The radical freedom of the chamber musician

[secondwind]

I'm playing a piece in a little concert at a local library Thursday evening--J.S. Bach, Triosonata  (for two flutes or violins and continuo), BWV 1039, which I'll perform with a violinist and a cellist.  An odd choice for a clarinetist, I realize.  I further realized, as I looked at the entire program (which I helped to put together by inviting some friends), that not one piece on the program would be performed by the exact ensemble for which it had been written.  We have clarinets standing in for strings, we have a violin standing in for a soprano, we have a violin taking over part of a piano piece. . . all kinds or arrangements. I'll probably give a little introduction to the program and talk about the liberties chamber musicians like to take--to play the music we want to play (or an audience wants to hear) on whatever instruments are available.  It is a long and honorable tradition, and fun, too, despite what purists may have to say about it.   

[karlhenning]

TTT

How'd it go?