Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf: A Challenging but Rewarding Piece for Clarinet

Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf: A Guide for Clarinetists

If you are a clarinetist who loves jazz, classical, and contemporary music, you might want to check out Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf. This is a concerto for clarinet, strings, and harp written by American composer Aaron Copland between 1947 and 1949. It is one of the most popular and challenging works for clarinet in the repertoire, combining lyrical melodies, rhythmic vitality, and expressive cadenzas.

Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdfl

In this article, we will explore the history, structure, performance, and resources of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf. We will also give you some tips and insights on how to play and interpret this masterpiece. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, you will find something useful and inspiring in this guide.

The History of Copland Clarinet Concerto

Copland Clarinet Concerto was commissioned by jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman in 1947. Goodman gave Copland complete freedom to write whatever he wanted, except that he would have a two-year exclusivity on playing the work. He paid $2,000 for the commission, which was a considerable amount at the time.

Copland was in Rio de Janeiro as a lecturer and conductor when he started working on the concerto. He finished it in September 1949, after making several drafts and revisions. He was pleased with the result, saying that it was \"a nice contrast between classical and popular styles\".

The concerto was premiered by Goodman on an NBC radio broadcast with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner on November 6, 1950. It was later choreographed by Jerome Robbins for the ballet Pied Piper in 1951.

The Structure of Copland Clarinet Concerto

Copland Clarinet Concerto is composed of two movements connected by a cadenza. The first movement is an elegy, while the second movement is a rondo. The total duration of the piece is about 17 minutes.

The First Movement: Elegy

The first movement is slow and lyrical, with a melancholic mood. It begins with a solo clarinet playing a long melody over a soft string accompaniment. The melody is based on a pentatonic scale, which gives it an exotic flavor. The melody is repeated several times with variations and modulations, creating a sense of development and contrast.

The movement reaches a climax when the harp joins in with arpeggios and glissandos, creating a shimmering effect. The clarinet then plays a high note and leads into the cadenza.

The Second Movement: Rondo

The second movement is fast and lively, with a jazzy feel. It begins with a solo clarinet playing a syncopated theme over a pizzicato string accompaniment. The theme is based on a blues scale, which gives it a swingy groove. The theme is repeated several times with variations and interludes, creating a rondo form.

The movement features many contrasts and changes of mood, tempo, and meter. It also showcases the virtuosity and expressiveness of the clarinet, with rapid passages, wide leaps, and dynamic shifts. The movement ends with a coda, where the clarinet plays a final flourish and a trill.

The Performance of Copland Clarinet Concerto

Copland Clarinet Concerto is a challenging piece for clarinetists, both technically and musically. It requires a high level of skill, flexibility, and creativity to play it well. Here are some of the aspects that you need to consider when performing this piece.

The Technical Challenges

The concerto poses many technical difficulties for clarinetists, such as range, articulation, dynamics, expression, and cadenzas. Here are some of the tips and solutions for overcoming these challenges.

The Range and Articulation

The concerto covers a wide range of the clarinet, from low E to altissimo G. You need to have a good control of your embouchure, breath support, and finger technique to play these notes with accuracy and clarity. You also need to practice your articulation, especially in the fast passages of the second movement. You need to use different types of tonguing, such as single, double, triple, or flutter tonguing, depending on the speed and style of the music. You also need to use different types of slurring, such as legato, portato, or staccato, depending on the expression and character of the music.

The Dynamics and Expression

The concerto has a wide range of dynamics, from pianissimo to fortissimo. You need to have a good control of your air stream and reed pressure to play these dynamics with nuance and contrast. You also need to use different types of vibrato, such as narrow or wide, fast or slow, depending on the mood and emotion of the music. You also need to use different types of rubato, such as speeding up or slowing down, depending on the phrasing and structure of the music.

The Cadenzas and Improvisation

The concerto has two cadenzas, one at the end of the first movement and one at the beginning of the second movement. These cadenzas are written out by Copland, but they also allow some room for improvisation. You can add some notes or ornaments to embellish the melody or create some contrast. You can also change some rhythms or tempos to create some tension or release. However, you should not change the overall structure or character of the cadenzas too much. You should also make sure that your improvisation fits well with the style and mood of the music.

The Musical Style

The concerto has a unique musical style that blends classical and popular elements. It reflects Copland's interest in American folk music, jazz music, and Latin American music. Here are some of the features that you need to capture when playing this piece.

The Jazz Influence

The concerto has many jazz influences, especially in the second movement. You need to play with a swing feel, which means that you accentuate the off-beats and use syncopation. You also need to use some jazz techniques, such as bending notes, gliding notes, or growling notes. You also need to use some jazz expressions, such as bluesy inflections, spicy accents, or cool attitudes.

The Lyricism and Emotion

The concerto has many lyrical moments, especially in the first movement. You need to play with a singing tone quality, which means that you use a warm sound and a smooth legato. You also need to use some lyrical techniques, such as portamento, vibrato, or rubato. You also need to use some lyrical expressions, such as expressive phrasing, dynamic shading, or emotional coloring.

The Contrast and Balance

The concerto has many contrasts and balances, especially between the two movements. You need to play with a clear distinction, which means that you use different sounds and styles for each movement. to play with a sense of contrast and balance between the different sections and themes. You also need to play with a sense of communication and collaboration with the other musicians, especially the strings and the harp.

The Resources for Copland Clarinet Concerto

If you want to learn more about Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf, you need to have access to some reliable resources, such as the score and recordings. Here are some of the sources that you can use.

The score of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf is published by Boosey & Hawkes, and you can buy it online or from a music store. You can also download a free pdf version of the score from IMSLP, a website that provides public domain music scores. However, you should be aware that this version may not be accurate or complete, and you should always check it with the original score.

There are many recordings of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf available on CD or online platforms, such as Spotify or YouTube. You can listen to different interpretations by different clarinetists and conductors, and compare their styles and techniques. Some of the most famous recordings are by Benny Goodman, Stanley Drucker, Richard Stoltzman, Martin Fröst, and Andreas Ottensamer. You can also watch some videos of live performances or masterclasses by these clarinetists.

Conclusion

Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf is a masterpiece that showcases the beauty and versatility of the clarinet. It is a challenging but rewarding piece that requires a lot of skill, flexibility, and creativity from the clarinetist. It is also a piece that reflects Copland's musical vision and personality, blending classical and popular elements in a unique way.

If you are a clarinetist who wants to play this piece, you need to study its history, structure, performance, and resources carefully. You also need to practice its technical and musical aspects diligently. You also need to enjoy its lyrical and jazzy moments fully. By doing so, you will be able to play this piece with confidence and expression, and share its beauty with your audience.

FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf.

• Q: What is the instrumentation of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf?

• A: Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf is written for solo clarinet, string orchestra (violins I & II, violas, cellos, double basses), and harp.

• Q: What is the tempo of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf?

• A: Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf has two movements with different tempos. The first movement is marked \"Slowly and expressively\", while the second movement is marked \"Rather fast\".

• Q: What is the key of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf?

• A: Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf does not have a fixed key signature. It uses various modes and scales, such as pentatonic, blues, chromatic, or whole tone.

• Q: What is the difficulty level of Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf?

• A: Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf is considered as one of the most difficult pieces for clarinet in the repertoire. It requires advanced skills in range, articulation, dynamics, expression, and cadenzas.

• Q: How long does it take to play Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf?

• A: Copland Clarinet Concerto Score Pdf takes about 17 minutes to play in total. The first movement takes about 7 minutes, while the second movement takes about 10 minutes.

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