Osborne Rhapsody

[hellokittykilla]

I played this song my 10th grade year and got a superior, went to state solo and ensemble and a solo because of this. I think this is one of my favorite solos i have played for clarinet so far.

[Clarinetyo]

Thank you for posting! I am a freshman playing this at state solo and ensemble, and your video was very helpful. Your tone is very nice, and your interpretation is great. What's best is how you take time, albeit some sections on the last page could be a little faster. You present it very well.

[CasperShorts]

I have to agree with all the positive musicality/ tone comments. I especially liked the smoothness of your switching between notes, if that makes sense; changes were fluid and unobtrusive. I'd say that some of your longer value notes could have been held longer and were in some places somewhat disturbing to my enjoyment of the piece, but this could be because I have the music in front of me. Altogether great performance, though!

[costasimpson]

Could a Grade 7 clarinet player play this? I am wondering whether to purchase this piece...

[drfarrin]

@costasimpson sorry costa, this is very beyond a 7th grader. This will even be a challenge for junior and senior high school students

[costasimpson]

@drfarrin

Not a 7th Grader. Grade 7 ABRSM?

[drfarrin]

@costasimpson

Mt apologies, I didn't know you were English (or at least living around/about the UK) so I'm not sure how your ranking system works. From what I've gleamed off of Wiki it seem grade 7 is very capable of playing this piece (depending on if this is a school or university performance).

Texas has 3 ranks we normally use for solos, grade 3 the easiest to grade 1 the hardest.

I recommend you master the arpeggiated runs of 8th notes. That's where anyone is most likely to mess up

[AkEb0n0]

@costasimpson it's possible! I played this piece in junior high as well.

[chocofreak13]

Measure 34 and 35 I didn't agree with...you left out a group of 16ths in 34, and in 35 I wouldn't have taken a breath after the Eb, especially with the decrescendo on the following notes. I'm finding it difficult to count 35 myself, so I can't say I blame you for shaking up the rhythm there.

[Clarinetboy09]

Well done! I am a music education major I've played clarinet for 13 years I wouldn't mind playing this but where did you get it from? is it class A? keep up the good work!

[InstrumentalMania]

I'm a sophomore in high school, and this is my audition piece for a district ensemble. I wouldn't be surprised if you could order it from a local music store. It's a very fun piece though, looking forward to playing it again in a few years to improve my musicality on it (I've only been playing 6 years).

[daudert]

While the piece is no doubt well played, I'm at odds with the performer's musicality. The areas where he chooses to slow and to speed up I disagree with.

There are few tenutos he misses that, to me, seem necessary to the piece and the stringendo part at 61 goes much to fast.

Well done overall, however.

[MstislavSienkievich]

Thanks for the critique. If you're left thinking at the musical level after that performance then I've done my job. I'm sure if I performed the piece now after more than a year away, things would be different. Good, but different. I wanted the stringendo to be furious but precise. I'm not sure what I would do with it now. In any case, thanks for the contribution. If you feel like writing in more detail, I'd be happy to read your opinion, but I can't say I'll be using this piece any time soon. :)

[DanTheMan199008]

isn't this originally for bassoon solo?

[mikey912208]

yes it is, sounds great on clarinet though

[nadja1316]

sounds beautiful ! best instrument ever :-)

[Holst2394]

playing this for my ninth grade solo on contrabass. its such a wonderful piece and you play it very well

[Guendolina510]

OMG!!! You are amazing and my new hero. I am playing this for a solo and ensemble competition and it kicks my ass every time I play it. I am jealous of your awesomeness.

[drfarrin]

the first page is designed to very metronomic in nature, have a little fun with pages 2 and 3 and that fast bit with the grace notes on page three isn't as hard as you think, it just moves chromatically.

[glebvic]

Joel! This is Gleb! I played with you in the All-Eastern Orchestra in 2007!

[MstislavSienkievich]

Hey Gleb! Sorry, I don't check this vid very often. I have yet to perform with a tie on my head but still enjoy the notion. What's up man? How are you doing? :)

[glebvic]

Not bad at all! Where do you study these days? If you're in Baltimore then we are really close by. I'm in Peabody right now.

[MstislavSienkievich]

Spent the first two years in Towson, go figure. I'll be joining you this Fall in Peabody :)

[foxybassoonist]

the second fiero to the patetico was impressive...you were fast and flawless!

really good and musical throughout the whole piece

[TatTwamAsi7]

I played that the last year... it's great ! But... i've lost the score! ! ! :(

[molly113salt]

im playing this for my junior recital at my college this february. cant wait to get started!

[wahines18]

i love it! i'm playing this for a 9th grade solo my lesson & band teacher told me to do...its gonna take a lot of work, but luckly i have a year still. i'm so excited!

[drfarrin]

this is way beyond 9th grade, I don't think your teachers were too wise in telling you to play it. Unless you've been playing clarinet for 8+ years, I'd stay away from it.

[Holst2394]

well i got all one's so i guess i did ok. ive been playing since 6th grade...

[hypernanotechnology]

darn. This is my solo for solo/ensemble, and I've been playing for slightly less than three years. Had a steep learning curve, though, and I ended up lead clarinet for Wind Ensemble, so I hope I can handle it...

Do you know how this compares in difficulty to Schumann's Fantasy Pieces?

[drfarrin]

@hypernanotechnology this is more difficult on a level of pure virtuosity. You generate your own time and its completely up to you determine your rhythm speed. the fantasy pieces can be more challenging if you're doing the entire thing. Fantasy pieces demand you have excellent control of your range. In the exas grading system the 1st mvt of the fantasy pieces would be a class 2 (med. hard) and the osborne would be a class 1 (very hard)

[snowbnny986]

wow, incredible clear and beautiful tone. also very musical, this piece is one of my favorites and this was performed very well!!! great job

[everythingever]

very, very nice! :) as overlord said, very musical. nice job of taking your time and VERY GOOD tone.

[overlord1294]

Very musical ! Love it

[xxpockyluverxx]

im playing for nothing... this is sorta hard for an 8th grader lol

[desoan]

im playing this for my semester project in 10th grade XD

[lorinchelle]

I'm playing this for my scholarship auditions!

[Anitax33]

im playing this year :]

[fagottgirl]

wow, great stuff! it's unfair - the clarinet always sound better than the bassoon when it comes to this! =)