As a pianist and composer, Frédéric Chopin was well known for his uniquely sensitive phrasing and expression. Although he wrote almost exclusively for the piano, his style lends itself well to other instrumentations. Because I am currently studying both clarinet and piano, I am especially interested in the feasibility of performing in Chopin’s style on the clarinet. The aim of this project is to recreate and notate Chopin’s style for clarinet quartet instrumentation. This delicate, nuanced music involving a high level of rhythmic freedom is different compared to much standard clarinet repertoire. However, the clarinet has the advantage of creating sound through a stream of air rather than by pressing keys. This allows a clarinetist the freedom to sustain or increase volume on a long note, whereas a note on the piano always fades after being played. By transcribing and recording three of Chopin’s preludes for clarinet quartet, I intend to form interpretations that utilize this different set of available techniques while still conveying the intended impact of the piano originals. My ultimate goal is for these transcriptions to fit a gap in the current clarinet repertoire, allowing clarinetists to perform in a style they might not normally come across.
