Jean Francaix's Clarinet Concerto: An Examination of Performance Practices

This document explores the performance practices of Jean Françaix's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra by four world-renowned clarinetists. These artists are Philippe Cuper, Dimitri Ashkenazy, John Finucane, and Charles Neidich. Their approaches to the work are compared for similarities and differences in regard to selected passages from each movement. Those who will benefit the most from this study include performers, students, teachers, and researchers who have a desire to gain a deeper understanding of the concerto. An introductory chapter provides details regarding the research process, and a brief background about the composer and his work. Following this introduction, individual chapters are devoted to the performance practices of the four performers mentioned above. Finally, the concluding chapter compares the approaches of the four artists, and draws conclusions about the work as a whole