Marcel Tabuteau’s System of Phrasing Applied to the Primary Themes in Carl Maria von Weber’s Second Clarinet Concerto

This research document provides a biographical sketch of Marcel Tabuteau’s life beginning with his childhood and extending to his retirement from the Philadelphia Orchestra and Curtis Institute of Music. The sketch provides a thorough timeline explaining how each colleague, teacher, student, and ensemble influenced his phrasing system.Following a series of handwritten notes completed by Tabuteau in his native language in chapter two, application of the system to Carl Maria von Weber’s Second Clarinet Concerto takes place in chapters three to six. The four portions of the system used are the Interrogative/Affirmative/More-Affirmative, Note Grouping, Up and Down Gestures, and Phrasing Numbers. The document culminates with a detailed explanation for implementing each principle cohesively, resulting in a performance that exceeds reasonable expectations