BaL 28.11.20 - Copland: Clarinet Concerto

[Keraulophone]

A clarinetist once told me

An American?

[visualnickmos]

Only one version here - Stanley Drucker / Bernstein / NY Phil (DG) very good in my opinion!

[ardcarp]

Interesting that the reviewer is getting into the great vibrato question early on .

Always fascinated that in the classical repertoire vibrato is almost never used on the clarinet, whereas in jazz, it and the Sax use it widely.
I was also interested to be reminded (I'd forgotten) that German clarinets use a different keywork system from that used most widely elsewhere.

Good to hear a reviewer 'talking technical' a bit, though I do wish that BAL could be a bit longer with more and longer extracts played. Either that or the music:talk ratio could be increased. I don't have a recording of this concerto and would like to have used this programme (for once) as a guide. It left me distinctly undecided!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Always fascinated that in the classical repertoire vibrato is almost never used on the clarinet, whereas in jazz, it and the Sax use it widely.

I think the instruments that generally shun vibrato (clarinets and French horns) are the ones with the warmest sounds. With added vibrato, warmth becomes almost sickly.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes, that matches the info in my ASV CD - I'm sure my post above (#3) was correct, the Copland is conducted by Fischer so this is the same version that 'won' last time. The ASV 'Platinum' series reissue (coupled with more Copland music) confirms these performers.

Now corrected in the list.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Always fascinated that in the classical repertoire vibrato is almost never used on the clarinet, whereas in jazz, it and the Sax use it widely.
I was also interested to be reminded (I'd forgotten) that German clarinets use a different keywork system from that used most widely elsewhere.

Good to hear a reviewer 'talking technical' a bit, though I do wish that BAL could be a bit longer with more and longer extracts played. Either that or the music:talk ration could be increased. I don't have a recording of this concerto and would like to have used this programme (for once) as a guide. It left me distinctly undecided!

Reginald Kell , who as I say taught Goodman at one stage , was a teacher at the Royal Academy pre war and was renowned for his vibrato infused playing . His recording of the Mozart quintet was pretty much the benchmark in the mono years. A more recent vibrato exponent was Jack Brymer of LSO fame. A colleague of mine who studied at the RAM in the sixties hated the clean style of playing espoused by for example Thea King and was so outraged when I bought a CD of her playing the Brahms he was all set to wrest it off me for disposal..He thought it completely characterless and thin.
I don’t mind vibrato less clarinet playing but I don’t like sax played that way . Give me Ben Webster every time.

[CallMePaul]

I enjoyed listening to this, even though I disagree with the reviewer's final choice, which did very little for me. From the excerpts played, Neidich was my favourite but unfortunately it is download only, so I'm not interested (I don't use portable devices and use 2 PCs regularly so download is not very practical for me). I enjoy the Austro-German school of clarinet playing more than the reviewer, and would have liked to have heard Andreas Ottensamer in the second movement. His work with the Clarinotts certainly makes me think he would make a good job of it! By the way, he is Austrian, not German as Mark Simpson seems to think!
I note that the Hosford appears to be only a Presto CD or a download. This should have been made clearer, though perhaps the BBC does not want to favour one retailer over its competitors. As the Neidich is download only and (according to Presto; I have not looked further) the Ottensamer is out of stock at the UK distributor, I will not be adding this to my library anytime soon!

[Pulcinella]

I enjoyed listening to this, even though I disagree with the reviewer's final choice, which did very little for me. From the excerpts played, Neidich was my favourite but unfortunately it is download only, so I'm not interested (I don't use portable devices and use 2 PCs regularly so download is not very practical for me). I enjoy the Austro-German school of clarinet playing more than the reviewer, and would have liked to have heard Andreas Ottensamer in the second movement. His work with the Clarinotts certainly makes me think he would make a good job of it! By the way, he is Austrian, not German as Mark Simpson seems to think!
I note that the Hosford appears to be only a Presto CD or a download. This should have been made clearer, though perhaps the BBC does not want to favour one retailer over its competitors. As the Neidich is download only and (according to Presto; I have not looked further) the Ottensamer is out of stock at the UK distributor, I will not be adding this to my library anytime soon!

If you've got £1264.51 to spare, you can get a copy of the Neidich here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Copland-Gould-Barber-Schuman-2000-10-13/dp/B01K8MKXVA/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=composers+in+new+york&qid=1606579985&s=music&sr=1-4

You'll be pleased to hear that delivery is free!

Or do I mean: Someone at Amazon is having a ?

Maybe Chandos will reissue it on CD?
Perhaps they even have a 'print on demand' service?

Actually, I've just spotted that there's a used copy at a snip: only £49.52 (also free delivery!).

[Pulcinella]

If you've got £1264.51 to spare, you can get a copy of the Neidich here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Copland-Gould-Barber-Schuman-2000-10-13/dp/B01K8MKXVA/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=composers+in+new+york&qid=1606579985&s=music&sr=1-4

You'll be pleased to hear that delivery is free!

Or do I mean: Someone at Amazon is having a ?

Maybe Chandos will reissue it on CD?
Perhaps they even have a 'print on demand' service?

Actually, I've just spotted that there's a used copy at a snip: only £49.52 (also free delivery!).

Yes they do!
Available here:

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%209848

£13.24, with £1.35 p+p

[Nick Armstrong]

I really don’t agree. Yes, they’re spending more time on the music itself than usual, but that may be because it’s less familiar (to me, anyway) than most BaLs. He’s explaining now why he doesn’t go for the German approach, and demonstrating why. What’s wrong with that?

Yes, I was fascinated to learn how the German clarinet is different mechanically (even down to the reed) from, well basically all the others. I had no idea.

It’s a good work for the limited BAL format, not too long and not too many versions. It seemed to me we got a representative and varied selection.

It’s the Neidlich I’m interested to hear all through.

I see Pulcinella beat me to the ‘good value CD’ gag....



A nice little stocking-filler

Thank heavens for Qobuz...

[Pulcinella]

I contacted Presto about the conductor on the recommended recording, and have just had this response, so I'm passing on their thanks, as requested!
I have replied, saying that I assume that they will correct the details on their own website listing too!

I have done some digging on this one and can confirm that Thierry Fischer is the conductor on this recording, not Alexander Schneider - please thank the wise bunch on the Radio 3 forum for spotting this - I will email Broadcasting House with the information - whether they change their details is up to them...

[Rolmill]

I contacted Presto about the conductor on the recommended recording, and have just had this response, so I'm passing on their thanks, as requested!
I have replied, saying that I assume that they will correct the details on their own website listing too!