Nielsen, Carl. (1865-1931) & Telmányi, Emil. (1892-1988)
"Koncert for Klarinet og Orkester" - Two Autograph Manuscripts
Two autograph musical manuscripts of the important Danish composer's Clarinet Concerto op. 57, one solo clarinet part signed by the composer and accomplished in his own hand, and one piano reduction in the hand of his son-in-law and colleague, Hungarian violinist Emil Telmányi, with autograph notes and corrections from Nielsen. The latter is dated at the foot: Fuglsang, August 19, 1928, only four days after Nielsen's completion of the concerto, and is therefore one of the earliest manuscripts of the piece, alongside the original score in the collections of Copenhagen's Kongelige Bibliotek.The clarinet part, marked "Solostemme" in a later hand, is written in pen over 16 pages and contains extensive corrections and annotations in pencil, including pitch, accidental, and note length corrections (pp. 2, 5, 6, 12, 13), expressive marks and dynamics. Nielsen has signed at the head. Folio. 16 pp. In fine condition. The verso of the final leaf bears eight measures of manuscript music in pencil, possibly in the same hand but apparently unrelated to the clarinet concerto.
The piano reduction, apparently in Telmányi's hand, is written in pen over 44 pages. A note in pencil at the head indicates that Nielsen has made autograph corrections throughout the score, and that these have been labeled in pencil with Nielsen's initials. These notes include an explanation of how to perform the snare drum part on the piano (p. 5), a note on how to reduce the piano part if necessary (p. 18), and several added tempo and expressive markings (e.g. fluente, cantabile, molto espress.). There are further extensive corrections throughout the score in pencil, including pitch, accidental, and note length corrections marked boldly in the margins of 16 pages, added tempo and expressive markings in pen and pencil, and rehearsal numbers in blue pencil. Folio. 44 pages on loose leaves, with some toning, edge wear and light soiling, but highly legible and overall in fine condition.
Provenance: Descendants of the Hungarian violinist Emil Telmányi (1892-1988).
Nielsen's clarinet concerto grew out of his association with the Copenhagen Wind Quintet: after composing his Wind Quintet specifically for the group, he had the idea of writing a concerto for each individual player. His flute concerto was completed in 1926, and the clarinet concerto followed (the other three players never got their own concertos.) The clarinet concerto was written for Aage Oxenvad and finished on August 15, 1928. The first performance occurred at a private concert in September 1928, with Oxenvad as soloist and Hungarian violinist Emil Telmányi conducting.
Telmányi was a family member and close friend of Nielsen, having married his daughter Anne Marie in 1918, and a proponent of his works, leaving several authoritative recordings. He was closely involved with the composition of the clarinet concerto; according to the Carl Nielsen Society, Telmányi began the piano reduction of the concerto before Nielsen had even completed it, "for the benefit of Oxenvad, who grumbled that Nielsen must be able to play the clarinet since he had systematically used the notes that are most difficult to play."
The piece is structured as one movement with four contrasting sections. The orchestral forces called for are limited to only strings, two bassoons, two horns, and snare drum -- the snare drum playing a crucial role as the mood of the piece alternates between war-like energy and reflective stillness. David Fanning describes the Flute and Clarinet Concertos as "studies in empathy, recalling the temperaments of the Second Symphony, but in more modernistic terms. They deal respectively in well-mannered elegance in the face of brute opposition, and in irascibility alternating with regret." (New Grove Online.)
“One of the most important and free-spirited of the generation of composers who straddle the 19th and 20th centuries, his music covers a wide range of styles, from Brahmsian Romanticism at the outset to a high-principled, personal brand of neo-classicism in his last years. He composed in virtually all the main genres of the time, but he is best known for his six symphonies, which significantly contributed to the renewal of the genre in the 20th century. In Denmark he has been equally revered for his large output of popular strophic songs, which helped to redefine the national song tradition. His activities as conductor, teacher and writer made him the most prominent and influential Danish musician of his time, and although international recognition was sporadic in his lifetime, it has grown steadily since the 1950s, especially in Britain and the USA.” – Grove Online
See:
http://carlnielsen.dk/pages/biography/art-and-consciousness.php
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Study/Nielsen.html (12445)
Manuscript Music Classical Music