3
Caricatures, 3 pièces pour flûte, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor by Georges Barboteu; Prélude et divertissement pour quintette à vent by Georges Barboteu; Concerto for Wind Quintet by Donald Martino; Sept transparencies pour quatuor de clarinettes by Paul Arma; Grand Quartet for Flutes: In Memoriam Friedrich Kuhlau by Harvey Sollberger Review by: Ann P. Basart Notes, Second Series, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Sep., 1971), pp. 119-120 Published by: Music Library Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/939348 . Accessed: 14/06/2014 05:18 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Music Library Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Notes. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 194.29.185.216 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:18:47 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Caricatures, 3 pieces pour flute, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Caricatures, 3 pieces pour flute, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor

Caricatures, 3 pièces pour flûte, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor by Georges Barboteu;Prélude et divertissement pour quintette à vent by Georges Barboteu; Concerto for WindQuintet by Donald Martino; Sept transparencies pour quatuor de clarinettes by Paul Arma;Grand Quartet for Flutes: In Memoriam Friedrich Kuhlau by Harvey SollbergerReview by: Ann P. BasartNotes, Second Series, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Sep., 1971), pp. 119-120Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/939348 .

Accessed: 14/06/2014 05:18

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Music Library Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Notes.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.216 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:18:47 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Page 2: Caricatures, 3 pieces pour flute, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor

ing works of far greater spirit and imagination, in traditional and "advanced" idioms alike, yet these will never be seen in print. If this is the new music of Can- ada, its value is documentary rather than aesthetic.

JOSCELYN GODWIN Cleveland State University

Georges Barboteu: Caricatures, 3 pieces pour flfite, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor. Paris: Editions Choudens; U. S. A.: C. F. Peters Corp., New York, 1966

(released 1970). [Score, 24 p., and parts, $5.00]

Idem.: Prelude et divertissement pour quintette a vent. Paris: Editions Chou- dens; U. S. A.: C. F. Peters Corp., 1966

(released 1970). [Score, 18 p., and parts, $5.00]

Donald Martino: Concerto for Wind Quintet. Boston: lone Press (for E. C.

Schirmer), 1970. [Study score, 46 p., $6.00; parts, each $5.00]

Paul Arma: Sept transparencies pour quatuor de clarinettes. Paris: Editions

Henry Lemoine, 1969. [Score, 20 p., no

price given; also available in arrange- ments for wind quintet; 2 pianos; string quartet; saxophone quartet]

Harvey Sollberger: Grand Quartet for Flutes: In memoriam Friedrich Kuh- lau. New York: McGinnis and Marx, copyright 1966. [Score, 22 p., $5.00]

Barboteu's two quintets were written for specific performing groups: Caricatures for the wind quintet of L'Orchestre National; Prelude et Divertissement (which dates from almost twenty years ago) for the Paris Wind Quintet. The level of diffi- culty is not virtuosic, but the works never- theless require a high degree of profi- ciency from the performers.

Caricatures (subtitled "ballet") is a group of three pieces: "The Constable" (a whimsical march in which piccolo alter- nates with flute), "The Wheedling Wom- an" (a slow Pas de deux), and "The

ing works of far greater spirit and imagination, in traditional and "advanced" idioms alike, yet these will never be seen in print. If this is the new music of Can- ada, its value is documentary rather than aesthetic.

JOSCELYN GODWIN Cleveland State University

Georges Barboteu: Caricatures, 3 pieces pour flfite, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor. Paris: Editions Choudens; U. S. A.: C. F. Peters Corp., New York, 1966

(released 1970). [Score, 24 p., and parts, $5.00]

Idem.: Prelude et divertissement pour quintette a vent. Paris: Editions Chou- dens; U. S. A.: C. F. Peters Corp., 1966

(released 1970). [Score, 18 p., and parts, $5.00]

Donald Martino: Concerto for Wind Quintet. Boston: lone Press (for E. C.

Schirmer), 1970. [Study score, 46 p., $6.00; parts, each $5.00]

Paul Arma: Sept transparencies pour quatuor de clarinettes. Paris: Editions

Henry Lemoine, 1969. [Score, 20 p., no

price given; also available in arrange- ments for wind quintet; 2 pianos; string quartet; saxophone quartet]

Harvey Sollberger: Grand Quartet for Flutes: In memoriam Friedrich Kuh- lau. New York: McGinnis and Marx, copyright 1966. [Score, 22 p., $5.00]

Barboteu's two quintets were written for specific performing groups: Caricatures for the wind quintet of L'Orchestre National; Prelude et Divertissement (which dates from almost twenty years ago) for the Paris Wind Quintet. The level of diffi- culty is not virtuosic, but the works never- theless require a high degree of profi- ciency from the performers.

Caricatures (subtitled "ballet") is a group of three pieces: "The Constable" (a whimsical march in which piccolo alter- nates with flute), "The Wheedling Wom- an" (a slow Pas de deux), and "The

Clown" (a waltz-like Pas de trois). Al-

though the "ballet" is not a literal one, each movement is dancelike-basically homophonic, strongly metrical, with repe- titive rhythms, ostinato accompaniments, and clear sectional shapes. The harmony is tonal, mildly spiced with dissonance. The wind writing is idomatic and straightforward, without an emphasis on effects.

Prelude et Divertissement is a one-move- ment work that progresses in a number of short interrelated sections from a slow lyrical beginning, through increasingly rapid tempos, to an ending "like a whirl- wind." That the work has (at least initial- ly) a more serious intent than the Carica- tures is evidenced by its greater textural contrast (more counterpoint, even a pseu- do-fugato) and by an increase in rhythmic variety and dissonance level. But the same types of motor rhythms, ostinato figures, and genial repetitive melodies that marked Caricatures begin to prevail here as the work becomes more divertissant.

Both scores (and their parts) are re- produced from the composer's clear manu- script.

As its title suggests, Donald Martino's Concerto (1964) is written for virtuoso performers. It is a one-movement work, rhythmically and technically highly diffi- cult, and is scored for flute with optional piccolo, clarinet in A, horn in F, oboe alternating with English horn (although a substitute part is written for oboe alone), and bassoon. The score is a facsimile of the composer's manuscript, and is admi- rably legible.

This is a work of great fluidity, with widely contrasting dynamics, registers, tempos, modes of articulation, and moods (agitato, calmo, elegante, feroce) succeed- ing one another rapidly. The composer has carefully marked the endings, over- lappings and interruptions of phrases, so that the larger phrase structure will be apparent through the mass of foreground detail. He also gives extensive instructions for articulation, indicates fingerings for certain effects, and employs special no- tation in order to clarify the relationship among instruments in some passages.

Various densities and instrumental com- binations are explored as the Concerto progresses. Cadenza-like solos (the longest

Clown" (a waltz-like Pas de trois). Al-

though the "ballet" is not a literal one, each movement is dancelike-basically homophonic, strongly metrical, with repe- titive rhythms, ostinato accompaniments, and clear sectional shapes. The harmony is tonal, mildly spiced with dissonance. The wind writing is idomatic and straightforward, without an emphasis on effects.

Prelude et Divertissement is a one-move- ment work that progresses in a number of short interrelated sections from a slow lyrical beginning, through increasingly rapid tempos, to an ending "like a whirl- wind." That the work has (at least initial- ly) a more serious intent than the Carica- tures is evidenced by its greater textural contrast (more counterpoint, even a pseu- do-fugato) and by an increase in rhythmic variety and dissonance level. But the same types of motor rhythms, ostinato figures, and genial repetitive melodies that marked Caricatures begin to prevail here as the work becomes more divertissant.

Both scores (and their parts) are re- produced from the composer's clear manu- script.

As its title suggests, Donald Martino's Concerto (1964) is written for virtuoso performers. It is a one-movement work, rhythmically and technically highly diffi- cult, and is scored for flute with optional piccolo, clarinet in A, horn in F, oboe alternating with English horn (although a substitute part is written for oboe alone), and bassoon. The score is a facsimile of the composer's manuscript, and is admi- rably legible.

This is a work of great fluidity, with widely contrasting dynamics, registers, tempos, modes of articulation, and moods (agitato, calmo, elegante, feroce) succeed- ing one another rapidly. The composer has carefully marked the endings, over- lappings and interruptions of phrases, so that the larger phrase structure will be apparent through the mass of foreground detail. He also gives extensive instructions for articulation, indicates fingerings for certain effects, and employs special no- tation in order to clarify the relationship among instruments in some passages.

Various densities and instrumental com- binations are explored as the Concerto progresses. Cadenza-like solos (the longest

119 119

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.216 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:18:47 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Page 3: Caricatures, 3 pieces pour flute, hautbois, clarinette, basson et cor

and most difficult of which are assigned to the flute and clarinet), duets, and trios appear out of and reenter into the main fabric of the piece, which builds to a final, extensive tutti.

Arthur Weisberg conducts the Contem- porary Chamber Ensemble in a perform- ance of the Concerto on CRI 230 USD.

According to his own count, Paul Arma has written sixty-two "Transparencies," ranging from one for orchestra to the seven for clarinet that are under discus- sion. Although some of these works re- appear in alternate guises (the Sept trans- parences, 1967, are also available in tran- scriptions for two pianos, for wind quin- tet, for string quartet, and for saxophone quartet), nevertheless they are so numer- ous they must be considered a central preoccupation of the composer. Arma said, in an interview a few years ago, that he never had the intention of establishing a new genre, but rather he wished simply to create "transparent objects" as "an approach to purity."

Whatever "transparent" character these clarinet pieces have comes not from tex- tural sparsity (frequently all four clarinets play continuously throughout a move- ment), but rather from clarity of structure, particularly intervallic and rhythmic structure. Arma was once a pupil of Bar- t6k and, although the clarinet transpar- encies are not derivative, one finds a similar approach in the two composers' logical working-out of intervals. Arma uses a row, and its intervallic elements-pri- marily major and minor seconds and thirds-form the principal unifying ideas of the Sept transparences.

As in a set of variations (which this work basically is), each movement explores the possibilities of a few rhythmic, mel- odic, and textural ideas, at the same time contrasting with the adjacent movements. Structural ideas are clear and various: the third Transparency, for example, is a free mensural canon in four parts, thor- oughly linear and motivic. Number six is an intense recitative, beginning with sim- ultaneous identical rhythms in all parts, then moving to lyrical monophony. The final and longest Transparency opens as a rapid, mad dance with endless two- and three-note ostinatos in each instrument. These dissolve, resume, and finally give

and most difficult of which are assigned to the flute and clarinet), duets, and trios appear out of and reenter into the main fabric of the piece, which builds to a final, extensive tutti.

Arthur Weisberg conducts the Contem- porary Chamber Ensemble in a perform- ance of the Concerto on CRI 230 USD.

According to his own count, Paul Arma has written sixty-two "Transparencies," ranging from one for orchestra to the seven for clarinet that are under discus- sion. Although some of these works re- appear in alternate guises (the Sept trans- parences, 1967, are also available in tran- scriptions for two pianos, for wind quin- tet, for string quartet, and for saxophone quartet), nevertheless they are so numer- ous they must be considered a central preoccupation of the composer. Arma said, in an interview a few years ago, that he never had the intention of establishing a new genre, but rather he wished simply to create "transparent objects" as "an approach to purity."

Whatever "transparent" character these clarinet pieces have comes not from tex- tural sparsity (frequently all four clarinets play continuously throughout a move- ment), but rather from clarity of structure, particularly intervallic and rhythmic structure. Arma was once a pupil of Bar- t6k and, although the clarinet transpar- encies are not derivative, one finds a similar approach in the two composers' logical working-out of intervals. Arma uses a row, and its intervallic elements-pri- marily major and minor seconds and thirds-form the principal unifying ideas of the Sept transparences.

As in a set of variations (which this work basically is), each movement explores the possibilities of a few rhythmic, mel- odic, and textural ideas, at the same time contrasting with the adjacent movements. Structural ideas are clear and various: the third Transparency, for example, is a free mensural canon in four parts, thor- oughly linear and motivic. Number six is an intense recitative, beginning with sim- ultaneous identical rhythms in all parts, then moving to lyrical monophony. The final and longest Transparency opens as a rapid, mad dance with endless two- and three-note ostinatos in each instrument. These dissolve, resume, and finally give

way to a more rigorous motivic and con- trapuntal summing-up.

The work is neither technically nor rhythmically difficult, and should be fun to play. It is written for Eb clarinet, two Bb clarinets, and bass clarinet, and lasts 13 minutes and 30 seconds.

Sollberger's Grand Quartet (1962) is con- siderably more difficult for flutists than is Arma's Quartet for clarinetists, but it does not need four Gazzellonis to perform it. (Four flutists who can handle Varese's Density 21.5 would probably do nicely.)

Although there is much crossing-over of registers among the instruments, the tessi- tura of the first flute is frequently high, and the fourth flute demands, as the com- poser says in his detailed performance notes, "fine control of flutter tongued low notes at soft dynamic levels."

Four identical instruments, even if they are as flexible as the flute, present the composer with the problem of an inherent lack of contrast. Sollberger compensates for this by conjuring up variety in many other ways. Rhythmic independence in each part maintains the separateness of each line (and results in complex non-con- gruent over-all rhythms). Sonorities are widely varied, encompassing high and low registers, sudden changes of dynamics, thick and thin densities, and many kinds of attacks: vibrato, non-vibrato, flutter- tongue, staccato, percussively struck keys, flatted and sharped pitches, trills, breath accents, and other devices all integral to the piece. Wide jagged lines without re- peated pitches contrast with passages out- lining and reiterating seconds and thirds. These various contrasts frequently occur not only consecutively but simultaneously.

Ensemble is a difficult problem in the piece, but the fluid, asymmetical phrase- shapes are clear, and the work is a wel- come addition to the limited repertoire for flute quartet. Whether Friedrich Kuh- lau, to whom the work is dedicated in memoriam, would have liked it is ques- tionable, but today's flutists will.

ANN P. BASART University of California at Berkeley

Wolfgang Stockmeier: Variationen fur Orgel und Blechblaser (2 Trompeten und Alt-, Tenor-, Bassposaune). Kassel:

way to a more rigorous motivic and con- trapuntal summing-up.

The work is neither technically nor rhythmically difficult, and should be fun to play. It is written for Eb clarinet, two Bb clarinets, and bass clarinet, and lasts 13 minutes and 30 seconds.

Sollberger's Grand Quartet (1962) is con- siderably more difficult for flutists than is Arma's Quartet for clarinetists, but it does not need four Gazzellonis to perform it. (Four flutists who can handle Varese's Density 21.5 would probably do nicely.)

Although there is much crossing-over of registers among the instruments, the tessi- tura of the first flute is frequently high, and the fourth flute demands, as the com- poser says in his detailed performance notes, "fine control of flutter tongued low notes at soft dynamic levels."

Four identical instruments, even if they are as flexible as the flute, present the composer with the problem of an inherent lack of contrast. Sollberger compensates for this by conjuring up variety in many other ways. Rhythmic independence in each part maintains the separateness of each line (and results in complex non-con- gruent over-all rhythms). Sonorities are widely varied, encompassing high and low registers, sudden changes of dynamics, thick and thin densities, and many kinds of attacks: vibrato, non-vibrato, flutter- tongue, staccato, percussively struck keys, flatted and sharped pitches, trills, breath accents, and other devices all integral to the piece. Wide jagged lines without re- peated pitches contrast with passages out- lining and reiterating seconds and thirds. These various contrasts frequently occur not only consecutively but simultaneously.

Ensemble is a difficult problem in the piece, but the fluid, asymmetical phrase- shapes are clear, and the work is a wel- come addition to the limited repertoire for flute quartet. Whether Friedrich Kuh- lau, to whom the work is dedicated in memoriam, would have liked it is ques- tionable, but today's flutists will.

ANN P. BASART University of California at Berkeley

Wolfgang Stockmeier: Variationen fur Orgel und Blechblaser (2 Trompeten und Alt-, Tenor-, Bassposaune). Kassel:

120 120

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.216 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:18:47 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions