variations for clarinet

I am unsure I consider this finished but after a number of attempts to add to a final variation/coda I hit a roadblock. So I concede for now it is "finished" (one of my profs said that despite my intentions a piece may need to be put aside as finished if you are getting nowhere). Maybe when I leave it alone for 6 weeks or more I'll have some ideas (or maybe not).

Anyway the intention was to write viruosic variations on a theme by Bach w/o ever revealing the theme. I provide it at the beginning of the score for reference only. The first variation is comprised of multiphonics which I am having the clarinetist whom I worked with double check their playability for the given duration, attack and dynamic. So the first one can be considered a little theoretical and not to be performed exactly as written. Everything else is much more straighforward with more mundane challenges. Not too long, about 4 minutes.

As always welcome comments.

PS, Fingerings for multiphonics not included - awaiting confirmation of accuracy from clarinetist

PSS - As flint pointed out, this is a C score. Meant to post the B flat score, my apologies.

pdf or mus plz?

clarinet + multiphonic...

clarinet + multiphonic...

clarinet + multiphonic...


Naw, those words just don't work together.

Flint -

Beg to differ, some of them are quite beautiful (esp the E flat - B flat 12th).

We'll have to agree to disagree...

I know several beautiful ones on the flute, some scary/beautiful ones on the saxophone, but they just don't work for the clarinet.

Okay, peeked at the .pdf.

WHY ARE THERE LOW D'S?

There is *no* reason to have an C score for a solo work.

Well, I definitely agree with your assessment of the flute and sax. And I will definitely agree that the clarinet multiphonics are bit trickier aesthetically compared to the flute and sax (and, yes, the clarinet has some really ugly ones).

Cr**p I posted the C score! Meant to post the B flat score score. Annoying thing about Sibelius is you have to remember to switch to the B flat score and then reposition some things before pdf'ing it.

Yes, everything should be written a whole step higher.

Aside from flint's constructive comments and dicussion welcome others comment.

Hi I'm a clarinetist... Personally I wouldn't start playing at all without multi-phonic fingerings... so I think you had better take all of the initiative in that department.

flint is right, I wrote a piece for flute, and luckily Robert Dick wrote "The Other Flute" which helped me more than I can fathom. I don't know of a clarinet equivalent tho :\

As for the sound of the multi-phonics... lol it will surely be intense. Flute comes out really wispy, but the clarinet will be harsher because the reed is freaking out.

However, if you give me what you suspect as the multi phonic fingerings, I would be delighted to help you out