Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK TWENTY-ONE - The Clarinet
This week we focus on the clarinet, a member of the woodwind family of instruments.
Monday August 3
Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin)
Although not strictly a piece for clarinet, Rhapsody in Blue (RiB) starts with possibly the most famous clarinet moment in all of classical music. There are plenty of moments for the clarinet in the early part of the work. Written in 1924 when Gershwin was just 26 years of age, RiB was written for solo piano and jazz band, combining the feel of both classical music and jazz.
I have picked out two versions. The first is a shortened (6 minute) version from 1945.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAuTouBhN5k
The second is from 1976 and is the full piece (17 minutes) with Leonard Bernstein conducting and playing the piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH2PH0auTUU
Tuesday August 4
Stranger on the shore
Possibly the most famous popular music piece for solo clarinet. It was written by Acker Bilk and released in 1961. It reached number 2 in the UK charts and number 1 in the US. The US release featured Cielito Lindo on the 'B' side. Some of you will remember that we sang this in Tonic a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTl-iAF6KsE
Wednesday August 5
Klezmer music
Klezmer is a style of folk music that draws upon the traditions of Ashkenazi Judaism and (non Jewish) Eastern European folk traditions. The tradition is still very much alive and today you might well find a Klezmer band at a Jewish function. The clarinet is a key part of the line up as is demonstrated in these two pieces.
Djelem Djelem performed by the Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23dW3H9yFSU
The Happy Nigun performed by the Jewish Klezmer Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdAihFAJM-A
Thursday August 6
The Shepherd on the Rock (Franz Schubert)
This trio for clarinet, piano and soprano was composed by Franz Schubert in 1828 in the final months of his life. Tragically, this great composer died at the age of 31 but he left us a treasure chest of wonderful music. We will feature him in a Jukebox week very soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52sak5mxMe8&list=PL2Ca_8XhwY1TmXGz9fNLAE_KHe-MT0Glg&index=88
Once on YouTube click on 'SHOW MORE" and scroll down for an explanation of the piece and the English words.
(12 minutes)
Friday August 7 (jazz day)
Concerto for Clarinet (Artie Shaw)
Artie Shaw was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader and actor. He also wrote both fiction and non-fiction.
This clip is taken from the 1940 musical comedy film, Second Chorus.
Watch closely at the beginning and you will see (briefly) Fred Astaire and Paulette Goddard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN9xULQH2qM
Saturday August 8
Clarinet Concerto Second movement (Mozart)
I just had to include this in Tonic Jukebox and so I curated a week around the clarinet just to provide the opportunity.
The whole concerto is wonderful, but this movement is sublime. Like Schubert (see Thursday), Mozart died at an early age, 35. It seems almost impossible that he could have created his vast catalogue of work in such a short time. The official catalogue attributes over 600 works to Mozart. The clarinet concerto was one of the last pieces that he wrote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QAAZ29cvfU
(7 minutes)
Complete concerto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bVfZTbMoo
(29 minutes)
Footnote: Three of this week's composers died before their 40th birthday - Gershwin 38, Mozart 35 and Schubert 31. So much great music in such a short time.
Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin)
Although not strictly a piece for clarinet, Rhapsody in Blue (RiB) starts with possibly the most famous clarinet moment in all of classical music. There are plenty of moments for the clarinet in the early part of the work. Written in 1924 when Gershwin was just 26 years of age, RiB was written for solo piano and jazz band, combining the feel of both classical music and jazz.
I have picked out two versions. The first is a shortened (6 minute) version from 1945.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAuTouBhN5k
The second is from 1976 and is the full piece (17 minutes) with Leonard Bernstein conducting and playing the piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH2PH0auTUU
Tuesday August 4
Stranger on the shore
Possibly the most famous popular music piece for solo clarinet. It was written by Acker Bilk and released in 1961. It reached number 2 in the UK charts and number 1 in the US. The US release featured Cielito Lindo on the 'B' side. Some of you will remember that we sang this in Tonic a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTl-iAF6KsE
Wednesday August 5
Klezmer music
Klezmer is a style of folk music that draws upon the traditions of Ashkenazi Judaism and (non Jewish) Eastern European folk traditions. The tradition is still very much alive and today you might well find a Klezmer band at a Jewish function. The clarinet is a key part of the line up as is demonstrated in these two pieces.
Djelem Djelem performed by the Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23dW3H9yFSU
The Happy Nigun performed by the Jewish Klezmer Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdAihFAJM-A
Thursday August 6
The Shepherd on the Rock (Franz Schubert)
This trio for clarinet, piano and soprano was composed by Franz Schubert in 1828 in the final months of his life. Tragically, this great composer died at the age of 31 but he left us a treasure chest of wonderful music. We will feature him in a Jukebox week very soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52sak5mxMe8&list=PL2Ca_8XhwY1TmXGz9fNLAE_KHe-MT0Glg&index=88
Once on YouTube click on 'SHOW MORE" and scroll down for an explanation of the piece and the English words.
(12 minutes)
Friday August 7 (jazz day)
Concerto for Clarinet (Artie Shaw)
Artie Shaw was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader and actor. He also wrote both fiction and non-fiction.
This clip is taken from the 1940 musical comedy film, Second Chorus.
Watch closely at the beginning and you will see (briefly) Fred Astaire and Paulette Goddard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN9xULQH2qM
Saturday August 8
Clarinet Concerto Second movement (Mozart)
I just had to include this in Tonic Jukebox and so I curated a week around the clarinet just to provide the opportunity.
The whole concerto is wonderful, but this movement is sublime. Like Schubert (see Thursday), Mozart died at an early age, 35. It seems almost impossible that he could have created his vast catalogue of work in such a short time. The official catalogue attributes over 600 works to Mozart. The clarinet concerto was one of the last pieces that he wrote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QAAZ29cvfU
(7 minutes)
Complete concerto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bVfZTbMoo
(29 minutes)
Footnote: Three of this week's composers died before their 40th birthday - Gershwin 38, Mozart 35 and Schubert 31. So much great music in such a short time.