VanguardTV: Hommage à Manuel de Falla by Béla Kovács

Béla Kovács, a famous Hungarian clarinetist, wrote a set of nine short pieces for clarinet that are an homage to some of the most influential composers to classical music today. They were originally intended to be pieces of study for his students, but now are widely played as part of clarinetists’ concert programs around the world.

Hommage à Manuel de Falla is a tribute to the great Spanish composer Manuel de Falla, who is known for his exciting Spanish dance-like rhythms and folk melodies.

Like many of us, I have found it extremely difficult to stay motivated with playing my instrument during the pandemic…. Returning to this piece from my past has given me an outlet of creativity and expression that I hope you can enjoy! 

VanguardTV: Lied by Luciano Berio

Throughout its history, the clarinet has been lucky enough to catch the ear of some pretty influential composers. Mozart was the first to fully employ its singing, operatic qualities. Late in life, Brahms experimented with its more subtle, dramatic colors, and by including it in his seminal work Pierrot Lunaire, Schoenberg cemented the clarinet as an instrument of the new music and avant-garde genres. 

Stravinsky was one such composer that gifted clarinetists with perhaps the most well-known piece for unaccompanied clarinet, Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet (1919), ensuring that composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Luciano Berio, would provide the instrument with a wealth of music.

In contrast with his best known work for solo clarinet, Sequenza IX (1980)—a virtuosic tour de force that pushes the boundaries of what is possible on the clarinet—Berio’s Lied (1983) is a smaller, more introspective work. Like many musicians over the last year, I ended up spending a significant amount of time away from my instrument, and in finding my way back to the clarinet, I was lucky enough to discover this gem. To me, it is reminiscent of Bartok’s “night music”, long quiet melodies interspersed with the random noises of the unknown dark.   

VanguardTV: 48 Famous Studies, Nos. 37 & 38 by F.W. Ferling

Franz Wilhelm Ferling’s 48 etudes are an essential component of modern saxophone pedagogy, and are commonly used in regional and state level band auditions and contests across the country. Musically challenging and charming throughout, these etudes are great for learning and honing fundamentals of musicianship and woodwind technique commonly practiced in 19th century Western art music.

Watch all the way to the end for a suprise cameo! 🐶

VanguardTV: Collision Etude No. 4, "Rainbow" by Alyssa Morris

Alyssa Morris writes some of the most interesting, fun, and engaging new music for oboe, and her Collision Etudes are no exception. This set of six etudes are an homage-of-sorts to another well-known etude collection, the Six Etudes pour Hautbois by French composer Gilles Silvestrini, which are each inspired by a French Impressionist painting. Similarly, Morris’ Collision Etudes are inspired by six paintings by American women. In today’s video, I play the fourth of these etudes, titled Rainbow, after a work by 20th-century African-American painter Alma Thomas from her collection “Moving Heaven and Earth.”

Alma Thomas (1891–1978)
Rainbow, 1978
acrylic on canvasboard

The piece unfolds in five distinct sections, each corresponding to a block of color in the painting, with the key centers determined by chromesthesia (sound-to-color synesthesia). A key element of the etude, and one of my favorite things about it, is Morris’ use of harmonics, or alternate fingerings for certain notes on the oboe that create a different tone color. From the very beginning, you’ll hear me oscillate between two versions of the same note that have slightly different qualities. Another great feature of Rainbow is Morris’ use of some of the highest notes on the oboe towards the middle of the etude. Though playing those notes can be tough, it’s also a lot of fun!

VanguardTV: Minuet from Cello Suite No. 1 by J.S. Bach

I will confidently say Bach is king of writing a good melodic line. In his most famous cello suite he keeps the listener’s attention by giving us a simple melodic line to follow while keeping things interesting with his iconic harmonies. Minuet 1 is cheery, light, and playful. Bach opens the dance floor in G major and keeps the waltz smooth and bright without much harmonic interruption. He  begins to create tension in the B section by slipping into e minor territory, but quickly brings us back  to our airy dance ending with a curtsy on tonic.

In Minuet 2, Bach hits us with melodrama straight out the gate in g minor. Tension builds as Bach frequently switches between octaves. In the B section Bach keeps us suspended in the tenor  register, which on both cello and Bassoon is considered the most human voice like range of these  instruments. Just as the harmonies get more intricate Bach expertly brings us back to “home base” ending on a low G. The emotional ride is over. We head back to Minuet 1 for a quick revisit and end our journey just as we began.

Bach creates such amazing sound spaces with very few tricks and that is why I will always enjoy performing his music. Hope you enjoy!