Saturday, April 12, 2008

See what violists have to live with?

The version of this passage that comes near the beginning of the piece gives us a clef change before the E flat, which makes the passage much easier to play. The same passage that comes near the end of the piece is much more difficult with the clef change (albeit a copyists quick fix of an error) after the E flat.

This is what we have right before rehearsal number 3:




and this is what we have right before rehearsal number 30



What a difference the placement of a clef makes!

See if you can guess who wrote it. I'll give you a hint. It is an orchestral piece, and this version is from 1955.

4 comments:

Tom Myron said...

And then there are all those jokes. It's simply outrageous what you violists have to live with.

Antheil, A Jazz Symphony.

Elaine Fine said...

Bravo Tom!

Chip Michael said...

Gad!!! I have just finished printing the parts for my first symphony and would NEVER had accepted either version as reasonable part writing.

I am so-o-o-o sorry!

Drop me a note if you'd like to see a pdf version of what I am handing the orchestra.

Elaine Fine said...

I don't know if anybody in the section played that passage correctly--ever. I know that I put some serious time into practicing it, and when push came to shove in context (at the rehearsals and the concert) I drew blanks both times. Keep up the good parts, Chip! Even though I really like the piece, I say "bad boy" George for the parts. Uh. I guess that phrase has been used before, right?