Carl Maria von Weber – Grand Duo Concertant

 Carl Maria von Weber was a virtuosic piano player who had great command over the language of his time.  The writing is difficult, but pianistic…if one has great command over their scales and arpeggios!  If not, this will be a great opportunity to brush up on some fundamentals.  Some, like this site, try to exaggerate the work’s difficulty by using Harold Schonberg’s comment that in Weber’s writing, “some of the stretches he wrote cannot be played by normal human beings.” [1. Schonberg’s The Lives of the Great Composers page 148]  There are very few measures (addressed below) in which small hands add technical issues in this particular work.  Comments were written using the Boosey & Hawkes (Ernest Roth editor) edition described in the “Editions” section below.

I. Allegro con fuoco – If your measure numbering seems to be one measure off from us, you have an edition in which the first movement begins with a pick-up measure.  Some editions show this “pick-up measure” as a full measure with rests.  This full measure is more accurate since the editions with a pick-up measure have a complete four beats in the last measure of the movement.

• Measure 6:  The hand has to jump somewhere within these Eb-major chords.  If the jump occurs on the second beat of this measure, with the fifth finger of both hands placed on the lowest and highest note at this moment, no more motion will be needed until measure eight.
• Measures 23-24: This is the first appearance of interspersed grace notes in the midst of running eighths.  The Boosey & Hawkes (Ernest Roth editor…see “Editions” below) gives a fingering of 4-3 for each grace-note/eighth-note combination.  This is effective and can be used for every grace/eighth combo throughout the movement.  Furthermore, the technique of a “grace-note crunch” (for lack of a better term) can be employed in this movement.  With this technique, taught by many respectable pedagogues, the grace note and eighth note are played nearly simultaneously.  Whether they are struck at the same time, or a nanosecond apart is not as important as the fact that they are thought of as a vertical entity instead of a linear one.  The listener will perceive the passage as intended and you’ll feel less frantic in its execution.
• Measure 37:  A suggested fingering for the left hand is 5/1 – 1 – 3 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 3
• Measure 43: If you’re not watching the clarinet part carefully, you might miss the change to a piano dynamic here.  The editor should have placed a dynamic marking in the piano part as well.
• Measure 52-53: The figuration in these two measure happens throughout this movement.  Use a consistent fingering for every iteration of the figure.  Like a great jazz pianist practicing their “licks”, Weber could apply a single fingering pattern to a variety of tonal situations.  A fingering of RH (5/1 – 1 – 2 – 3) and LH (5/1 – 4 – 3 – 2) works every time this “octave followed by three eighths” figure occurs.
• Measure 54: Although the fingering in the Boosey & Hawkes version works if your left-hand thumb struck the downbeat of this measure, you might naturally be inclined to continue with the pattern established above.  If this happens your fifth finger will play the downbeat and your left-hand fingering should be (5-1-3-2-1)
• Measure 57: The Boosey & Hawkes score suggests the left hand play the first two beats.  This is not in other editions.  Since your right hand is already in this position from the previous measure, a better option is to play the last note of measure 56 with the second finger and use the right hand for the first two beats.  It follows naturally that the left hand then takes beats three and four, and the right hand makes a final cross to play the downbeat of 58.
• Measure 88: To allow the rhythm to continue unabated, it is possible to play the second eighth note of this measure (the D) with the right hand.  The hand is already there anyway and it will give the left hand an extra half-beat to take over smoothly.
• Measure 121: A fingering of RH (4-3-2-1-3-2-1-4) and LH (5-4-3-2-1-4-3-2) is recommended.
• Measure 130 (Second Ending): The second eighth note can be played with the right hand to avoid a sudden clash between the hands.  (See measure 88)
• Measure 138-139: If the half-note third is played 4/2, make sure you land 5/3 on the second and sixth eighth notes of measure 139.
• Measures 187-189:  See measures 52-53.
• Measure 197: The Boosey & Hawkes score shows the left-hand thumb playing the second-half of beat three (the Bb) in this measure.  We recommend it either play the following F or D.
• Measure 198:  Sneak the left hand up to play the 3rd-5th eighth notes of this measure.  Now speed and consistency will never be an issue.
• Measure 200:  See the preceding comment. (Measure 198)
• Measure 202: Again, see the preceding comment(s). (Measure 198)
• Measure 212:  If you haven’t seen it already, please go back and see measure 6.
• Measure 268: If you use a standard Eb major scale fingering, you have to jump into the downbeat of the following measure, right?  Wrong! Take the D of measure 269 in your left hand and play without having to leap.
• Measure 279-280: If it will help with rhythmic energy, you can play the eighth notes of these measures with the right hand.  You’ll have to play a similar pattern with the left-hand immediately after, so decide which is more effective for you.
• Measure 292-293: See measures 52-53.
• Measure 299:  If you still haven’t tried the tip concerning measure 198, please do.  It really adds consistency and freedom here and everywhere else it is suggested.
• Measure 301:  Again, the same technique from measure 198.
• Measure 303: And to finish the movement, one last use of the measure 198 technique.

II. Andante con moto – Please observe the MEASURE NUMBERING PROBLEM in the Boosey & Hawkes H. 15735 plate. It is mentioned below.

• Dynamics:  Take the dynamics of this movement seriously.  The first page ranges from pp to ff and much excitement will be gained from striving for similar extremes throughout the movement.  That being said…
• Measure 16: Although the piano part is marked forte, please observe the register of the clarinet and adjust accordingly.
• Measure 40: IS ACTUALLY MEASURE 38 if you’re using the Boosey & Hawkes edition.  We proceed with the correct measure numbers below.
• Measure 42: On the second-half of beat two and beat three, the left hand thumb should take the C and D! This will allow for a smoother legato in the upper line.
• Measure 44: See Measure 42.
• Measure 60: There is a missing accidental in the first of the octave Cb’s in this measure in the Boosey & Hawkes edition.  The bottom note is missing it’s accidental (with the upper note being covered from the preceding Cb). You can see this Cb printed in the Schirmer Masterworks compilation.

III. Rondo. Allegro

• Measure 10: This figure in thirds, as well as descending scales in thirds, are two major technical challenges in this movement.  Although the left hand can assist in this figuration (play the first two thirds with the right hand, and then sneak the left hand up to assist with the bottom of the thirds), it is recommended to practice for the relaxation and mental-grouping needed to play this with the right-hand alone.  It is very difficult to make that kind of jump seamless.  The scales are a different situation and will be discussed later.
• Measure 47:  Although it appears that the left hand takes over after three sixteenth notes, do keep these in the right hand.  It is the only way to allow the left hand to enter smoothly on the downbeat of the next measure.
• Measure 52: If you are still having difficulty with the thirds, especially due to fatigue at this point, it is more reasonable to sneak the left hand up to help after playing the first two thirds in the right hand in this particular measure.  The left hand can finish the figuration and not have to leap to the bass as in the preceding situations (see measure ten).
• Measures 64-65:  Feel free to start this scale in sixteenth notes spanning these two measures with the left hand taking the first four notes.
• Measures 83-84: If it is helpful to you, the left hand can play the final three sixteenths of measure 83 as well as the first four of measure 84.
• Measure 85-86: Again, if helpful, the left hand can play some of the interior sixteenths such as the last two of measure 85 and the first three of measure 86.
• Measure 88: The left hand should jump up and assist by playing the lower notes of this scale in thirds.
• Measure 124: You will probably do this instinctively, but play the last four sixteenths with the left hand.
• Measure 196-197: After playing the first three thirds with the right hand alone, the left hand can jump up to assist in the remainder of the scale by playing the lower notes of the thirds.
• Measures 200-201: See measures 196-197 above. For those who question the validity of using the left hand to make some of these thirds easier.  Listen to this performance. At around the 4:00 mark, one hears beautiful thirds at measures 196-197, but the pianist clearly leaves out the bottom third at measures 200-201 in what is otherwise an amazingly clear, seemingly effortless performance of this movement.  Sometimes another option is needed when fatigue sets in!
• Measures 206 and 208: This is one spot where Weber’s large hands permit a chord that most pianists cannot reach.  Either roll the left hand quickly, or substitute the top left hand D with the D on the third line of the bass clef.  The latter better preserves the rhythmic integrity.
• Measures 232 and 234: See 206 and 208 above.
• Measures 262-265:  See the comments in “Editions” below for a discussion of two different voicings of the left-hand chord in these measures!

A scholarly edition is much needed! Please feel free to submit your comments related to editions to help us recommend the one that best reflects the original manuscript.

The printing we were working from in the “Tactile Tips” sections is a Boosey & Hawkes printing editing by Ernest Roth.  It seems this might only be available through J.W. Pepper here.  The pages display H. 15735 at the bottom.  It claims it “eliminated many mistakes of the original [edition].” There are no major complaints with this edition, but please study and compare multiple editions before performing!  There are many subtle, and not-so-subtle differences that you will need to address.  The information that follows is not intended to give you conclusive statements on which edition to use, but instead is meant to expose you to the nature of these difference.

You will often run across the Grand Duo Concertant in a Schirmer collection of clarinet works titled Masterworks for Clarinet and Piano.  This edition is edited by Eric Simon.  The first page can be viewed here.  Please browse the following differences to get an idea of the need to compare editions.  When compared to the Boosey & Hawkes edition above, the following differences are found on THE FIRST PAGE ALONE: the first movement is in cut time as opposed to common time, there is a pick up measure instead of a complete measure, measure 4 displays ffz instead of ff, measure 8 has accents on beats one and three, measure twelve displays poco rit. instead of ritenuto un poco, an a tempo is added to measure thirteen, measure 13 is marked ff instead of f with an accent, there is no mf in measure 21…).  Yes, those are differences on a single page!  Schirmer is notorious for having highly-edited editions that stray from a composer’s original intentions, but things are complicated this time.  The introduction of the Schirmer volume states that this printing of the Grand Duo Concertant is, “based on the autograph, now in the Library of Congress, and on the first edition.”  You can read about Eric Simon finding the autograph in the Library of Congress at this site.  Also, it is known that Weber had large hands.  This edition has a DIFFERENT VOICING of the left hand chord in measures 262-265 of the third movement than the Boosey & Hawkes edition.  It shows a span of a major tenth (Eb, Bb, Eb, G) while the Boosey & Hawkes lowers the G to keep it within an octave span.  Is the Schirmer more authentic?  We welcome any information!

There’s also a Carl Fischer printing that varies from the two publications mentioned above.  Feel free to scan the first page here.  Like the Schirmer, it begins with a pick-up measure, but unlike the Schirmer, it’s in common time.  There is a diminuendo beginning on measure four not found in the previous two editions.  Two small diminuendos in measure eight.  This printing mentions the “Cundy Bettoney” company on the bottom and also can appear as it does in the image on the left.  This printing bears many similarities to the International Edition by edited by Reginald Kell.  The link will allow you to view the first page of this edition.

Finally, there is a Kalmus printing that differs from anything mentioned above.  This can be seen immediately because it, like the Boosey & Hawkes, has a complete first measure, but is in cut time.  There is also a Robert Lienau publication that we have yet to locate.  We welcome any information concerning this edition.

In short, it is in your best interest to compare at least two editions and make interpretive decisions from that foundation.

If you play this song backwards… No, this isn’t one of those conspiracy theory, “play the track backwards” situations.  But in July of 1815, the 28 year old Carl Maria von Weber began writing his Grand Duo Concertant from the back to the front.  He finished up the third movement first, then wrote the middle.  And in November of 1816, when he was hitting the big “3-0”, he finished up the first movement. [2. Page 1495 in this text]  (Maybe the piece was a 19th century midlife crisis?)

Your profs say “Don’t trust Wikipedia”…well you can’t trust history books either! Von Weber did write a lot of music for the clarinet, and many resources will tell you it was due to a close working relationship with Joseph Heinrich Baermann (Bärmann), a Romantic era clarinet virtuoso.  These two had some good times together!  In fact, Weber wrote his Op. 33 Variations while on tour with Bärmann and they were performed on the day that he wrote them! [3. Page 243 of David Pino’s book]  The problem is that many sources will tell you that the Grand Duo Concertant was written for Bärmann [4. Ibid]  This is not the case. [5. The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet says so on pages 94-95]  In fact, Ernest Roth states in his Boosey & Hawkes editions that Bärmann and Weber played the Grand Duo Concertant together (correct) but strongly implies that the piece was written for Bärmann (incorrect).  We’re pretty sure that he wrote it for Johann Simon Hermstedt, the source of inspiration for Louis Spohr’s clarinet writing.  Johann requested that Weber write a clarinet concerto for him, and he probably started this work off with that in mind. [6. The Clarinet in the Classical Period page 189] Other texts say that the piece was definitely written for Hermstedt. [7. Page 243 of the Pino book again]  The piece was premiered shortly after publishing in Prague with Hermstedt on the clarinet and the composer himself on the keys.  But even this fact can be complicated if one desires!  Before the work was complete, it is known that Weber and Bärmann played a Duo for the king and queen in Munich…probably the first two movements of this work [8. Same book and page as note six] (see comments about backwards writing above).  With this in mind, one can understand the misunderstanding that Weber wrote the piece for Bärmann.

 

You can get this piece arranged for violin as well!