Penderecki capriccio

[TinyTubist97]

How long do accidentals apply, and for all octaves?

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Accidentals only apply to the note they appear in front of or quickly repeated notes. For instance, on the first line the first f# in the group of three only applies to that note...the next series of quarter notes are f naturals. On the second line, the three-note eighth-note grouping in the middle is a#, c#, a# (quickly repeated note). Accidentals never carry across octaves.

[Michael Bush]

The composer mentions "erratas"

Now that is funny. Bless his heart.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

These do not appear in the published edition. He wrote this piece in a few hours. When I played it, I did some but not all of them. For anyone who has played Copland band/orchestral works (or other Boosey publications), you will realize there are many publisher errors which have not been corrected.

The errata don't appear in the published edition? Great! Then what's the point of mentioning them? Are people learning this piece off the written manuscript or something?

Also, since Capriccio is published by Schott I don't really get your point about Boosey.

[Michael Bush]

The composer mentions "erratas"

Now that is funny. Bless his heart.

These do not appear in the published edition. He wrote this piece in a few hours. When I played it, I did some but not all of them. For anyone who has played Copland band/orchestral works (or other Boosey publications), you will realize there are many publisher errors which have not been corrected.

(My point was grammatical. Adding an "s" to "errata" in order to make it plural is an erratum, since it is already plural. The circularity of it was what made it funny, at least to a grammar geek.)

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Todd, sorry I was not clear. The errata are not in the Schott edition. I think the piece was published in 1987-1988 if I remember right (though composed much earlier in the decade), and the interview was around 2000. I think the composer might have changed his mind on some of the notes, etc. Composers are known to make changes and rewrite pieces (take Hindemith for example). The Schott edition is a very good edition. I would consider this piece to be an advanced piece for upper level students. Knowing there was an interview with the composer on the piece and knowing the composer said ideas and what he now calls wrong notes, etc. (and knowing a few professionals who have played it for the composer), I would make sure to have this article handy. I copied it out of the journal in the library when I did it, I put the copied journal article behind the last page in my book, I marked all errata in the edition as optional, etc.

I still think you're being very unclear. If the errata are not in the Schott edition, then what did you mark in your copy as "optional"?

Sorry to be a stickler, but there is an important difference between "errata" and "optional changes."

[Mitch]

Has anyone ever posted a copy of the manuscript here? I have a copy of it somewhere. There are some differences, if memory serves correctly, between the manuscript and the Schott edition, and my understanding was that most of those the composer intended. It was also my understanding that the composer was never particularly proud/happy with the piece.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I am going to make an educated guess that this is his most performed work.

Not a chance. That's either his Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima or the St. Luke Passion. He's very widely performed in Europe and is known as Poland's greatest living composer.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I haven't seen many orchestras play either work in the last few years....

Anecdote ≠ data.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I looked at about 40 major symphony orchestras in the US and their repertoire list and didn't see either work programmed. Not sure on the regional level...though on the regional level I didn't look as much, these pieces are very difficult and not always audience friendly.

I know of way more performances of the Capriccio this year alone. Just saying...

And I'm just saying you have no idea what you're talking about. Capriccio for solo tuba is not Penderecki's most performed work. It's very likely not in the top 10. A small survey of US orchestras and your personal awareness of tuba recitals doesn't change that fact.

[PMeuph]

I don't really believe that the capriccio is his most performed piece anywhere in the world. I'm sure someone could pull up ASCAP data and figure it out if they wanted to.

I wounder though, what about his music adapted for film, should we consider cinema screenings as performances? Also, when talking about performances, do we just care about paid performaces, student performances, faculty performances, etc?

I think "most performed" is quite brad and over specific generalization.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I said in America...I love his music, though not many audiences would understand or appreciate his Threnody...

Well, you backtracked and said in the US. I don't even think the Capriccio is his most performed work in the US, though.

The Threnody...is a very difficult piece to perform and I was looking for any groups performing it...this composer is one of my favorite...

Here's a (very) partial list of the last three years worth of performances of Threnody. It's only the performances tracked by musicsalesclassical.com. Can you confirm as many performances of the Capriccio in that time?

May 3, 2012 Koncerthuset, Copenhagen, Denmark DR SymfoniOrkestret, Joshua Weilerstein, conductor
April 26, 2012 NonClassical Orchestra, Christopher Stark, conductor
November 25, 2011 Netherlands, Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten
October 15, 2011 Houghton, MI, Keweenaw Symphony of Michigan Tech University
March 15, 2011 Albuquerque, NM, Ensemble Music New Mexico, David Felberg, conductor
February 17, 2011 Denmark, Stavanger Symfoniorkester, Steven Sloane, conductor
February 3, 2011 Denmark, Iceland S.O., Baldur Brönnimann, conductor
January 31, 2011 Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor
September 11, 2010 Castletown, Ireland, Camerata Ireland
May 7/9, 2010 Holland, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Michael Jurowski, conductor
May 1, 2010 East Lansing, MI, Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, Leon Gregorian, conductor
March 27, 2010 Waterloo, ON, Canada, Wilfrid Laurier University, Paul Pulford, conductor
March 8, 2010 Bellingham, WA, University of Western Washington, Arthur Shaw, conductor
February 5, 2010 Ottawa, ON, Canada, University of Ottawa, Rennie Regehr, conductor
January 29, 2010 Toronto, ON, Canada, Esprit Orchestra, Alex Pauk, conductor
January 19, 2010 Jesus Chapel Kings College, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge New Music Ensemble
January 19, 2010 United Kingdom, Cambridge New Music Ensemble
December 26, 2009 Japan, Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, Michiyoshi Inoue, conductor
November 19, 2009 El Centro, CA, Southwest High School Orchestra, Matthew Busse, conductor
November 9, 2009 Spain, Belares Symphoinic Orchestra, Salvador Brotons, conductor
May 30, 2009 Argentina, Orquesta Estable del Treatro Argentino de La Plata, Mto. Francisco Retting, conductor
January 30, 2009 Hingham, MA, Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Jin Kim, conductor

Even if you could, remember that the Threnody was written 20 years earlier and this analysis of that work claims the work has enjoyed "popular success" since its publication in 1961.

[The Jackson]

[Mitch]

For the record, I am NOT the one who said, "I am going to make an educated guess that this is his most performed work." Mr. Malicoate made an egregious error in his quoting. I don't know how it came out that way, but not only did I not say it, it's not the sort of statement I would ever make. That statement was made by russiantuba. I hope Mr. Malicoate will edit his post accordingly. I do not want it left for the record that I was the one making such a statement.

And yes, it really bothers me that I'm quoted as such.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

For the record, I am NOT the one who said, "I am going to make an educated guess that this is his most performed work." Mr. Malicoate made an egregious error in his quoting. I don't know how it came out that way, but not only did I not say it, it's not the sort of statement I would ever make. That statement was made by russiantuba. I hope Mr. Malicoate will edit his post accordingly. I do not want it left for the record that I was the one making such a statement.

And yes, it really bothers me that I'm quoted as such.

Fixed. Sorry about that. Missed a pair of tags. Totally my mistake.

[dmeacham5]

i have heard this solo and i was wanting to see the score could someone email me the sheet music? please and thank you