Hi,

I'm lucky to have some birthday money to spend and intend to blow it all on some more clarinet music.
After various threads on suggestions fopr repertoire and doing some listening/research of my own this is what I have come up with....

Some I may work on but already have a copy of:
1.     Camille Saint-Saens: Sonata For Clarinet And Piano Op.167
have a downloaded copy

2.     Carl Maria Von Weber: Clarinet Concertino In E Flat Op.26 (Clarinet/Piano)
have downloaded copy

3. Carl Maria Von Weber: Clarinet Concerto No.1 In F Minor (Clarinet/Piano)
have clarinet part from IMSLP (but no piano part)

Also have the Brahms sonatas on download too.

Some I intend to buy straight away:

4.     Gerald Finzi: Five Bagatelles For Clarinet And Piano

5.     Malcolm Arnold: Sonatina Op.29 For Clarinet And Piano


6.     Howard Blake: Walking In The Air (Clarinet/Tenor Saxophone And Piano)
For a bit of light relief and for a performance opportunity at Christmas.

7.     Serge Rachmaninoff: Vocalise Op. 34 No. 14
An easier one to perform amongst all the hard work

8.     Paul Reade: The Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite

9. Heinrich Baermann: Adagio Op.23 - Clarinet/Piano

10. William Lloyd Webber: Frensham Pond - Aquarelle
Another nice easier one for performance.

11. Robert Scumann: Romances Op.94 (Clarinet/Piano)
Nice for future performances.

And some to consider for the future - or sooner if finances permit (I still have one present to come and it may be money. ):

12. Francis Poulenc: Clarinet Sonata (2006 Edition)
Considering buying this now as well. I really like the sound of it.

13. Gerald Finzi: Clarinet Concerto Op.31

14.     W.A. Mozart: Clarinet Quintet KV 581 (Clarinet/Piano)

15.     Bernhard Crusell: Clarinet Concerto Op.5 (Clarinet/Piano)
One to consider for the future along with the other Crusell Concertos

17.     Darius Milhaud: Scaramouche (Clarinet and Piano)
Love the sound of this. Maybe one for the future though as would in all likelihood be rather a
challenge to perfect.

18.     Franz Krommer: Concerto For Clarinet In E Flat Op.36
Considering for the future.

19. Robert Schumann: Fantasy Pieces Op.73 (Clarinet/Piano)


So...... What do you think??? Plenty there to keep me busy????

I am jealous! Of both music-buying and that you can attempt to play this stuff

The W.Lloyd Webber 'Frensham Pond' is in the Grade 5 book and there are some other nice pieces in there (Lefevre sonata movement for example) just in case you weren't aware.

I haven't heard the Rachmaninoff Vocalise - is it a stand-alone piece?

(I *heart* anything 'Vocalise' as I wrote one for my GCSE music (2 sopranos, flute & cello) and loved it and got really good marks )

What's the purpose of the new music, Dawn? Is it for fun or to learn seriously as part of your technical and musical development? If you're looking at the latter, then I would say that anything I have and can make a fair stab at would be too easy for you (given that you're post-grade 8 in in terms of standard and I've never learnt clarinet properly and am therefore probably only around grade 3 standard).

I have the Finzi bagatelles and the Reade garden suite, and there's only a couple of movements in each that I can't make a reasonable stab at. They are lovely collections, but most of what's in them is probably a bit easy for you unless you're just looking at nice things to play for fun.

I also have the Arnold Sonatina and this is more challenging (I can only do the 2nd movement plus the easy sections of the other two) but should still be a little bit on the easy side for you.

The Rachmaninoff Vocalise will also be rather on the easy side for you (grade 5-ish) and I think it was originally written for violin not clarinet? Not sure what you're teacher's like with things that weren't originally written for the instrument - my flute teacher really doesn't like people doing things that are transcribed from other instruments.

hope you enjoy your music when you get it.

I think there's only a couple in those that I could make a reasonable stab at.

Is there really any such thing as too easy to bother with?
If you like them then play them. A more advanced player will find more to put into 'easier' things and probably get more out of them. I think it's good to have a mixture. I think it's also a good plan to have some more accessible (for performer AND audience) pieces in your repertoire if you are thinking of things to use in performance.

This is why I started by asking what the purpose of the music was. The items I mentioned are collections which Dawn would be able to do really nice interpretations of for performances without needing to spend long learning them, and she could get a lot of enjoyment from doing this. But, if Dawn wants something that will really stretch and challenge her from a technical point of view then there are other pieces which would probably serve this purpose better. It really depends what Dawn is after: whether she wants stuff that's well within her comfort zone or whether she wants stuff that will really stretch her - or a mixture of the two (which is what I tend to aim for on flute).

Fair enough.
I think it's just that I don't tend to think like that about buying music.
When I browse just for myself I do tend to go for things i can actually manage to play (or think I can).
I usually leave the 'learning' stuff for my teachers to tell me to get.
But then I'm probably just slightly lazy and/or not always too confident over taking on tricky things on my own.

thankyou both for your comments.
The purpose is twofold. Some to be able to play/perform with Oldnotes without too much hard slog in either piano or clarinet parts. Some are for more of a challenge. I am currently doing the sonatina with my teacher. This is what musicroom.com says about it.

I think there's a great difference in saying you can make a stab at it and play it properly (and I am in no way saying I can do the latter - YET!)

The Weber concertino is another one I'm working on with my teacher and only have borrowed copies of the music so far.

The Reade Suite has been said on another thread to be around grade 8 when done properly as a suite with a number of easier bits and the Bagatelles are easier apart from the timing , the hardest being the fughetta at around grade 6 but they are fun pieces that sound effective and good for performance opportunities. I want to build up a bit of a library of popular clarinet repertoire and feel that these should be in it.

I also want to work up a number of items that should the opportunity arise I would have to pull out for performances. I feel these should be some more showy pieces as well as some technically easier ones that sound nice to allow one to kind of "breathe" between numbers.

As for what my teacher thinks of Vocalise - I don't care because it wouldn't be a lesson piece but for me aside from that. If Emma Johnson can play it..... it's not above me

I think sbhoa is right that what you would get out of a piece at say grade 3 (Bagatelle 3 - carol for example) is very different from what a more advanced player would do with it. For a start there's far more room for expression if you are not struggling technically with it. I know, having played it with Oldnotes, that I wouldn't have been able to make it sound half as nice at grade 3 level.

There are a lot of bad examples of these pieces on YouTube so it just goes to show that a lot depends on the player.

For me there is a balance between technical showiness and sounding nice. I want a bit of both I guess, sometimes within a piece and sometimes in separate ones.

Thankyou again for your comments. I do value them even if I'm not always in agreement. Please keep them coming.

P>S> you both replied in the time it took to get mine up.....

So maybe what I say isn't relevant.....???

Dawn - having seen the scope of your intended purchases, I think you had better make space on your lawn for me to pitch a tent, as I can see an awful lot of practice/rehearsal! . I shall be looking out for the Vaughan Williams folksong arrangements, with a view to playing at one of our concerts later in the year. If you want something specific that you can't locate locally let me know, I intend going into Forsyths in Manchester whilst I am at the Chets week.
I'll email you regarding our next get-together, or email me if you have a specific day in mind before the 14th.

My lawn's rather wet at the moment!!!

YOU don't have to play it all

I thought we could do some of it and some of it can be for other occasions. / other pianists

Going away soon as discussed. Will email you.

Well haven't bought a lot of new music for many a year so what do you expect???????

I hope to have a long and productive clarinet playing life

Loads here, I'll deal with all your pieces, bit by bit, starting with these three (using same numbers as you)...

1. This is a lovely piece, and you're more than capable of all of it, indeed, you'll make a good job of sightreading the first three movements. The beginning of the last movement will need working on, but it's well within what you can do now.

2. This was on the AB grade 8 list until recently. I'm very fond of this, and again, you'll be able to play this with practice. Watch the faster bits, make sure they're clean and accurate.

3. Come to York on 14th November, and you'll hear me playing it! This is my favourite of Weber's two concerti, but it isn't particularly easy, particularly the two outer movements. You'll enjoy working on this though, and it really is a 'must play' for all discerning clarinettists.

Continuing...

4. This again I feel is an essential bit of repertoire. The Fughetta isn't easy, and goes at quite a speed (I feel this is at the top end of grade 8), but all five pieces are very nice. You'll need a very good pianist.

5. You've already made a good start on this!

6. Yes, why not - it's a very pretty piece and it's always good to drop into a Christmas recital!

7. This works very well on clarinet, and it's a good opportunity to play something nice and expressive without having to work too hard on what the notes are.

Continuing some more...

8. This is from the Channel 4 series of the same name : and you won't find it difficult. Putting one or more of these in a recital would go down very well, I feel.

9. I'm not a huge fan of this, I think there are nicer pieces out there. Still, it's by no means a bad piece, and it's a piece well within your grasp.

10. Yes, agree, but as eirlys has said, I'd recommend now getting the grade 5 compilation book with this in it.

11. Agree again, and I think you'll enjoy them.

Thanks for all this Barry I am reading it.

Not sure about getting the Grade 5 compilation book. Yes it does have a lot more pieces in it but is also twice the cost of the Frensham and having seen song list there are pieces I either am not familiar with at all or I already have.... Appreciate the input though.....

12. A 'must play', even though it's not my favourite. Lots of difficult corners, but given practice, you'll do it justice.

13. If you like the Bagatelles, you'll like this, though it'll need a lot of work on both your part and the accompanists part. If you choose to tackle it, give yourself plenty of time.

14. Not *quite* as good as the sublime Concerto, in my opinion, but still a fine work, and you should enjoy playing it. I think this is well within what you can tackle now Dawn.

I've recently had a splurge on music too.

I bought the Poulenc I'm sure it will go OK with practice though.

Also got Bach ( ) 21 pieces for clarinet, the Schumann Fantasy pieces and a brilliant compilation book. It was only £12 and has stuff by Weber, Brahms, Mendelssohn. It was called Materworks for clarinet or something along those lines.

Can't wait to get stuck in at the weekend

I also love the Saint-Saens Sonata. Tricky in places but worth it although I haven't looked at it all yet.

Lois

Re 14 - yes i think so too but isn't there a part of it that can be lifted as a cadenza to use in the adagio movement of the Concerto???

Thought it's something I should have in my "library" though. It's on a par with the Schumann fantasy pieces in the "want to play" stakes. Not at the top but up there in the top few.

My slight issue with playing concerto/quintet style pieces is teh lack or an Orchestra. The piano is a good stand in but it's not the same timbre and I feel that some if not all pieces set against orchestra sadly lack something (a lot?) in a piano reduction but not many of us have the luxury of Orchestral backing



Have fun Lois.

I'm going to be away for a week or two soon so won't place my order till I get back but looking forward to it. This list has been many months in the making. Longlisting and whittling down to shortlist .... and then of course adding a few extras

Enjoy! I almost went for the Saint Saens in my recital I'm doing in York, but plumped for Weber no.1 instead. Still might play it somewhere in 2010...



There is a part, yes, but I'd be inclined not to, in my opinion.

I had a spree at musicroom.com a week or so ago...

Mozart concerto
Bach 21 pieces, trans. Giampieri (I like most of these, but the cello suite transcriptions more than the violin partita ones)
Finzi bagatelles
Saint-Saens sonata
Krommer E flat concerto
and the Lloyd Webber Air and Variations

Am really enjoying the various challenges

Dawn please post on how you get on with the Victorian Kitchen Garden suite - I don't know it at all but several people have said it's very rewarding.

I love Frensham Pond but sadly the examiner didn't like it at all...

15. Yes - go for it Dawn, you won't go a lot wrong with anything Crusell, and they make excellent recital pieces

17. In my opinion, this works better as a saxophone piece - but it's still a fun piece to do on clari, though you're right, it will take work.

18. Much underrated, the Krommer, and I think you'll enjoy it. He also did a concerto for two clarinets, and Appassionata and I are working on the first movement of this, for the Chester forum concert...

19. These are very nice - and well worth working on.

And what about your masterplan for accompanist?

Ah yes, that one...

*goes and finds email inbox*

Enjoy jazzycat New music is fun isn't it???
I didn't know the kitchen garden either until it was suggested on a previous thread and I did a little research. I now have it on CD by Emma Johnson
try these youtube links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpzSJK8nSgA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSA_RoAddnQ&NR=1

Think the second is the better of the 2 but it's not complete and there's pluses and minuses of both performances in my humble opinion. Will let you know how I get on.



Thanks Barry ... The Krommer duet was available on IMSLP. have downloaded it but have not yet looked at it or rustled up an unsuspecting duet partner to spring it on.... I also have the urge to use this

Any glaring omissions in my list????? Can always add them for future splurges

Were it me, I'd add the Malcolm Arnold Concerto no. 2 (though it isn't easy), the Bernstein Sonata, something by Mendelssohn, the other Weber clarinet concerto and the Southwold Sonatina by Rae. Amongst others!

I'd swap the Milhaud ('cos I agree with Barry I prefer it on sax) with his Duo Concertante, not easy it used to be on the G8 syllabus back in the late 80s (ok I admit it when I did it)

I also have a real soft spot for the Burgmuller (?sp) Duo

I won't comment on the rest as I'd just be quoting Barry's posts with underneath.

The Kitchen Garden Suite is a nice audience friendly piece. It isn't overly demanding technically but worth looking at as a whole. Someone has arranged about 4 of the movements for solo clarinet with wind band. I'm not sure it whether it has been published, the conductor I did it with was in the army and I think borrowed it from one of the army's libraries.

Enjoy! With the Bach in particular, I'd recommend going through it with a pencil, marking on places to breathe.

Have to say not so sure on the Arnold Concerto. Wasn't too keen on what I'd heard of Arnold til the Sonatina got me going..... May give it another listen though.

Don't know Bernstein Sonata or the Southwold Sonatina <makes note to source these for a listen >
Same Rae as James Rae of Jazz/sax fame?

Think I have the other Weber Concerto <goes to look> ......

..... <comes back> yes I have - a recent download from IMSLP

I have some Mendelshon extracts. There's a piece Oldnotes and I do from grade 4/5? Andante from Konzerstuck.

Thankyou. Will bookmark this for future use.


CJB - Kitchen garden with concert band?...... Now that sounds like fun

Maybe I could suggest it at ours....... I've seen some good versions of the Weber concertino with concert band backing on YouTube. Maybe I could suggest that too...... via my teacher of course (who's lead clarinet)

I wouldn't be offering for solo though as there are better players

Ive not tried those particular peices but I have some of those composers and im sure you'll enjoy learning + playing them

Yes, the same Rae : and again I'm playing this in York in November

I'll look forward to hearing you Barry....

thanks!

I'll get some posters to you around the start of September...

No problem And I'll get them distributed/displayed as promised

Will be paying special attention to the middle movement.
Probably won't be the only one.

*gulp*

Thanks Dawn Definitely one to look at!



What? You mean I have to breathe as well as sorting all those notes out??

Yep - or you'll turn the same colour as much of this forum

Seriously though, with Baroque transcriptions, I'll always mark on places to breathe immediately, as it makes them so much easier to tackle.

Bach wasn't always too concerned about leaving spaces - even in his wind music ; some of the flute sonatas go on forever without any gap in the notes and if you add enough spaces to allow for normal breathing, people say 'oh, that sounded really difficult'
No wonder the clarinettist is pink in the face

I like Frensham Pond too, I even went there a couple of weeks ago and was inspired.

Rachmaninoff Vocalise is in the Grade 6 book, and 2 of Finzis 5 Bagatells are on the Grade 6 list too.

Have you been shopping yet DawnF?

Yes!! I saw it in March, from the top of Tilford Common, and it was beautiful, with the sun sparkling off the water and the trees just coming into leaf. I get that picture in my head now every time I play it

Not yet. Will be away and off forum for much of the next fortnight but my order will be going in to musicroom.com as soon as we get back. My inlaws are going to give me my present tomorrow as we are heading out to their caravan and it is usually money so I wanted to hold off with the order until I see how much I am playing with so to speak and figure out how much I can afford to sub it by too. Will let you know when my parcel arrives .



Yess!!! I did a Youtube search for Frensham Pond and a beautiful video of it came up. Rippling pond, ducks reeds......

I have now ordered the 6 Studies in English Folksong by Vaughan Williams for Bb clarinet & piano, which should arrive soon. Alan Hacker and Gavin Roberts played them at a Ryedale Festival concert we went to last week and I really liked them. Looking forward to trying them out.

Got them. Look easy enough (I know looks can be deceptive though) you mentioned a You Tube example in an email. Do you have the link?

Just placed my order!!!! spent £85 and it's all birthday pressies

Added the Krommer concerto, kept on the Scaramouche (for a fun challenge) and left the fantasy pieces and the Mozart adagio (edit: oops I meant quintet) off for now.

Should keep me going for a while ...

I have the five Finzi bagatelles, they are great fun!
I did one of the pieces from them for a school music competition and almost did another for my grade 6.
Lots of fun, definitely a good buy.

Yes I love Finzis Five Bagatelles too. Good fun with the piano. I'm finding parts of no 5 very tricky but I'm sure it will be worth the trouble in the end because it sounds Fantastic when competent people play it!

hurray!!!! !!!!

Most of my music has been shipped !!!!! Due to arrive in the next couple of days.

There'll be lots of then

Have fun when it arrives!

OOOOh how exciting! I love getting new music. Can we all come round and play?

Not sure my hubby (or the neighbours ) would be too impressed with a houseful of clarinetists
Out of interest, do you actually live anywhere near me ????

No, nowhere near, I'm a Midlander!

and you still want to come and play??????

That's the addiction of music

Hoping it arrives tomorrow

I also have a lesson tomorrow night

So it's all