Klarinet Archive - Posting 000027.txt from 1993/12

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re Muhlfeld's sound
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 14:24:59 -0500

Diana, there is not the slightest doubt that Brahms was enamored of
Muhlfeld's playing. He was probably the best clarinet player that
he had ever met and we are ever endebited to the fact that Muhlfeld
found favor in Brahm's ears.

But Muhlfeld was not the first clarinet player that Brahms met. He
knew the capabilities of the instrument before he was 20. Perhaps
Muhlfeld awakened in Brahms the ability of the clarinet to play
solo music for long periods without becoming boring. That may have
been Muhlfeld's sound but Brahms long exposure to clarinet players
probably made him aware of beautiful sound long before he met
Muhlfeld. After all, he had 40 years of orchestral listening under
his belt before he met Muhlfeld.

According to the reports I read (see Pamela Weston's books on
Clarinet players), Muhlfeld was an extremely sensitive musicians
and that (in my opinion) is what turned Brahms on more than sound.

I sense in this entire discussion (that I have been following for
about a month) on the subject of sound, that the younger members
on this board think this to be the overriding element in clarinet
playing. It's important, to be sure, but many other things are
equally as important and a few are more so.

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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