Contrabass Digest

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2005-04-09

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 20:01:57 -0400
Subject: Re: [CB] [CB Digest]
From: Timothy Tikker

On Friday, April 8, 2005, at 06:35 PM, List Server wrote:
> Last evening, I heard a broadcast of a live performance by Kent Nagano
> and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra of Olivier Messiaen's Eclairs
> sur l'Au Dela.
>
> Can someone confirm that a contrabass clarinet playing a low concert
> Bb is part of that piece?

Yep.  That's a contrabass clarinet solo.  If it's not low Bb, it's B, or something way down there.  I have a couple of recordings of it, so I could look up the name of the movement if you like.

I was at the world premiere with the NY Phil & Zubin Mehta in 1992, then next year at the West Coast premiere with the Berkeley orchestra under Kent Nagano.

Messiaen's opera re St Francis Assisi also uses the contrabass clarinet.  I think those are his only two works which use it.

- Tim Tikker

---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 08:11:25 -0400
From: Lawrence de Martin
Subject: Re: [CB] [CB Digest]

I had the great delight of witnessing the piece, and yes that was a contrabass clarinet.  Those incurable romantics have been bettered at Bach, but they played the Messiaen as if it was written for them - actually, it was.

Larry de Martin
Greenwich CT


Steve Marcus wrote:

>Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 10:33:05 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Steve Marcus
>Subject: [CB] Contrabass Clarinet in NYPO?
>
>Last evening, I heard a broadcast of a live performance by Kent Nagano and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra of Olivier Messiaen's Eclairs sur l'Au Dela. 
>
>Can someone confirm that a contrabass clarinet playing a low concert Bb is part of that piece?
>

***End of Contrabass Digest***

 
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