An American Attitude of Adventure
by Ian Mitchell (Clarinet and Saxophone, 10/96)
"...The essential CD called simply WILLIAM O. SMITH is a collection of
pieces written and performed by him. It is remarkable how inventive he
has been for almost forty years now. This program embraces compositions
written between 1960 to 1990. The oldest is DUO FOR CLARINET AND TAPE,
the first composition for clarinet and tape. The most recent is PAN, which
exploits a natural forty-five second echo found in a 190 foot cistern
found in his home state of Washington. Between these are examples of many
of the experiments and discoveries which have interested him over the
years. FIVE FRAGMENTS of 1977, inspired by many depictions of the aulos
which he saw on a trip to Greece, was the first composition for double
clarinet. Mouthpieces are placed on both the upper and lower joints, and
the performer plays both parts simultaneously. There is a wealth of new
sounds here. Developments of his double clarinet invention are found in
MEDITATIONS which explores the use of "demi-clarinet" (lower half only,
with mouthpiece) in combination with a plunger mute; and RITUAL which
requires a B flat and an A clarinet played together. I urge anyone with an
interest in the clarinet to seek out this recording. Marvel at what can be
done with the instrument. I know of no other person who has exploited the
potential of an instrument to such an extent, and that includes John Cage
with his prepared piano sounds, the extraordinary cellist Francis-Marie
Uiti (for whom Smith wrote a duo for clarinet and cello) and double bass
improviser par excellence Barry Guy. The CD is issued by Edizioni Musicale
EDIPAN (Viale Mazzini, 6 - 00196 Roma), number PAN 3023...."