Hello,

At the end of the schoolyear there is to be a music competition. I have yet to decide if I want to play my clarinet or violin. I will most likely decide clarinet as I have been playing it longer. Anyway, do any of you know any good classical pieces for either Bb clarinet solo or for Bb clarinet and piano? Thank you.

Jen

Well I do not know if it will be too hard or not but I am working on a piece that is called concerto for clarinet in b flat. It is by mozart. It is a piece that has several movements to it but the first movement is really cool. It is not very fast. It says a quarter note = 104 but there are a lot of sixteenth notes in it. IT has piano cues and the clarinet part. The whole thing is sixteen pages long and there are 3 movements to it. Hope this helps.

Thank you. I`ll check it out.

Jen

hey,

i dont know whether ur into really modern sounding stuff... but i happen to really get a kick out of Malcolm Arnold`s Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano. Its pretty hard to get, especially the 3rd movement with the piano (it is exceptionally fast: crotchet = 176) but if u can get it together its really EXPLOSIVE! plus its heaps and heaps of fun to play! its only a suggestion, happy hunting!

Jazz

I appreciate the suggestion. Thank you for making it, but my school has a very strict belief that good music is only classical or old hymns, which I hold, as well.

Thanks anyway!

Jen

Not all music that isn`t strictly classical isn`t good music! You should probably open your mind a little.
BTW, Mozart`s concerto is for A Clarinet so you should check to make sure that the piano part is in the right key and that you`re playing it on the right clarinet.

Why don`t you try Weber Concertino, Grand Duo Concertante or the 7 variations? But you`re seriously limiting yourself if all you want to do is classical (because the clarinet repertoire before the 19th century is quite limited). There`s plenty of stuff that`s great that isn`t strictly classical - and Arnold`s sonatina is one of them. I`m sure your school would like it. Its energetic and relatively modern but it doesn`t sound atonal or unpleasant. Don`t limit yourself to Mozart because there`s some fantastic stuff for clarinet that doesn`t necessarily base itself on perfect cadences and scalic passages.

Sorry, I was basing my comment on the Mozart concerto to Jennifer.

I have certain Scriptural principles for my beliefs. There are broad amounts of arrangements for clarinet in both classical and hymns, so it`s not overly limiting. Besides, it`s fitting in with what God wants, not what my flesh wants. You don`t have to believe the same way. I`m just letting you know why. "Sound Music or Sounding Brass" by my pastor (Kent Brandenburg) is being sold on Amazon.com if you want a furtherance in that.

I will check out that stuff you recommended though and see how it is. Thank you.

Jen

Ahh! But that is in the opinion of your PASTOR. Who says he IS right? Just because a certain piece isn`t defined as classical (ie. Generally written many years before the 20th century) does NOT make it a "song for my flesh".

Sorry to be a little up-tight about this, but I hear people saying this kind of thing to me all the time about jazz (I play in a Big Band and a dixieland group) and that really makes me angry... Music is music, no matter what style... There isn`t any "devil music" (Unless you count playing Stairway to Heaven backwards :p) so loosen up and experiment a little... You`ll find you like it.

Alyssa,
The piece that I have is written for Bb clarinet and the piano part does fit to it. It is the piece that is being played for districts this year so I am sure that it is the right pice not to mention I also got the piece for my Band director and he checked it on the web site for districts. If you want to check to make sure the web site is www.pmea.net. Click on pmea districts on the left hand side. Then click on the number 10. Click on the logo to enter the site. Click district band on the left of the page. Across from the awards buton the first sentence says download solo list here. Click on here and look uf the part. The piece comes with the piano cues for all three movements.

Jennifer, the Concerto for Clarinet by Mozart is for A clarinet - this is a widely known fact basically because the original was for basset horn and the A clarinet came later to replace it. Which means that the part you are playing would be transposed for Bb clarinet. I was just checking that you knew that and you weren`t just playing the A version on a Bb clarinet.

Jen, that is total bollocks! There is no way you could have any idea what God `intends you to play` or what He thinks is `appropriate music`. And giving people free will would be the reason people created the music that you are so reluctant to try out anyway.

Besides the fact that religious preference has nothing to do with what kinds of music you listen to. The pieces suggested here are not in any way sacriligious or blasphemous - merely modern. So there is little reason to be narrow minded and naive. It`s as simple as that.

The mozart concerto is for A clarinet, but has been arranged for Bb. I prefer it on A, and it is easier for the pianist this way, but if transposed properly it is fine for either

Sorry for my lack of reply. I`ve been sooo busy with school, and they won`t send me the replies to remind me. We can know what God wants us to play/sing/listen to, but this is not a religious forum. First of all, it is to be played/sung/listened to to honor Him, not in the flesh. What does modern music generally tend to do? The rhythm has the emphasis on beats 2 and 4 for the most part, which lends itself towards the dancing that goes on. Don`t even get started on the dancing issue if that`s what you`re thinking of at this point. Scripture defines it. It`s not sensual (the music), it`s not of our old nature, it`s seperate from the world. It`s a joyful noise unto the LORD. Composers like Bach, etc. wrote to God, not to man. Anyway, there are Scriptural principles. I have read them in the Bible, checked my pastor out. It is my position and many churches` positions on this topic. I believe in hymns and classical. It`s clear of that sensual worldly stuff for the most part. There are some pieces that are "classical" arrangements, but they line up with worldly principals. Thank you all for your suggestions, once again. I was just stating my opinions on the subject, not saying you have to or that I think any less of you for listening to what I would label "wrong" music, but if you feel that God thinks it`s ok, then you may think what you want. Only God can change your mind. You can read the book if you`re interested in a more in depth discussion of this. It goes to passages in the Bible and deals with them, showing that the Bible does have a standard, and as the Bible is God`s Word, it is the will of God written in it. That, again, is my opinion, and I hope I have not offended anyone as I am merely intending to show my position based on the Bible in my selection of music since people were telling me stuff. If you want to listen to the other music, you can. Don`t let me stop you. Just research it in the Bible on your own, check sources, ask guidance from God -- if you are indeed a believer in the God that I am a believer of.