Leonard Bernstein at 100

“There is no one like Leonard Bernstein. I love his beautiful melodies and fun rhythms.”
–Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinet, New York Philharmonic

Overview

The Sonata for Clarinet and Piano was Bernstein’s first published composition. This work reflects the youthful enthusiasm of the time: walking basses, pervasive syncopations and melodic flourishes make this a fun and exciting work. At clarinetist Richard Stoltzman’s suggestion, Bernstein’s long-time orchestrator Sid Ramin has produced a lean and spare orchestration for strings and percussion.

Bernstein wrote in a letter to Aaron Copland (15 W. 52, New York) in the Spring of 1943:

"The little Hargail Music Co. wanted to publish the Clarinet Sonata. Out of professional courtesy I showed it first to Warner’s, and they knocked me over by loving it, and insisting on publishing it. I was downhearted, since Hargail wanted to make a commercial recording of it. Now Hargail is offering me all sorts of fantastic royalty rates if I’ll give it to them, and says that they will make the recording anyway! A labor of love, if I ever heard one. But Warner’s points out that they, as a large firm...can do so much more for it than can a little thing like Hargail...Matters are now suspended by a hair.

Warner’s presented me with a five-year contract! I’m taking it to a lawyer today to find out what it says. It looks like my life that I’m signing away. But it adds to my little old salary a substantial weekly advance on future mythical royalties, which increases each year."

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Related Works
Piano Sonata
Piano Trio

Related Content
Articles from The Clarinet Journal - Vol. 46 No. 1 - December 2018