Leonard Bernstein – Sonata for Clarinet and Piano

 Most of the writing in this cycle is “self-explanatory” and with enough slow, comfortable repetition, you’ll find yourself maneuvering through the score quite comfortably.  The following pieces of advice might help save a bit of energy.  In the first movement, measures are numbered from the first complete measure.

I. Grazioso – Un poco più mosso – Un poco più mosso – Meno mosso – Tempo I

• Measure 13 – Letter A:  Starting from the last quarter note in this measure, the following fingering is recommended: RH (2-3-1-2-3-5), LH (5-4-2-1-2)
• Measure 32 – Letter C:  Balance is often a problem here…and Bernstein tried so hard to avoid it!  Interpret his “fp” as going to piano and staying there. Also, be sure to produce the lightness and clarity implied by his leggiero marking.
• Measure 45 – Letter D: This is a dynamic and sectional climax.  Do not be ashamed to take the time needed to roll the right-hand if you cannot reach a twelfth.  If rolling, try keeping the treble-clef G in the left hand.  This allows the top melodic D and the bass to be struck together on the downbeat.  Also, it is perfectly acceptable, though not preferable, to simply not play the treble-clef G.  For a look at this latter option, here.  (around 1:05 or so).  To observe a successful roll, see Ms. Vitkauskaite accompany at the Boston Conservatory here.  (Letter C arrives at 0:44).
• Measure 120 – Letter M:  See comments for measure thirteen.

II. Andantino – Vivace e leggiero – Lento molto – Più andante – Sostenuto assai – Poco più lento – Più mosso – Tempo I

• Measure 56 – Three before C: Assist the soloist in being aware of the four articulated notes in this measure. They serve as a very natural cue into measure fifty-seven.
• Measure 85 – Five before E:  Consistency and relaxation can be enhanced by taking the ledger-line E’s in this measure in the right hand.  This eliminates octave jumps.
• Measure 164 – Letter L:  Starting with the second eighth-note in the left-hand, this fingering is recommended: (1/2, 1/3, 1/2, 1/3)
• Measure 169 – Letter M:  If it helps with voicing the melody, the treble-clef F# on the downbeat can be taken in the left-hand.
• Measure 191 – One before P:  To move into section at P as smoothly as possible, one can take the two articulated E’s of beat three as well as the first note of beat four in the right hand.
• Measure 218 – Five before R:  See comments for measure eighty-five.

  Boosey and Hawkes has control of this piece, so you’ll have to search for any special deals.  The most common edition in circulation is still the one that you see pictured on this page.  They have produced a newer edition which includes some historical information and commentary about the piece.  Although informative, nothing surprising or unknown is contained within.  This edition can be purchased with a CD of a rendition of the work, or without.

The Sonata for Clarinet and Piano was the first of Leonard Bernstein’s compositions to be published (1942, with composition occurring during 1941-42).  Bernstein’s name is often associated with Tanglewood, and this piece has the same association as well.  It is dedicated to David Oppenheim, a clarinet player whom Bernstein met at Tanglewood while he was studying conducting with Serge Koussevitsky during the summers of 1940 and 1941.  Poor Mr. Oppenheim didn’t get to premiere the work though.  That was a man named David Glazer who, with Bernstein himself at the piano, premiered the work at the Institute of Modern Art in Boston on 21 April 1942.  Oppenheim got to play for the New York premiere about a year later, again with Bernstein at the piano, at the New York Public Library.  Not sure what the “actual music hall” premiere was…  We can all get a taste of that performance from a recording that these two made in 1943.  It’s not easy to find…  And it was another first for Bernstein!  His first recording with him performing his own music.[1. According to the timeline on this website]

The initial reviews of the piece weren’t that great.  The Boston Globe (who pointed out the sonata’s “jazzy, rocking rhythms”) and The Boston Herald both thought that the writing was stronger for piano than for the clarinet.  Other reviews were very touch-and-go.  It just so happened that after Bernstein became an extremely famous conductor, reviews of this work became positive all-around.  Sometimes personal clout forces people to take a closer look at one’s work!

 There is an orchestrated version of this work.  It was orchestrated by Sid Ramin, who also has an Emmy for some work on the soap opera All My Children.  You can probably rent the parts through Boosey and Hawkes here.  Yo -Yo Ma, who I guess didn’t have enough original cello compositions to work on, arranged the sonata for cello. [2. See the recording of the work here]  There’s also an arrangement for violin and piano by a “W. Terwilliger” on this CD. Mr. Terwilliger, please let me know if this is published.

As stated above, Bernstein performed his own Sonata for Clarinet and Piano quite a few times.  But this wasn’t the only standard clarinet work under fingers.  On 10 April 1963, he gave the posthumous world premiere of Poulenc’s Clarinet Sonata with Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall [3. Same site as footnote number one].  Yep, Bernstein was one of us accompanists too!