Ottevanger's Omphaloskeptic Outpost

[karlhenning]

Haha... I'll have to look his stuff up!

There's a revised edition out of Opera as Drama ::

[Maciek]

"the orchestra screams the first thing that comes into its head".

Well, if Puccini was the first to apply some sort of alleatoric technique, then I'm all the more impressed!

[lukeottevanger]

Kerman's phrase applies above all to the very end of the opera which is indeed, on these terms, an almost inexplicable fiasco.

[lukeottevanger]

Janacek, however, nicked a bit of Butterfly for his Katya (the entrance music of the eponymous characters), so Puccini can't be all bad.

[Maciek]

See?

[Sean]

Luke, by the way I just got hold of Broucek for the first time, haven't played it yet but looking forward to it (I know the other major ones now, apart from Sarka and The Beginning of a romance)...

[lukeottevanger]

Luke, by the way I just got hold of Broucek for the first time, haven't played it yet but looking forward to it (I know the other major ones now, apart from Sarka and The Beginning of a romance)...

Well, they're the least important of the nine, not really major ones at all, so I think you're doing fine!

I adore Broucek, but it is in some respects the hardest of the late five to click with, which is to do, I think, with the plot and the comic pace, and the way these impact upon the kaleidoscopic music. Give it a little time if it doesn't take hold at once.

[Sean]

Also recorded a broadcast of the choral Songs of Hradcany recently- good stuff, an underrated one I think.

[lukeottevanger]

Yes, I agree - one of his subtler works. I have the Wood recording, which has some more fairly unusual couplings and is worth tracking down.

[karlhenning]

Not to hurry you, at all, Luke! Just a friendly check-in on the State of the Clarinet Sonata 

[lukeottevanger]

Just checking this at work, which is a new one for me!

The thing is near finished now - just one or two troublesome spots in the first movement to do, and then of course a thorough round of editing. But the bulk of it is done.

[karlhenning]

Splendid!

[lukeottevanger]

I hope the finished object doens't come as an enormous let down, given the lengthy wait! Much easier when I write a piece in 5 minutes - then if it's crap I have an excuse

[Maciek]

Well, you can always say that you simply worked on it too long.

(But, of course, you won't need to say anything like that at all because there will be no reason for excusing yourself.)

[lukeottevanger]

Well, the piece is finished. When I realised, with a shock, that I had finally joined the whole thing together in a way I am happy with, I had a peculiar sensation such as I haven't had before with a composition. I've grown so used to rejigging the piece, suddenly having the thing done felt odd and empty; I had to go and have a lie down, and I slept for a few hours!

You won't be surprised to hear, however, that i still have to tie up the loose ends before I can post the thing here.

[karlhenning]

Bravo, Luke!

[lukeottevanger]

Not quite ready to put up the score yet, but later today I might put up a strange little recording I've cobbled together. Not having a clarinetist to hand, but convinced that I could still do better than MIDI, I've made a little experiment. Last night I recorded the piano part of the sonata; today, in my daughter's bedroom, on (believe it or not!) her Yamaha keyboard, I recorded a 'clarinet' part, and overdubbed it onto the piano part. I only had time for one take of each (and I really should have practised the piano part first!), so there are a few mistakes; obviously ensemble would be much better if both instruments were playing at the same time; and I need to work on the balance, as the 'clarinet' is much too low in the mix at present. But it works, in principle, and is vastly more human and flexible than the MIDI version. [Continue to] watch this space.

[karlhenning]

You interest me strangely, Luke 

[lukeottevanger]

Needs must, Karl!

[Maciek]

[Continue to] watch this space.

You bet I will! A chance to hear you playing the clarinet! Wow!