 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org MUSIC REVIEWS

THE ESSENCE OF THE BLUES Jim Snidero Play-along versions for alto saxophone, tenor saxophone and clarinet Advance Music

These 10 etudes have been within the part, and articulation patterns are defined. A written by Jim Snidero with the short blurb before each tune gives further background and aim of developing techniques a little more about the style required. I like that this gives for playing and improvising on ‘Rhythm Section’ information and asks the player to listen the blues. The three volumes for to the beat. After the etudes, a ‘Basic Blues’ theory section alto sax, tenor sax and clarinet gives basic information about structure, keys and seventh contain the same basic tunes so chords. Further appendices give ideas in blues and minor can be used together, along with pentatonic tonalities, and II-V-I endings over either four bars editions for trumpet and trombone. Some minor details or two. Suggested listening gives two tunes per etude to such as articulation and octaves differ between instruments. discover. Jim Snidero plays saxophone and Ken Peplowski The introduction sets out a few words about the blues and plays clarinet on the respective demo tracks, and the well- the influences behind each of the tunes. Some are based produced CD features an excellent rhythm section. on a particular piece, so ‘Duke’s Jam’ is based on Duke The pupil trying out this book with me was a Grade 5 tenor Ellington’s ‘C Jam Blues’ and ‘Bags’ uses both ‘Bag’s Groove’ sax player who found it to be an extremely useful resource. and ‘SKJ’ by Milt Jackman. Others draw on a composer, The first two tunes were within his technical capabilities, so ‘Papa Lou’, a soul tune, is inspired by , while the later tunes were a stretch for him. The last, ‘Bird and ‘Bird in Flight’ by Charlie Parker. John Coltrane, Miles in Flight’, is more Grade 7 to 8 level. We found the backing Davis, , Sonny Rollins, bebop and funk track great for developing his own solo ideas. For repertoire are the other players and styles used as inspiration. Each suitable for a reasonably competent player, this is just right. tune is clearly laid out with choruses indicated and chord symbols in the written key. Plenty of effects are marked Stephanie Reeve

LIP SERVICE Gordon Lewin Flexible wind quartet Brass Wind Publications

The Harvest of Reeds series doing its own thing, either as a bass line or playing the from Gordon Lewin is no doubt melody. ‘Georgia on My Mind’ gives all four players a go with familiar to many ensembles. This the melody with sensitive accompaniment. Watch out for the latest addition, Lip Service, is a frequent key changes, which help to keep the music fresh lovely set of three ‘Jazz-flavoured each time the tune returns. bonnes bouches’ arranged for Part 1 is for flute, oboe, clarinet, sop or alto sax. Part 2 is as wind quartet. The three are part 1 but without sop sax. Part 3 is for clarinet or tenor sax, ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Lullaby of and part 4 is clarinet, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet or Broadway’ and ‘Georgia on My Mind’. All are imaginatively bassoon. Players need to be reasonably competent as each treated to make them sufficiently varied from the many part is independent, but the parts are written well enough other versions of these standards available. ‘Autumn Leaves’ to fit together. Part 3 is slightly easier, not going as high as has a composed introduction, then goes three times round 1 or 2, but it still has some lead lines. A very pleasant set, the melody with a key change and a quasi recit section in suitable for Grades 4 and up. 6/8 in the middle. ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ features mainly homophonic writing for the top three parts with the bass Stephanie Reeve Flexible instrumentation

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 49 DIARY PHOTO: CHRISTIAN RUVOLO

diaryCONCERTS , 1 October Oct St Mary’s Creative Space, St Oct Christ Church, 124 Lord Lane, 10 Mary’s Hill, Chester, 7.30pm 17 Southport, 1pm Oct Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, JESS GILLAM (SAXOPHONE), POLARIS DUO 1Marylebone, London, 1pm ZEYNEP ÖZSUCA (PIANO) Gillian Blair (saxophones) and Elinor ANNELIEN VAN WAUWE (CLARINET), Music by Itturalde, Marcello, Ferraris, Britten, Nicholson (harp) perform music by CHIAROSCURO QUARTET Harle, Debussy, Ravel, Williams, Nyman and Andy Scott and Camille Saint-Saëns. Mozart . Milhaud. • Free • £16 • £16 www.christchurchsouthport.org.uk/ www.wigmore-hall.org.uk www.chestermusicsociety.org.uk midweek-music/

Oct Birmingham Conservatoire, Oct Stapleford Granary, Bury Road, Oct Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore 5 Birmingham City University, Paradise 10 Stapleford, Cambridge, 7.30pm 20 Street, London, 3pm Place, 6.30pm ANDY SHEPPARD (TENOR SAXOPHONE) RELAXED CONCERT: MAGNARD JEAN TOUSSAINT QUINTET WITH ESPEN ERICKSEN TRIO ENSEMBLE Jean Toussaint (tenor saxophone) presents Espen Erickson (piano and compositions), Lars Join the Magnard Ensemble, a wind quintet music from his 11th album as part of his UK Tormod Jenset (double bass) and Andreas Bye that has recently released its debut album, tour. (Drums). A new collaboration between Espen and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee afterwards. • £13 Erickson Trio and Andy Sheppard. • £5 www.thsh.co.uk • £25 www.wigmore-hall.org.uk www.staplefordgranary.org.uk -7 Oct Broadway Theatre, Oct 36 Wigmore Hall, Wigmore 5 Eastcheap, Letchworth Garden City, Oct Royal Concert Hall, Theatre 20 Street, London W1U 2BP, 7.30pm various times 12 Square, Nottingham, 7.30pm NASH ENSEMBLE, RICHARD HOSFORD HERTS JAZZ FESTIVAL 2018 JESS GILLAM, BBC PHILHARMONIC (CLARINET) Opening concert at 8pm on 5 October; final Bartók, Miraculous Mandarin; Glazunov, Bruch, String Octet; Mendelssohn, String concert at 8pm on 7 October. Performers Saxophone Concerto; Debussy, Rhapsody Quintet No 2 in B flat Op 87; Brahms, Clarinet include ’s New Directions for Orchestra and Saxophone; Tchaikovsky, Quintet in B min Op 115. Quartet, Paul Dunmall’s Sunship Quartet Symphony No 5. Free pre-concert talk at • £15-38 with Alan Skidmore, Alan Barnes Octet and 6.30pm in the auditorium: Jess Gillam in www.wigmore-hall.org.uk more. conversation. • £5-25 • £5.50-30.50 Oct United Reformed Church, www.hertsjazzfestival.co.uk 0115 989 5555 20 Mill Lane, Broxbourne, www.trch.co.uk Hertfordshire, 7.30pm Oct St Peter’s, Notting Hill, MATTHEW SCOTT (CLARINET) 8 Kensington Park Road, London, 1pm Oct University of Southampton, AND ENSEMBLE MIRAGE SOUTH LONDON SAXOPHONE 13 Highfield, Southampton, 7.30pm Programme to include septets and octets QUARTET GERARD MCCHRYSTAL (SAXOPHONE) by Bruch, Françaix and Schubert. Lunchtime recital including a varied AND SOUTHAMPTON CONCERT WIND • £3-30 programme from the saxophone quartet BAND www.hoddesdonmusic.org.uk/next_season. repertoire. Notes from America. To include John html • Free Williams’ Catch Me if You Can. www.southlondonsaxophonequartet.co.uk • £10, concessions £8, under-16s £2 Oct The Stollar Hall, Hunts Bank, www.turnersims.co.uk 26 Manchester, 7.30pm Oct St David’s Hall, The Hayes, www.scwb.org.uk (CLARINET), NORTHERN 9Cardiff, 8pm CHAMBER ORCHESTRA JESS GILLAM Oct North Hall, Guildford Road, Weber, Clarinet Concerto No 2 in E flat; Jess is joined by pianist Zeynep Özsuca 16 Loxwood, West Sussex, 8pm Arnold, Sinfonietta No 1; Suk, Meditation on and bassist Andee Price for an eclectic THE CLARINET MAESTROS AT the old Czech chorale ‘St. Wencesalas’; programme that includes Michael Nyman, LOXWOOD JAZZ Haydn, Symphony No 102. Chick Corea, George Gershwin and David US clarinettist Ken Peplowski along with • £5.45-27.25, free to under 18s Bowie. The programme will also feature a Julian Stringle and Simon Bates form the www.ncorch.co.uk new commission from a Welsh composer. front line of this band featuring Craig • £8-16, students £3 Milverton on piano. 029 2087 8444 • £15 www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk [email protected] www.loxwoodjazz.co.uk

50 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org DIARY

Oct Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Oct 36 Wigmore Hall, Wigmore Nov Steyning Centre, Fletchers 26 Terrace, London, 7.30pm 29 Street, London, 7.30pm 18 Croft, Steyning, 3pm BEKTURGAN ZHOLAMAN (CLARINET), MAGNARD ENSEMBLE JESS GILLAM (SAXOPHONE), ZEYNEP KAZAKH PHILHARMONIC CHAMBER Music for wind quintet and piano including ÖZSUCA (PIANO) ORCHESTRA Geyer, J S Bach, Enescu, Ligeti and Patterson. See 28 Oct. For the first time ever, a Kazakh orchestra • £10-20 • Non-members £15, members £10, performs in Great Britain to celebrate 25 www.wigmore-hall.org.uk students £2 years of diplomatic relations between the www.steyningmusicsociety.org two countries. Multi-award-winning Kazakh Oct 36 Wigmore Hall, Wigmore clarinettist Bekturgan Zholaman performs 30 Street, London, 5.45pm Nov Culford Room, Cadogan Hall, Rossini’s Introduction, Theme and Variations THE HERMES EXPERIMENT 19 5 Sloane Terrace, 2.30pm CONCERTS alongside works by contemporary Kazakh Clarinettist Oliver Pashley with Héloïse MARTIN SPEAKE’S CHARUKESI composers and from the core European Werner (soprano), Marianne Schofield Martin Speake (alto saxophone). A newly canon. (double bass) and Anne Denholm (harp) formed project that is a pared-down version • £10-35 perform works by Giles Swayne, Ravel, Peter of Martin Speake’s previous seven-piece www.cadoganhall.com Maxwell Davies, Mira Calix, Emily Hall and group Fever Pitch. This was formed to reflect Meredith Monk. Martin’s interest in rhythmic music from Oct Heritage Centre, Roe St, • £5 around the world including Arabic, Indian 27 Macclesfield, 7.30pm www.wigmore-hall.org.uk and Turkish influences. Part of EFG London JULIAN BLISS (CLARINET), Jazz Festival. NORTHERN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Nov St Andrew’s & St George’s • Free See 26 Oct. 3 West Church, 13-17 George St, www.cadoganhall.com • £21 Edinburgh, 7.30pm www.ncorch.co.uk THALIA ENSEMBLE Kyle horch, Reicha and Beethoven: Friendship and 21 November Oct 36 Wigmore Hall, Wigmore Harmony wind quintets by Reicha and 28 Street, London, 11.30am Beethoven’s Quintet Op 16 for four winds EMMA JOHNSON (CLARINET), and fortepiano. Oscar Arguelles (clarinet), FINGHIN COLLINS (PIANO) Belén Nieto Galán (flute), Aleksandra Beethoven, Variations on ‘Là ci darem la Mutwicka (oboe), Hylke Rozema (horn), mano’; Brahms, Sonata in F minor Op 120 No José Rodrigues Gomes (bassoon), Mayumi 1; Stravinsky, Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet; Eguro (fortepiano). Organised by the Ravel, Piece en forme de habanera; Bernstein, Georgian Concert Society. . • £5-20 • £16, concessions £14 www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/thalia- www.wigmore-hall.org.uk wind-ensemble-and-fortepiano

Oct Saffron Hall, Audley End Road, Nov Bradford Cathedral, Stott Hill, 28 Saffron Walden, 3pm 6 Bradford, 11am JESS GILLAM (SAXOPHONE), LUCA LUCIANO (CLARINET) ZEYNEP ÖZSUCA (PIANO) Programme to include the world premiere Fantasia su temi di Vivaldi, Itturalde, Pequena Czardas; Milhaud, of Luciano’s Mozart, Weber. Scaramouche; John Harle, Rant; Marcello, Oboe Concerto in D minor; Michael Nyman, • Free ‘If’ from the Diary of Anne Frank; Wiedoft, www.lucaluciano.com Valse Vanite; Britten, Temporal Variations. • £10 Nov St John’s, Downshire Hill, Hampstead, London, 7.30pm www.saffronhall.com 13 Nov St John’s Church, Spencer Hill, COUNTERPOISE AT HAMPSTEAD ARTS Wimbledon, London, 7.30pm

PHOTO: JOHN RUTTER FESTIVAL 21 The Hermes Experiment, KYLE HORCH (SAXOPHONE), PIERS Programme: Kokoschka’s Doll and The 30 October Art of Love: Alma Mahler’s Life and Music LANE (PIANO) which features works by Alma and Gustav Wimbledon Festival Virtuosi at Wimbledon Mahler, Zemlinsky, Wagner, Webern and International Music Festival. Concert David Matthews. Performers: Sir John to include performances of Elena Kats- Tomlinson (bass) and Rozanna Madylus Chernin’s chamber work The Three Dancers (mezzo-soprano) with Counterpoise: and the saxophone-and-piano recital piece Fenella Humphreys (violin), Kyle Horch Chant Lyrique Op 69 by Fernande Decruck. (saxophone/clarinet), Deborah Calland • £5-32 (trumpet) and Iain Farrington (piano). www.wimbledonmusicfestival.co.uk • £10-30 www.hampsteadartsfestival.com Nov All Hallows Church, Savernake 24 Road, Hampstead, London, 4pm Nov Hoylake Chapel, Station Rd, MANDY BURVILLE (CLARINET), 17 Hoylake, Wirral, 7.30pm FITZWILLIAM GILLIAN BLAIR, WIRRAL SYMPHONY A concert in support of the Alzheimer’s ORCHESTRA Society and Parkinson’s UK. Mandy Burvill Gillian Blair performs the Glazunov (clarinet) and the Fitzwilliam String Quartet Saxophone Concerto, conducted by Jonathan perform Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet and give Small. the premiere of Ian Stephens’ Clarinet www.wirralsymphony.co.uk Quintet. • £10-25 www.springheadechoes.co.uk

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 51 DIARY

Nov Artrix, Slideslow Drive, 30 Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, 8pm BENSLOW MUSIC TRUST ROBERT PLANE (CLARINET) AND Benslow Lane, Hitchin, Herts www.benslowmusic.org GOULD PIANO TRIO Ravel, Piano Trio in A minor; Watkins, new work for Piano Trio and Clarinet; Rimsky- Korsakov, Scheherazade Op 35 arr Noack for -27 Sep piano trio and clarinet. 24 MIXED CHAMBER MUSIC • £20, concessions £10, under-25s free Tutors: Steve Bingham, Nigel Clayton, Brenda Stewart, Margaret Archibald www.bromsgrove-concerts.org.uk Standard: upper intermediate, advanced For flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn players, string players (including Dec The Henrietta Barnett School, double bass) and pianists. Suggest your own repertoire, but what is played will depend on who comes. Strong sight-reading and solid ensemble confidence Central Square, Hampstead Garden 2 are required. Suburb, London, 7.30pm JULIAN BLISS (CLARINET), -6 Jan CARDUCCI QUARTET 4 CLARINET FEST A recital for Mill Hill Music Club. Brahms, Tutors: Shea Lolin, Paul Harris, Anthony Bailey Clarinet Quintet in B minor; Karl Jenkins, Standard: elementary, lower intermediate to advanced String Quartet; Beethoven, Septet in E flat An opportunity for clarinettists of all abilities focus on repertoire from Op 20. renaissance to contemporary. This course is streamed with workshops and choirs • £15 at an appropriate level for all, as well as sessions focusing on technique and www.millhillmusicclub.co.uk musicianship.

PHOTO: BEN WRIGHT -13 Jan 11 JOHN WHITE’S WIND CHAMBER MUSIC Standard: upper intermediate, advanced Oboist John White leads this course, which will focus on helping wind players improve their chamber music skills. Plenty of music will be provided but feel free to bring your own. Pre-formed groups can be accepted with the agreement of the tutors.

-27 Jan 25WIND ENSEMBLES WITH THE LONDON MYRIAD Tutors: Members of the London Myriad Ensemble Standard: upper intermediate, advanced For pre-formed wind ensembles. Tutors work intensively with each group on a rotational basis for a broad range of input on your chosen repertoire. Applications are welcomed from any configuration of wind or wind and piano ensemble.

-28 Feb 25CLARINET CHOIR Tutor: Anthony Bailey Standard: lower/upper intermediate, advanced Anthony Bailey will work through a wide-range of clarinet choir repertoire, both original and arranged. Everything from contrabass to E flat clarinet Julian Bliss, welcome. 2 December

Dec Kendal Town Hall, Highgate, 12 Kendal, 1pm FERIO SAXOPHONE QUARTET Tchaikovsky arr Ferio, The Nutcracker Suite; Hugo Reinhart, two movements from Quartet in F minor; J S Bach arr K Tochio, Italian Concerto; Guillermo Lago, With ships the sea was sprinkled far. • £9 www.kendalmiddayconcertclub.org

Dec 36 Wigmore Hall, Wigmore 17Street, London W1U 2BP, 1pm ENSEMBLE ZEFIRO Mozart Serenade in B flat K361 ‘Gran Partita’. • £16 www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

Many more concerts are listed online at www. cassgb/org/events. Listings are updated regularly.

52 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org DIARY

A round-up of places to play, from single days to regular groups to weeks abroad. Contact each organisation for prices and booking, and see www.cassgb.org for more diaryCOURSES courses and events later in the year

FLUTES EN VACANCES JAZZSMART flutesenvacances.co.uk/wp/saxophone-courses www.jazzsmart.com flutesenvacances.co.uk/wp/clarinet-courses -7 Oct Durlston Court School, Barton on Sea, -12 Oct The Hop House, near Sittingbourne, Kent 6 Hampshire 5 SAXOPHONE BESPOKE COURSE SAXOPHONE WORKSHOP CLARINET BESPOKE COURSE A two-day pop/jazz saxophone and rhythm and blues For beginner to advanced players. Three- or four-night options. workshop, with sessions on improvisation and chart reading. An opportunity to work with the leader of the award-winning FURTHER AFIELD… Sax Appeal and member of the Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. -27 Sep Girona, Spain 19 CLARINETS AND SAXOPHONES EN VACANCES -17 Feb Manchester College, Manchester IN GIRONA, SPAIN 16 ANDY SCOTT MANCHESTER SAX WEEKEND Two consecutive four-night courses to choose from, half board. Tutor: Andy Scott, with James Rawlinson and Andrew Blee Workshop sessions, small mixed ensembles and one-to-one Andy will strike a balance between using written material, help. All levels. using your ears, and embracing a musically open-minded philosophy. Time will be spent as one large group and smaller groups, with a rhythm section joining on Sunday afternoon.

SCOTTISH SAXOPHONE ACADEMY www.scottishsaxophoneacademy.com HIGHAM HALL -9 Sep The Burn, near Edzell, Glenesk, Brechin Higham Hall College, Bassenthwaite Lake, Cumbria THE BURN SAXOPHONE COURSE 7 www.highamhall.com Tutors: Sue McKenzie and Mike Brogan A weekend of music-making at the Burn, a 17th-century country house near the village of Edzell. Take part in large sax -6 Jan ensembles, quartets, trios and workshops. 4 SAXOPHONE (WINTER WEEKEND) -8 Jan 6 SAXOPHONE (WINTER WEEKDAY) Tutors: Debbie Scherer and Sarah Jobson RAASAY MUSIC COURSES For players of more than 18 months. Ensemble coaching and Courses on the island of Raasay, overlooking support from two tutors. Groups of varying size, altered at each the Cuillin Mountains on the Isle of Skye. session. Extensive music library available. Sight-reading skills www.raasaymusiccourses.com would be beneficial.

-19 Oct -7 Mar 15 ISLE OF RAASAY 3 WIND SERENADES AUTUMN CLARINET COURSE Tutors: Laurence Perkins Tutor: Sarah Watts A course for wind players from Grade 8 to diploma, working Focus on all aspects of clarinet playing including warm- in detail on wind chamber repertoire for large and smaller ups, etudes, exercises, core repertoire classes, orchestral ensembles. There will be an informal concert on the morning excerpt classes, listening and discovering, clarinet of the last day. ensembles of all sizes, and participant/tutor concerts. E flat and bass clarinet are welcome for clarinet groups.

The Isle of Raasay

www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 53 XXXXXXXXXXXMEMBERSHIP UPDATE Playdays

Sep The Centre, Alpha Oct Thornbury Oct Great Kingshill Nov Broughton St 16 Road, Birchington 13 Baptist Church, 21 Village Hall, 11Mary’s Parish Church, 12 EAST KENT CLARINET BAND Gillingstool, Thornbury, South Buckinghamshire Bellevue Crescent, Edinburgh PL AYDAY Gloucestershire KINGSHILL CLARINET CHOIR THE BIG BLAW! Explore music for clarinet choir. THORNBURY CLARINET PL AYDAY Join us for an afternoon of All welcome. CHOIR WORKSHOP With tutor Stephanie Reeve, this playing in a large sax ensemble. • £10 With tutor Kieron Anderson, this playday is open to adult Grade Music will be provided. A fun [email protected] playday is open to adult Grade 6 5+ musicians. Prior booking afternoon of playing, with tips 01843 846427 or equivalent clarinettists. Prior required. on reading, breathing, tone and booking essential. • £25 technique. Grades 3 to 7. Sep Memorial Hall, • £25 [email protected] • £25 29 301 High Road, thornburyclarinetchoir@gmail. www.scottishsaxophoneacademy. Trimley St Martin, Suffolk com Oct Stapleford com SAXOPHONE SESSIONS 28 Granary, Bury Road, Directed by Adrian Budgen. Oct The Arch, Station Stapleford, Cambridge Workshop sessions aimed at 13 Lane, Chandler’s Ford, WOODWIND PLAYDAY developing ensemble playing Eastleigh, Hampshire With tutor Stephanie Reeve, this with good music written SAXOPHONE WORKSHOP day is open to woodwind and specifically for saxes. Free Saxophone day with Gerard horn players of all ages, from parking, refreshments included. McChrystal. Further details from Grade 3 to Grade 7. • £10 Sarah Finch. • £45 [email protected] • £25 www.staplefordgranary.org.uk 01473 726 426 www.sarahfinch.pro www.packapunch.co.uk/ workshops

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Information is provided with members’ consent. ROTHWELL, Mrs Annelouise GILLAM, Miss Jess To make contact with other members of CASSGB, Silloth, Cumbria C Moved to: Manchester

email [email protected] STEYN, Dr Anne LANDSBOROUGH, Mr Ian Holmfirth, West Yorkshire AS Moved to: Guildford, Surrey AS = alto saxophone OM = chamber music C = clarinet P = professional CHANGE OF ROZELAAR, Mrs Elizabeth CM = orchestral music S = saxophone ADDRESS Moved to: St Austell, Cornwall

ANDERSON, Mrs Molly WHITENER, Mrs Rebecca JAKEMAN, Mrs Anne NEW MEMBERS Moved to: Cullingworth, Moved to: Cambuslang, Four Elms, Edenbridge, Kent Bradford, West Yorkshire Glasgow APPLEBY, Miss Clare-Louise

Erdington, Birmingham JEFFERY, Mr Chris BROOK, Mr Justin XANTHOUDAKIS, Ms Elena Tonbridge, Kent C Aberdeenshire Instrumental Kroma Editions, Flemington, BOYD, Mr David Music Service, Oldmeldrum, Cambuslang, Glasgow Paisley, Renfrewshire KNIGHT, Mrs Barbara Inverurie, Aberdeenshire Peasedown St John, Avon C YOUNGMAN, Mr John F BUSHELL, Mrs Jackie COX, Mr Adrian Moved to: Marlborough, Didcot, Oxon C CM OM MANSFIELD, Miss Rebecca Moved to: Burgess Hill, West Wiltshire Brown Edge, Stoke on Trent, Sussex COTTRELL, Mr Lloyd Staffordshire C DECEASED Rhiwderin, Newport, Gwent C S DEGG, Mrs Keri MEMBERS MCEVOY, Miss Clare Moved to: South Normanton, CRONIN, Mr Mark Anthony New Malden, Surrey P C Alfreton, Derbyshire It is with sadness that we Tawnalary, Donegal Town, report the deaths of: Donegal, IRELAND C McMAW, Miss Lauren DOWNER, Miss Lucy Brampton, Huntingdon, Moved to: Wanstead, London BRYANT, Mr Kenneth DONNELLY, Mr Ben Cambridgeshire C S Godalming, Surrey Acton, London P C S FINCH, Ms Helen RICHARDSON, Mrs Janet Moved to: Gaydon, Warwickshire SMITH, Mr George FAZAKERLEY, Mr Stephen Tonbridge, Kent AS Folkestone, Kent Tarleton, Preston, Lancashire FOX, Mr Lewis P C S ROBINSON, Mr Martin Moved to: Denbigh, Clwyd Weston, Crewe, Cheshire C S

54 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org CLASSIFIEDSNEWS

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A free service to CASSGB members (non-members pay 75p per word). Submit an ad through www.cassgb.org or email details to [email protected]

CLARINETS having been recently overhauled in our Yanagisawa TWO37 Elite model tenor workshops. They are equipped with saxophone. Solid silver, played by Snake Boosey and Hawkes 1010 A clarinet with several barrels of different length and your Davis! This beautiful sax was loaned Acton vent mechanism. Serial No 488544 choice of two mouthpieces from Gervase’s to Snake Davis by Yanagisawa for him complete with double case. £500. Contact selection of Eaton mouthpieces, in a to decide on the specification of a [email protected] or 07914 custom double case. These instruments personalised horn that Yanagisawa have 887292 (Cornwall). have a lovely, fairly light sound, in some made for him. The upgraded replacement ways reminiscent of the pre-war Boosey & for the T9937 series, this TWO37 Simple system clarinets. Two clarinets Hawkes instruments that Gervase played silver model is an instrument for an both in need of some attention and from his earliest days through to the late accomplished player. It delivers a superb restoration. Offers accepted. Contact 1960s. He played them for some of his last tonal range with unrivalled depth and [email protected] or 07914 series of recordings on his own Radiant flexibility. It also benefits from the WO 887292 (Cornwall). Mastery label. The price is £6000, payable series re-engineered bore and tone holes directly to Katia de Peyer. Contact via www. and redesigned core brass material. This Noblet clarinet case. New Noblet eatonclarinets.com for more details. model also has many upgraded features rucksack-style clarinet case which will exclusive to the WO series such as newly fit a C clarinet. £30. Contact erozelaar@ Boosey and Hawkes vintage clarinets in designed front F keys, ride side keys and btinternet.com or 07914 887292 good playing condition. Symphony 1010 right pinky key. Please note there is no (Cornwall). B flat, SN 509754: £750. Pair of Imperial mouthpiece included with this sax, but we 926s, SNs 185380 and 272189: £1,250. have many available to choose from. Two- Single clarinet case. Old style wooden Contact: 01938 553638. year guarantee. £9,360. Contact Richard at single clarinet case for B flat or A. £10. For [email protected] more details and photos please contact SAXOPHONES [email protected] or 07914 WANTED 887292 (Cornwall). Yamaha YSS-475 soprano saxophone. One owner from new. Very good condition. Boosey & Hawkes Edgware Clarinet in ’s clarinets Complete with mouthpiece, sling (not A. Wooden instrument wanted. Would are for sale, on behalf of Katia de Peyer. Yamaha sling) and case. £700. Tel 0114 consider a pair. Contact Jane on 016973 These large-bore instruments were 2362191 or email richard@brown997. 42158 or [email protected] bought directly from Luis Rossi in the late plus.com 1990s. They are in excellent condition

JOIN US TODAY • high quality quarterly magazine STUDENT • free access to sheet music library MEMBERSHIP Back issues of Clarinet & Saxophone are available to members from the membership director priced £6 or from cassgb.org • reduced entry to CASSGB events JUST Presidents: Janet Hilton and Richard Ingham • offers on concert tickets and more Vice presidents: Rob Buckland, Paul Harvey, Charles Hine, Kyle Horch, • free classified ads service Andrew Marriner, Linda Merrick £12 Editor of Clarinet & Saxophone : Chris Walters, [email protected] • apply for funding for your projects Events director: Sarah Watts, [email protected] • support your single-reed community Finance director: Richard Slack, [email protected] Librarian and Clarinet & Saxophone reviews and diary editor: Stephanie Reeve, [email protected] The Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain (CASSGB) was founded in 1976 Membership director and website editor: Andrew Smith, for the benefit of everyone who has an interest in the clarinet or saxophone and their [email protected], 08456 440187 repertoire: teachers, students, professional or amateur players, manufacturers and Secretary: Tracey Connell, [email protected] composers. The society has members in over 35 countries. The Clarinet and Saxophone Social media director: Michael Pearce, [email protected] Society of Great Britain is a company limited by General directors: Adrian Connell, [email protected]; guarantee registered in England (No. 3010228), John MacKenzie, [email protected]; James Rae, [email protected] whose registered office is at 48 Henniker Point, General enquires to CASSGB should be first addressed to the secretary: Leytonstone Road, London, E15 1LQ. Tracey Connell, [email protected], 01322 290 422 | 07753 315 218 SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN

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www.cassgb.org Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 55 INSPIRATIONS

Kenneth Morris profiles Christian Forshaw – saxophonist, composer and Songs leader of The Sanctuary Ensemble

Back in the middle ages, church leaders, architects, stonemasons and choirmasters knew a thing or two about inspiration. They competed to build of higher and higher, or closer to heaven; to Solace incorporate as much artwork, sculpture and stained glass as their benefactors were willing to are all arrangements by Christian: ‘Mortal Flesh’, ‘Improvisation and pay for; and to sing glorious choral anthems, harnessing Chorale on J‘ain la flour’, ‘Love Unknown’, ‘Down Ampney’, a choral the soaring voices of young boys, which resulted in ‘Magnificat’ with some splendid harmonisation, ‘Nunc Dimittis’ and magnificent works like Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere. Anyone ‘Unknown Love’. The last three are Christian’s own compositions. who has heard Harry Christopher’s The Sixteen sing The album is very moving and would surely make Adolphe Sax Miserere in a cathedral space cannot fail to have been extremely proud even though, at this juncture, the project was moved. Among the members of The Sixteen is the soprano essentially experimental. Grace Davidson, whom I had the pleasure of hearing along Renouncement with Grace Davidson digs deeper into the with the rest of Christian Forshaw’s quartet, The Sanctuary ethereal impact of church music, delivered by an unconventional Ensemble, when they delivered an evening concert in combination of voice, saxophone, pipe organ and percussion (with Southwell Minster some years back. the justifiable inclusion from time to time of a synthesiser). Again, On paper, the announcement of a recital by a adaptations of ecclesiastical and classical composers with Christian’s saxophonist, organist, percussionist and soprano singer own compositions make for a haunting and captivating recital. doesn’t convey much excitement. Furthermore, as The Midwinter acknowledges that Christmas-tide and carol melodies Times critic Geoff Brown put it, lend themselves to inspirational ‘You can buy Christian Forshaw’s treatment from the Sanctuary Ensemble, music on CD but it gives no Christian, no matter especially when recorded in a cathedral indication of the thrills when environment. Songs of Solace is his liquid saxophone, Grace what size of saxophone Christian’s musical response to a book Davidson’s pure soprano voice detailing the harrowing events following plus a church organ and sundry he is playing, delivers a the London 7/7 bombing episode. This percussion instruments float album is the most recent recording from through a resonating cathedral.’ gorgeous, pure sonority The Sanctuary Ensemble. I’ll go a stage further: there is no more inspirational sound than that of the quartet in full flight. Christian, no matter what size of saxophone he is playing (soprano, alto or baritone), delivers a gorgeous, pure sonority harnessed to the tremendously wide harmonic combinations available from the organ and voice. For the technically minded I should add that the Forshaw group appeared at Southwell with a sound engineer who, during the afternoon rehearsal, made sure that stage microphones and speakers at the rear of the audience maintained a balanced reception for all attendees. For me the performance was truly inspirational – and the church was packed. Christian, born in Harrogate, Yorkshire and a former chorister, studied saxophone with John Harle at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and ultimately became a virtuoso soloist with various groups including the Delta Sax Quartet. He is now professor of saxophone at the Guildhall. With a lifelong interest in church music, his first CD Sanctuary was published in 2004 (Quartz QTZ 2009) giving rise to the naming of his quartet, The Sanctuary Ensemble. This was followed in 2007, 2008 and Christian Forshaw 2012 by Renouncement, Midwinter and Sounds of Solace, all produced and published by Christian’s own label Integra Records. At the time of writing, all four CDs are available What the album liner notes for all four of Christian’s CDs omit from Amazon to buy, from Spotify to stream and, for some is that the magic of their performance flows from three sources: tracks, on YouTube. compositional and arranging talent, the performance and/or Sanctuary with Aimee Green (soprano voice) and recording acoustic environment, and most of all the musicality of the the choir of Kings College London is, in two words, material. By musicality I mean the presence of all its components: singularly beautiful, with outstanding soprano and alto sonority, melody, harmony, structure and rhythm. The Sanctuary sax playing, some of which is improvised. Its contents Ensemble has musicality in spades! n

56 Clarinet & Saxophone, Autumn 2018 www.cassgb.org par

A perfect match between richness of tone & ease of response! Henri SELMER Paris unveils, with its new brand SeleS, a never before seen Alto saxophone called Axos.

John HELLIWELL

“ Axos puts out what I put into it! It gets a very good and powerful sound. It takes whatever you can give it. It’s got a good fat sound!”

par www.seles.fr

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