For my final blog post of the semester, I decided to create an anthology of 10 pieces in the clarinet repertoire that utilize multiphonics. Together we will take a look at these pieces in chronological order and use primary sources to begin a conversation of larger topics related to 20th century music. We’ll begin in 1961 with Concert Music for Solo Clarinet by John Eaton and finish in 2007 with Eric Mandat’s Double Life.
I know, that isn’t technically the 20th century, but Eric Mandat is a composer who has bridged both centuries and whose inspiration and influence has developed the clarinet repertoire into the new millennium. Overall, this post is a celebration of the clarinet’s expansion in the 20th century and the exciting repertoire made possible in the 21st century as a result.
I also want to make clear that I do not believe the sole value of any of these works is simply because they use multiphonics. Instead, I think these pieces all represent music that explores the sounds produced by this acoustic instrument and how they can be further used in musical writing and expression. I will focus heavily on the multiphonics, however, to narrow the focus of this post. There is so much more to be discussed and enjoyed in this repertoire, and hopefully I will get a chance to write on that in the future!
Concert Music for Solo Clarinet by John Eaton (1961)
Concert Music was written in 1961 and dedicated to William O. Smith. It was one of the first clarinet pieces notated with multiphonics, and although the composer did not provide performance instructions, the publisher included notes by William O. Smith to assist the performer (we will hear from Smith in the next section).
This piece is a remnant of the beginnings of multiphonic use in woodwind repertoire, when performers were left to their own devices to search for fingerings and find one suitable for their instrument. It is telling that, even by 1981, reviews such as the above from The New York Times were unforgiving towards this piece. The statement that the music is concerned “more with playing technique than with music” implies that this piece lacked substance and relied too heavily on what many may consider to be gimmicks.
Here is a recording of the piece so that you can form your own opinion of whether the extended techniques are gimmicks or add to the substance of the piece:
Listening to this piece, a word that comes to mind is wild. Lots of trills, huge range in a matter of seconds, and very pointed articulations. You’ll hear multiphonics briefly at 1:50 and again at 2:29, a contrast from the extroverted trills and altissimo notes. Multiphonics can be produced more easily at softer dynamics on the instrument, and we are going to see (or hear) throughout this anthology that multiphonics are typically written in a more subdued style.
I disagree that this piece focuses too heavily on the technique. It does require excellent mastery of the instrument, but the expression and meaning is there. Most importantly, it paved the way for more pieces to be written with multiphonics, including the next one on our list:
Variants for Solo Clarinet by William O. Smith (1963)
Variants for Solo Clarinet was also one of the earliest pieces written to include clarinet multiphonics. This interview snippet with Smith reveals his motivation for researching multiphonics: expanding the soundscape of the instrument. Smith refers to this as “sonic possibilities.” He spent hours cataloging multiphonic fingerings for the instrument, a significant feat in the 1960s. This provided a resource for performers and made this extended technique much more accessible to both performers and composers.
You will hear quiet multiphonics in the first movement, but the second movement which begins at 1:14 introduces the same technique in a much different style. The intervals and timbre are almost scraping against the ears, following the title of the movement: “Aggressive.” The multiphonics are juxtaposed with singing while playing, producing a wide-eyed effect in the ears almost as though they can’t believe what they’re hearing. To me, it’s addicting! You wonder: what’s going to happen next? What new sounds are you going to get to experience?
A piece such as this also brings up the question: is new better? Smith wasn’t changing the instrument through extensions or altered keywork or mouthpiece; he was helping to uncover capabilities already built into the instrument. Yes, it was new to the music world in the 20th century, but it could have been done all along. To me, it is similar to discovering a new chord in the 19th century or building a new musical form. The building blocks were all there, they just needed someone to rearrange them.
Episodes for Solo Clarinet in B-flat by Gunther Schuller (1964)
During the past semester, we discussed originality and authenticity frequently and what these words truly mean in music. We also discussed whether or not originality is an essential component of “good” music. I found it interesting that in this interview with Schuller, he stated that originality sat high on his list of priorities in composing, especially because he incorporated extended techniques into his clarinet repertoire. I do not know that I agree that extended techniques should be utilized simply for the sake of originality. When I think on this further, however, I wonder if a concern with originality is any different than Smith’s concern with exploring new acoustic sounds. Is there a line between the two mindsets?
This recording has a surprise at the beginning: an introduction by the composer himself, in which he warns the audience they may find this piece “problematic” due to the multiphonics. He also expects that not all of the multiphonics are going to come out properly. As a performer, I would find this introduction pretty nerve-racking!
This piece begins by utilizing the extreme upper range of the instrument, then at moments such as 4:31 you will hear harsh multiphonics that are more difficult to place into context than in previous pieces. They are not subtle but neither are they aggressive; the notes do seem to fight with each other and cause tension, however.
The video was produced in 2003, so this technique had been performed for more than 40 years. Yet the composer still felt it necessary to prepare the audience for something unexpected and maybe not pleasant. Schuller also confirms what he stated in the above interview clip, that he wanted to try multiphonics because they were new. His comment could imply that it was the “hip” thing to do in the woodwind world at the time.
Discantus II: Sonatina per clarinetto solo in tre tempi by Paavo Heininen (1969)
Heininen, a modernist composer, states confidently in this interview that good music will continue to accumulate as time goes on. He also makes a telling definition of good vs. bad music, using words such as “unique” and “individual” when referring to good art and stating that bad art “is devoid of profile or personality.” Definitions like these are subjective; who decides what is unique and individual?
The only video I could find of this piece is a full lecture recital, so you cannot hear the whole piece played through without break. There is some fascinating stuff in the lecture, though, if you want to learn more about the piece! Jump to 45:20 to hear some multiphonic trills towards the end of the 2nd movement.
Excursions for a Clarinet by Ronald Caravan (1974)
In this excerpt, Robert Spring, an influential clarinetist who currently teaches at Arizona State University, is discussing the influences of contemporary music on his education. He begins by speaking of Smith’s piece Variants for Solo Clarinet and then introduces Caravan’s work Excursions for A Clarinet. Spring values the ability “to express yourself without the rigid aspects of time and pitch,” and he also describes a scenario most clarinetists today are likely familiar with. From the performer’s perspective, the use of extended techniques is partially a mode of escaping the rigidity of working on standard repertoire or orchestral excerpts. I am not alone in knowing that my artistry and voice as an artist was most developed by learning more contemporary works.
This recording of Excursions is a treat, as we get to hear the composer perform his own composition. We hear quarter tones and multiphonics within the first minute. The multiphonics grow into and out of single tones seamlessly, a fascinating compositional technique that plays with the ears. Taking the title of the piece into account, the repeated harsh multiphonic at 1:18 reminds me of the sounds of traffic, maybe a train horn or a mixture of cars driving along a city street. The bubbling running lines scattered throughout the piece evoke a bustling city, also reinforcing the idea of excitement and travel.
La naissance d’un papillon pour clarinette by Yvonne Desportes (1975)
Yvonne Desportes was a French composer who lived from 1907–1993 and taught at the Paris Conservatory. She wrote La naissance d’un papillon pour clarinet in 1975, and the performer heard in this video is Guy Dangain, for whom the piece was written. Unfortunately, I could not find any interviews or other primary sources about Desportes, and her online biographies are relatively sparse.
As you listen to the recording, you will begin to hear multiphonics at :50. They come out of the texture more subtly than some of the previous recordings discussed, and the static lower note against the changing upper note lends stability to what can be an unstable technique. At 1:07, we hear flutter tonguing, especially suited to a piece named after a butterfly. This section is followed by what we might think of more stereotypically French composing: floating and virtuosic lines that are simultaneously showy and nonchalant.
Bao La pour clarinette seule by Tôn-Thât Tiêt (1977)
The above newspaper clipping was one of the only sources, apart from his website and brief Wikipedia article, which I could find on Tôn-Thât Tiêt, a Vietnamese composer who wrote music for movies as well as instrumental and vocal works. There is an interview on YouTube with him, but it is spoken in French. Here is the link to his website: http://tonthattiet.com/. I still wanted to include him in this anthology for his piece Bao La, found here:
The first time you will hear a multiphonic in this piece is 1:24, but I encourage you to listen from the beginning! Tôn-Thât’s writing is elusive and matches the lighting chosen by the performer. Even the first multiphonic is understated, and you are not sure what to expect next. Referring back to the newspaper clipping I found, the perfect word to describe this music is “surreal.” Bao La is an example of multiphonics that do not come across as gimmicks or show for the sake of show. They are, however, very mesmerizing!
Polychromatic Diversions for Clarinet by Ronald Caravan (1979)
These Diversions were intended as both studies and solo pieces and are graded according to level, implying that Caravan intended them for student use. Written in 1979, these Diversions would have been valuable to students at the time who still would not have had much access to studies that incorporated various extended techniques.
You will hear soft multiphonics at 2:20, and by this point you may be sensing a theme: multiphonics have frequently been written to evoke a dream like state or something other worldly. In the next piece, multiphonics will come across as more electronic and in-your-face, but many of these previous pieces have utilized them in what me might call a more “classical” way.
Tricolor Capers (1980) and Double Life (2007) by Eric Mandat
This is my own performance of Tricolor Capers from 2019 in Tucson, AZ. I first performed the piece in 2018 on a Master’s degree recital, my first time performing multiphonics. It also began my admiration for Mandat’s writing and a desire to hopefully explore more of his repertoire in the future.
The above quote from an interview with Mandat really sums up what it is like to perform this piece. The composer himself is a clarinetist, and he includes every multiphonic fingering for the performer and chooses ones that sit well with the instrument. I had many audience members tell me after both of my performances of this piece that some of the multiphonics reminded them of electric guitar! See 6:05–6:13 to hear for yourself.
I wanted to complete this anthology with Double Life to bring us into the 21st century and emphasize how much the development of multiphonics influenced 21st century compositions. Double Life also is a tribute to William O. Smith, who explored the use of the double clarinet in his playing and compositions as well. This piece incorporates multiphonics in a way we have not yet seen in this post: playing two clarinets simultaneously. Is this to be considered multiphonics? Multiphonics by definition are multiple sounds being produced by a traditionally monophonic instrument. But what if you are playing two of those instruments at the same time?
Regardless of the semantics, the composition and performance of this technique shows how far the clarinet’s capabilities came by the advent of the 21st century. Personally, I see this as an exciting advancement and vital to the future of the instrument.
Please let me know your thoughts on these pieces in this comments down below, and thank you for reading!
Additional references:
Behm, Gary Wilson. “A Comprehensive Performance Project in Clarinet Literature with an Essay on the use of Extended, Or New, Technique in Selected Unaccompanied Clarinet Solos Published from 1960 through 1987.” DMA diss., The University of Southern Mississippi, 1992.
