CLARINET SHEET MUSIC:
TRANSCRIPTIONS WITH PIANO

    Thanks for visiting this, our most recent page, which contains a Sheet Music listing of Donald  Martino's Transcriptions for Clarinet and Piano of music that he performed with band as a teenage clarinetist.  Musty old manuscripts, some dating from as long ago as 1873, were willed to Mr. Martino by his teacher, Francesco Lieto.   They are treasures of that Italian Band tradition, which is sadly, now lost.  From them, Mr. Martino has crafted a number of  clarinet transcriptions that are a real joy to play.   Most are performable by advanced students.   It is our intention to issue  one work each year.  Here is something of the origin of this series:"In my early teens I studied clarinet with an Italian Bandman named Francesco Lieto.  He played me through the studies of all the great Italian masters, some of them from  very early manuscripts.  Frank occasionally took me with him to play the Italian Feasts.  Those were wonderful times, not just for the music, but for the lavish feasts of roasted chickens, peppers, much pasta, good cheese, and wine.  On some occasions Frank even arranged for me to to play with the band some solo clarinet piece I had been working on..."  It is clear that these transcriptions are born out of a nostalgic love of  those inspiring times.
    We began  with DIVERTIMENTO LA FORZA DEL DESTINO in 1999.  Attributed to Cavallini, this is a wonderful piece, lyric as only  a Verdi medly could be.  It consists mainly of arias from the opera with the usual clarinet fireworks at the end.  This year we introduce the fantasia UN BALLO IN MASCHERA.   More great tunes from Verdi and elegant variations from Lovreglio.  Next season we will introduce  an original composition by Pietro Musone, Diector of the band at Caserta, Italy around the turn of the century.  Lots of fireworks here but tempered by beautiful melodies reminiscent of Verdi and even Chopin.   Subsequently there will be a number of others including a RIGOLETTO fantasy by Lieto.  Quite different from the great Bassi fantasy, it is not as brilliant, with the advantage that it is suitable for teacher and student alike.  All these composers seemed to have the ability to craft grade 5 music so it sounds like the top end of grade 6.
    And as you see, there are also transcriptions of Bach Violin and Clavier sonatas which Mr. Martino made as a senior in college for his own recital purposes.

For Mr. Martino's original compositions for the clarinet, see the Clarinet Page, Orchestra Page and the Jazz Page.

* = Not printed in quantity; allow one month for delivery. § = Prepublication item, inquire as to availability; C = Commercial Recording (Number of C's indicates number of recordings).  P = Perusal Tape. M = Manuscript. ß = Repertory Selection "Director's Guide to Festival and Contest Music" (The Instumentalist). DSE = Dantalian; McG&M = McGinnis & Marx.

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Our BROWSE-AT-HOME BROCHURES offer you more than just a few themes.  They are a veritable "Reader's Digest" of each work.  Please contact us via phone, mail, fax or email, or use the online order form to receive any of our useful brochures.  Click here for a sample of six of the sixteen excerpts that illustrate one composition in our wind brochure.

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Other Links of Interest: The Clarinet Pages; Anne Bell's Clarinet Website Index

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