This method book is for 1 to 4 clarinets or 1 or 2 clarinets with piano.

Music by Hugh Aitken

These etudes by Hugh Aitken are a much-needed addition to the etude repertoire. Young clarinetists can use these brief pieces to hone their skills with musical materials reflecting current innovations and practices over recent generations. The combination of solo pieces and ensemble etudes (duos, trios, quartets, and works with piano) allows the student to play both individually and with the teacher and/or fellow students. After mastering these etudes, the clarinetist will be able to negotiate passages containing large intervals, no time signature, asymmetrical meters, asymmetrical divisions of beats, metric modulation, and changing time signatures. Some of the ensemble etudes use different time signatures in the separate voices. The ensemble etudes also provide exercises for tuning unisons, maintaining unity of sound and intonation as chord tones are exchanged, tuning major and minor triads and other harmonies, and matching tone color and understanding the composite of the parts so players sound as one voice as portions of the melodic line are exchanged and “hocket” passages are executed. There are similarities among the etudes; an idea that is presented in, for example, a solo piece, may also be explored in the context of a duo or trio. For convenience, similar etudes are cross-referenced. The composer notes that observance of printed markings is ideal, but a teacher is allowed flexibility in interpretation of dynamics, tempi, etc. to suit individual students. This is music that will pique the interest of advancing clarinetists and prepare them to play works of the 20th and 21st centuries. A Set of Seven at the end of this volume is a seven movement work incorporating many of the ideas previously explored in the book. A performance of this piece will provide an opportunity for the clarinetist to showcase his/her mastery of the subjects of Clarinetudes.

Maureen Hurd July 12, 2007