Three beloved movements from Dolly blend grace, wit, and vibrant Spanish flair.
1. Berceuse (2:30)
2. Mi-a-ou (2:20)
6. Le Pas Espagnol (2:40)
Eb Clarinet
4 Bb Clarinets
Bb Bass Clarinet
The suite "Dolly" was composed by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), one of France's leading composers, between 1894 and 1897. The orchestra version by Henri Rabaud, a friend of Fauré, is widely played, and it is a very well-known song in Fauré works.
The title "Dolly" is the nickname of Helene, the young daughter of the Baldak family, whom Fauré was familiar with at the time of composition, and is said to have been composed over several years to celebrate her birthday. The original song is duet by piano duet, and is written assuming that children play the primo and adults play the second.
This clarinet sextet arrangement was arranged by extracting the following three movements from all six movements.
1st movement "Berceuse"
A-B-A ternary form. A graceful melody flows on the rhythm of the cradle with distributed chords. Many parts are written in the dynamics of the piano, but please keep your breathing support so that you do not play poorly, and think about the parts of the soft performance that make it sound rich.
2nd movement "Mi-a-ou"
A cheerful coda by B in a ternary form of ABA. Helene had an older brother named Raoul, who the little Dolly couldn't pronounce well and called "Messieu Aoul". Originally, it was the title, but it is said that it was changed to the current "Mi-a-ou" when published. "Mi-a-ou" is "meow" in French. Though we don't understand the original intention of Fauré, it reminds us of a cat moving around.
6th movement "Le Pas Espagnol"
In A-B-C-A'-B'-C' form. As the title "Spanish style" suggests, it is a tropical and dynamic movement. There are many suspended notes tied across the bar lines. If you do not feel the first beat firmly, the rhythm will be very erratic. Bass clarinet plays an important role in stabilizing the overall rhythm. Also, there are many small tonguings, so be sure to learn the staccato and be careful not to disturb the basic playing style.
Commissioned by Kamihira Junior High School Band, and premiered by the school's clarinet sextet at the 35th Saitama Ensemble Contest.
(Keiichi Kurokawa)
