What music are you practicing right now?
Here at tonebase, we share knowledge not just about clarinet fundamentals, but also about the inner workings of the repertoire that means the most to you. What are the songs, pieces, sonatas, riffs, tunes, cadenzas, or solos that you’re working on right now? Is there anything you recently finished or mastered that you’d like to share? What are some challenges in what you’re working on? Would you care to share any video or audio of a certain tricky spot to get some advice from the community? I’m excited to see what you are all practicing 💪🏻
11 replies
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We are currently performing the Brahms op 114 trio and our arrangement for cell of the Kegelstatt trio. Trickiest bit in Brahms for us is the beginning of the fourth movement switching from the cello solo to the clarinet entry in staying in tempo and make it sound logical. Any suggestions?
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Hi Adam - you mean going between the 16ths and back into the triplets?
I might in this case try something like adding some extra triplets when you're rehearsing - only when rehearsing of course but it might help with just getting the feel (Brahms is always doing something like this and it really does take some practice). I'll post an annotated photo so you can see what I mean ...
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That's a very good idea! Even not playing them but imagining them! We will try tomorrow morning immediately
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Yes that clinched it entirely! Just thinking the triplets. Thanks!
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Ok, not perfect by far but this is the beginning of me playing something probably a little to difficult for me (Weber's Concerto in F minor movement 3, the Rondo) It's a work in progress for the past few months and I haven't spent everyday on it until I joined Tonebase :) So it can only get better from here on out. I of course am NOT used to recording myself play, so time to get out of my shell and just do it.
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Funny how things come along like lefthand exercises just when you need them.
Our orchestra is working on Sibelius 2. Here's a page from my second clarinet part.
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I have three things to share. . .
==(1) My husband and I worked on “Canzonetta Op. 19,” by Gabriel Pierne for several months, and then performed it in a recital with our Piano Buddies group last week. We are both returning musicians after a 30+ year hiatus (he restarted in 2009, I restarted in 2014). Our challenge is finding interesting music to play together where the piano part is not 5 times more difficult than the clarinet part, or the clarinet part is nothing by long tones.
Here is our performance of Canzonetta op 19 - Gabriel Pierne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wgC0obMQU8&list=PLFqE-iKuazj5mlLkm1_Kl_rOPRUHnRT46&index=13==
(2) I’ve set a goal to perform in a solo recital in honor of my 70th birthday next year. I’m calling it “Laurie’s Senor Recital (lol). I’ve always wanted to try an unaccompanied piece, but my taste is towards the lyrical and most I’ve heard are a little “out there.” Then I heard “Capriccio,” by H. Sutermeister and decided to add it to my program. Honestly, if there weren’t really good recordings of this piece, I would not have an idea how to approach it. But thanks to YouTube, I can hear very musical performances and how each section is phrased.
Here's a nice YouTube version I'm studying:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1mpA0L_ZNE==
(3) My chamber group is working on “Divertimento for Piano & Winds, Op. 51,” by Paul Juon. I could use some help with the Fantasia movement, beginning at rehearsal 3 below. The meter is 9/8, our rehearsal tempo is 120 per 8th note.
I’m studying this YouTube recording: Fantasia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnm1BSfq2_E (the difficult section is at minute 1:32)
A brief description for others on this forum. . . The Fantasia,” opens with a with a lovely 15-bar clarinet solo, which in 12/8 at 120 tempo is quite slow and broad. (No problem here.) The French horn continues that “lovely vibe” at rehearsal number 2 for 4 measures. Then the clarinet enters again and begins a sort of “stream of consciousness” that builds to rehearsal number 3, where it intensifies with the horn and piano and turns into a sort of “hot mess.”
HELP!!!
