Work : Nocturne


Composer : William Presser https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Presser


Difficulty Ranking : IV


Publisher : Tenuto Publications


Year Published : 1976


Instrumentation : 4 Bb Clarinets or 3 Bb Clarinets and 1 Bass Clarinet


Potential Pedagogical Applications : Articulation matching, intonation (octave, unison, and chordal), ensemble mechanics, phrase matching, solo passages, tone development and blend, line independence


Sample Recording :


Where to Purchase Sheet Music : http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/nocturne-sheet-music/1936687


Annotation : William Presser’s Nocturne is a relatively short work that spends much of its time exploiting the beauty of the low register of the clarinet. The work begins and ends in the low register at the piano dynamic. Overall, the work is technically approachable, but the difficulty comes in the independence of the parts. There are very few instances in which the players enter and play in the same rhythm. The players must also understand what is happening in the other parts to ensure that the entrances and handoffs are performed accurately. The range extends to G4, but the majority of the writing is focused in clarion and chalumeau registers.