Yesssssss....the amazing contrabass clarinet color.................love it! Heard them do this piece live...fantastic just about begins to describe it.
You know, I didn't realize it was a solo for contra, since bass clarinet always plays along. What's funny is, the one time I got to play it, we had 2 basses, and I outblew them on the contra.....hahaaaa!
I had the honor of playing this piece as solo 1st clarinet with the Indiana All Collegiate Band in the late 1960's with Col. Arnald Gabriel as the conductor. It was truly a highlight of my years studying music at Ball State University.
Col. Gabriel just conducted us last year (2018) in the Bemidji (MN) Area Community Band. He was 92 last year, and still going strong! He never once used a score with us -- what a memory he has. I would love to have spent at least a full evening talking to him -- fascinating guy.
Hi, Ray. I played under Col. Gabriel in 1967 while a freshman in Purdue Symphony Band. Then I transferred to Ball State (and met you), but I don't remember the band of which you speak. What year? I was there 1967-71.
I love the compositional genius of H. O. Reed - how he took the Aztec Dance and introduced it in the horn fanfare at the beginning ("D-G-A-C-D-A"), then elongated it in the Contra-Bass clarinet solo, and finally - how he keeps that 3 against 2 hemiolas going from the opening with the tubular bells into the conclusion of the Aztec Dance. Brilliant composition and superb playing
@@julianruiz8524 Yes, the bass clarinet and contrabass are in octaves, which creates that cool acoustical effect of there being a third instrument in there!
We played this in my high school band many years ago with a fabulous conductor. I played timpani and I was lucky enough to play in one of the finest percussion sections of a high school band ever. I still listen to this and play it
Played and recorded this piece as a member of the 5th Army band in 1967 as part of a album with Harold Walters. This piece was a challenge. Beautifully done here
This is THE only piece in which I request to play 4th horn. It has a 3-1/2-octave range, and I was one of only two out of eight of us who could play the full range required in Horn 4. (From lowest concert G on the piano to D a major 9th above middle C.) I also play string bass, but never got to see if there even is a string bass part for this one. This is H. Owen Reed at his finest!
Your profile picture is IU, I don’t know if that means if you go there but I thought they did? I’ve seen doctorate students use them and for this piece specifically at Jacobs.
A professional caliber group should have the complete instrumentation covered. Educational or school bands sometimes don't have the luxury to pull this off.
Now THAT is how the first movement should sound!
That contrabass clarinet solo should predominate and it sure does here.
Love it!
As a former Contra player...All I can say is YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSS! THATS HOW YOU PLAY A CONTRA DAMNIT!
As a Contra player, I agree completely.
I think it’s accompanying a bass but it does sound really nice
I played bass clarinet in this piece while in the 26th US Army band in New York many years ago. I have loved it ever since.
Yesssssss....the amazing contrabass clarinet color.................love it! Heard them do this piece live...fantastic just about begins to describe it.
Elise Curran and technically it is written as a contrabass clarinet solo.
The other instruments are supposed to only support the contra solo.
You know, I didn't realize it was a solo for contra, since bass clarinet always plays along. What's funny is, the one time I got to play it, we had 2 basses, and I outblew them on the contra.....hahaaaa!
Elise Curran lol...you made it a solo on your own!
Trying to get SCSO to play this
Played this as second movemt for our show its such a nice piece
I had the honor of playing this piece as solo 1st clarinet with the Indiana All Collegiate Band in the late 1960's with Col. Arnald Gabriel as the conductor. It was truly a highlight of my years studying music at Ball State University.
Col. Gabriel just conducted us last year (2018) in the Bemidji (MN) Area Community Band. He was 92 last year, and still going strong! He never once used a score with us -- what a memory he has. I would love to have spent at least a full evening talking to him -- fascinating guy.
Col. Gabriel is the only person I've ever heard our director call "Sir" (our director was "only" a major in one of the Air Force bands).
Hi, Ray. I played under Col. Gabriel in 1967 while a freshman in Purdue Symphony Band. Then I transferred to Ball State (and met you), but I don't remember the band of which you speak. What year? I was there 1967-71.
I love the compositional genius of H. O. Reed - how he took the Aztec Dance and introduced it in the horn fanfare at the beginning ("D-G-A-C-D-A"), then elongated it in the Contra-Bass clarinet solo, and finally - how he keeps that 3 against 2 hemiolas going from the opening with the tubular bells into the conclusion of the Aztec Dance. Brilliant composition and superb playing
Actually the score says optional contrabass clarinet. But I agree that it sounds way cooler 👍
@@julianruiz8524 Yes, the bass clarinet and contrabass are in octaves, which creates that cool acoustical effect of there being a third instrument in there!
We played this in my high school band many years ago with a fabulous conductor. I played timpani and I was lucky enough to play in one of the finest percussion sections of a high school band ever. I still listen to this and play it
Same here. John Park. 1974. North Tonawanda High School, Western New York. What an incredible experience!
Played and recorded this piece as a member of the 5th Army band in 1967 as part of a album with Harold Walters. This piece was a challenge. Beautifully done here
HA ! we played it at SE District years ago and the gong player hit it so hard at the end he and the gong fell off the riser to the floor below...
Masterpiece!!! I played bass clarinet and we won sweepstakes with this piece as our concert in 79.
As clarinet 1 I played this 30 years ago. The hardest and most brilliant piece for band ever written (with only exception being maybe Persichetti).
This is a great piece, but by no means the hardest. As a clarinet 1, take a look at Pineapple Poll, just to name one piece.
And Pineapple Poll isnt close either, but its getting there. The transcription of The Merry Wives of Windsor by Otto Nicolli is even harder.
One of my favorite pieces of music, and this is an exceptionally good performance of it. Bravo!
This is THE only piece in which I request to play 4th horn. It has a 3-1/2-octave range, and I was one of only two out of eight of us who could play the full range required in Horn 4. (From lowest concert G on the piano to D a major 9th above middle C.) I also play string bass, but never got to see if there even is a string bass part for this one. This is H. Owen Reed at his finest!
There IS a String Bass part!
1:20 If only my school had a contra-bass clarinet :(
Johnathan Frew I get to play contra bass at my school
Your profile picture is IU, I don’t know if that means if you go there but I thought they did? I’ve seen doctorate students use them and for this piece specifically at Jacobs.
playing this in my high school band, so incredibly difficult
wow the chimes are really great
Now thats music
6:20
Wow!!! The best.
3:00
A professional caliber group should have the complete instrumentation covered. Educational or school bands sometimes don't have the luxury to pull this off.
I also played it in High School around 1963 in Cincinnati, Ohio- not like this, though!
6:20
7:16