In Stephen Williamson's Living Room

[George K]

Link to video

Stephen Williamson, principal clarinet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and his family offer a selection from George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." Before Symphony Center was shut down due to the COVID-19 health crisis, the CSO had been scheduled to perform this work. "We are wishing you the very best from our family to yours," Williamson says. "Please stay safe and stay healthy."

[Aqua Letifer]

That's just awesome.

[Terribly_Cynical]I wonder which of his kids were forced into music out of family pressure and hates doing shit like this.[/Terribly_Cynical]

[Jolly]

Talented family.

As an aside, the typical highest scholarship musicians in a college symphony are the French horn players. Good ones are hard to get.

[George K]

I saw him about 4 years ago at the CSO - I posted this on the old forum:

Ah, the Mozart Clarinet concerto. One of my favorites (sit down, Jon), it was performed by the principal clarinet of the CSO - Stephen Williamson. I had no idea that the clarinet was such a "fussy" instrument. During the 1st movement, the soloist took the instrument apart no fewer than 3 times to run his drying cloth through it. During parts where he wasn't playing, he was fussing with the reed, the keys, etc. I imagine it was typical, because I don't see this during other performances where the clarinet is not as pronounced, but I remember hearing the Nielsen clarinet concerto last year (which I hated) and there was none of that.

Then came the "interesting" part. There was a really long pause between the 1st and 2nd movements, while the clarinet was tended to. Run the cloth through the instrument, fuss with keys, adjust reed...etc. etc.

Well, rather than coming down from the A in the second measure, Williamson continued UPWARD! Realizing his mistake, he raised his hand, Rozhdestvensky stopped the orchestra and they began anew.
The Chicago Trib commented

And Williamson got off to a false start very briefly at the beginning of the Adagio slow movement, perhaps unconsciously reverting to the similar opening of the Larghetto movement of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet (also in A major), which he had played with Music Institute of Chicago Academy students the previous week. Despite the slip, his smooth, shapely playing was roundly applauded by the audience and his CSO colleagues

Never seen that.

[Copper]

Nice

Figures, Chicago a United hub

[jon-nyc]

American hub too

[Mik]

Man - he is one hell of a clarinetist.

[jon-nyc]

Yes. That was nice though I felt the absence of strings really smarting around 1:10

[Doctor Phibes]

That was great - he must also have some pretty nice recording gear.

"I had no idea that the clarinet was such a "fussy" instrument."

Pianists really don't know they're born.

[mark]

Love it!