MichlinMusic.com - Audio Archives

If That's The Way You Want It Baby - Vincent "Jimmy" Abato/Clarinet

Treasury Song Parade. Program #428. Treasury Department syndication. Instrumentals by the orchestra, announcements given by soldiers. "If That's The Way You Want It Baby." David Broekman and The Treasury Orchestra, Jimmy Abato (clarinet solo).

A WWII-era broadcast featuring Vincent (Jimmy) Abato on clarinet, released with Mr. Abato's permission.
Not really noteworthy clarinet history, nor noteworthy history. Perhaps an interesting intersection of clarinet history and world history.

Walter Beeler presents Band Rehearsal Techniques
Walter Beeler/Ithaca Concert Band

Tone, Intonation, Tonality, Rhythm.mp3
Side A

Rhythm (continued), Balance, Percussion, Interpretation.mp3
Side B

The first LP of the Golden Crest Records release "Walter Beeler presents Band Rehearsal Techniques". This recording comes from a well worn LP, the only copy which could be found for transfer purposes. The recording has been processed to reduce surface noise, as well. Anyone with a cleaner copy is encouraged to contact us. Tim Reynish has been kind enough to make an edited transcript of Mr. Beeler's comments by Mark Fonder available here.

Dr. Cailliet could well be called the "Father of the Clarinet Choir". There is no doubt, he is the dean of this unique ensemble. The list of Dr. Cailliet's achievements is indeed a distinguished and great one.

Dr. Cailliet was born in France and received his formal college education in that country. Today he is an citizen. He graduated from the French Conservatoire with first prize on clarinet, studied composition privately with Paul Fauchet, Georges Caussades, Fugue with Andre Gedalge and orchestration and band arranging with Gabriel Pares who was then conductor of the Garde Republicaine Band. He is an Officer of the Academie of France as of 1937. He received his Doctor of Music from the Philadelphia Musical Academy in 1940.

Dr. Cailliet has written over 200 compositions for band, orchestra and chorus, published by many leading publishers of this country, and has been a member of ASCAP since 1946. He was arranger and clarinetist with the great Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Stokowsky and Ormandy from 1918 until 1937. He has been a professor of music and conductor of the Symphony Orchestra and Bands at the University of Southern California. He has been a composer and conductor with Hollywood motion picture studios (principally Paramount Studios) with 25 film scores to his credit. He was the composer of the film score of "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS".

He conducted the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Orchestra, which functions involved guest-conducting the major symphony orchestras of Minneapolis, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Atlanta, etc. He was twice commissioned to compose and conduct the Finale number of the Tri-State Festival at Enid, Oklahoma. He has been a frequent conductor of many State Bands Festivals and Orchestras. He is a member of the Screen Composers Association, the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America, the American Bandmasters Association and of PHI KAPPA PHI. He serves at present as Musical Director, Director of Music Publications of the G. Leblanc Corporation, Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Clarinet Choir consists of E flat soprano, B flat soprano, E flat alto, B flat bass, E flat contra-alto and B flat contra-bass. The tone produced by this unusual ensemble is of entirely different texture than that commonly heard in other ensembles. Many liken the sound to that of a great organ. The tonal shades are unlimited from a whispering plaintive voicing to the full thunderous chorus of might. The Clarinet Choir indeed imparts a flavor of its own to the wide musical spectrum.

While some might object to the playing of "adaptations" or "arrangements" of works written for instruments other than the Clarinet Choir, only by presenting such programming can the limitless sounds of this instrumentation be displayed. Eventually, as time goes on and with the acceptance of the Clarinet Choir as a bona fide musical organization, many composers will (as they are now doing) write compositions for the Clarinet Choir as a mean of expressing musical mood and thought.

Dr. Cailliet has led the way in composing two compositions appearing on this recording. Note the singing quality and atmosphere created in the selection "Clarinet Poem". At the other end of musical expression, the excitement and gaiety as displayed in Dr. Cailliet's composition "Carnaval" shows the light delightful mood possible with this group of instruments.

We know you will enjoy the Clarinet Choir as much as we, who have produced it, have had in recording it.

Quartet Music for Flute with the Armstrong Flute Ensemble
Golden Crest Records - CR 4088

TOCCATA FOR FLUTE CHORUS
(C flute, Eb soprano flute, C piccolo, alto flute in G, Bass flute in C)
by Emma Lou Diemer
Available from Carl Fischer, Inc.

The Chorus was commissioned by the W.T. Armstrong company for the Armstrong Flute Quartet. The work is in a large ternary form, fast-slow-fast, with several themes presented in an exposition and then developed. The middle section uses elements of two of the themes in a slower, rhapsodic, melody accompaniment style. The final section freely recapitulates the ideas heard in the first section. A very free use of pitch serialization is made in parts of the work, and the flute colors are exploited in unison and imitative writing, as well as in trills, scale passages, and ornamental figures.

Emma Lou Diemer has music degrees from Yale University and the Eastman School of Music. Composition awards include a two year grant under the Ford Foundation Young composing for the Arlington, Virginia schools. Her publishes works are for orchestra, band, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, and chorus. Presently, Dr. Diemer is a member of the theory composition faculty of the University of Maryland.

SURSUM CORDA
(three C flutes, bass flute in C)
by Max Rairigh
"Flute Sessions" Published by Shawnee Press

The Sursum Corda is taken from the Anglican and Roman Catholic Mass, and translated, means, "Lift Up Your Hearts". Mr. Rairigh has written this beautiful chant for four C flutes, and with permission, the Armstrong Flute Quartet has substituted a Bass flute in C for the opening theme and also the fourth flute part. The Bass flute blends its rich deep sound into the complement of the other three concert flute voices, producing an effect of striking dignity and beauty.

QUATOUR POUR FLUTES
(four C flutes)
by Pierre Max Dubois
Published by Carl Fischer, Inc.

The contemporary French composer Dubois has skillfully set forth this delightful and gay work for four concert flutes. The four movements, entitled Fetes, Passipied, Complainte, and Tambourin, are idomatically well suited for the flute, and would make an excellent choice on any concert program.

SINFONICO FLUTE QUARTET
(4 C flutes)
by Anton Reicha
Published by Carl Fischer, Inc.

Reicha (1770-1836) was a Bohemian flutist and composer, whose works included symphonies, operas, oratorios, and chamber music. Reicha played flute in the same orchestra where Ludwig van Beethoven was a violist. The Sinfonico Flute Quartet is in four movements (Allegro, Andante, Minuetto, Allegro Vivace) with all but the Andante appearing on this recording.

PAVANE
(four C flutes)
by Maurice Ravel
"Flute Sessions" Published by Shawnee Press

The Pavane pour une Infante Defunte (Pavane for a Dead Infante) is one of Ravel's most famous works, and was originally written for the piano. It has subsequently been arranged for orchestra and various smaller ensembles. With this piece, Ravel depicts an ancient custom of dancing a solemn Pavane in memory of the dead.

UNDER THE DOUBLE EAGLE
(three C flutes and alto flute in G)
by J.F. Wagner
Published by the Southern Music Company.

Hardly a school band exists that has not had the pleasure of playing this world famous march. Robert Cavally, in this arrangement, imaginatively uses the Alto flute in G to effectively imitate the low brass section that Wagner score in his piece.

The Instruments

THE PICCOLO

The word "piccolo" in Italian means "small", and in reference to the flute, means, "small flute". The Germans refer to it as "Kleine Flote", the French, "Petite Flute", and the Italians, "Flauto Piccolo" or "Ottavino", which means "octave flute". This smallest of the flute family produces the highest and shrillest tones, and is capable of playing the highest notes in the band or orchestra. The piccolo sounds one octave higher than the Concert flute.

E FLAT SOPRANO FLUTE

The E Flat Soprano flute is larger than the piccolo, but about four inches shorter than the Concert flute in C. This popular flute is rapidly gaining favor with flutists the world over because of its unique tone. This sound_ combines a blend of both the piccolo and Concert flute qualities. Many teachers are finding it invaluable in training young flutists, and are utilizing its ease of handling and easier blowing requirements. The Soprano flute sounds a minor third higher than the Concert flute and has, at times, been referred to as the Terzflöte, or Third flute. Many bands are incorporating this charming flute into their E Flat clarinet section.

THE CONCERT FLUTE

The Concert Flute in C is the most frequently used flute, and literally thousands of pieces have been composed for it. The earliest flutes date back centuries before the birth of Christ, although it wasn't until 1847 that Theobald Boehm of Munich produced the first flute with the basic system that we use today. Improvements have been made, and different materials used, but today's flute world owes much to the genius of Boehm.

THE ALTO FLUTE IN G

The Alto Flute in G sounds a perfect fourth lower than the Concert flute, and produces a rich mellow tone. This beautiful flute is larger than the Concert flute. Again to Theobald Boehm, we owe our gratitude for his perfection of the G flute. This instrument was his favorite. Today, the Alto flute is finding its rightful place in the music community, and more and more composers are using the haunting qualities of its sound.

THE BASS FLUTE IN C

The Bass flute in C is the largest member of the flute family, and sounds an octave lower than the Concert flute. The bass flute is so long (47 3/8 inches), that the tube must be doubled back in order to play it. Because of its size, this flute is one of the most difficult of the family to play. However, the unique voice it produces is bringing it into ever increasing demand especially in film and television recordings. Many leading jazz musicians, as well as concert flutists, are finding the Bass flute a must to own.

THE PICCOLO, E FLAT SOPRANO FLUTE, CONCERT FLUTES IN C, ALTO FLUTE IN G, AND BASS FLUTE IN C, USED IN THIS RECORDING, WERE MANUFACTURED BY THE W.T. ARMSTRONG COMPANY, INC., ELKHART, INDIANA.