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Klarinet Archive - Posting 000084.txt from 1994/02

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Vibrato
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 22:46:37 -0500

Karen Noel-Bently comments that a beautifully executed vibrato should
not be a source of criticism. (Forgive me for the editorialization
Karen, but I think that is a fair summary of what you said.)

However, she may not be old enough to realize the incredible fuss that
was made when Kell first came to the US, ca. 1948. The major players
were extremely critical of Kell, precisely and exclusively because of
his vibrato. ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^

He was not criticized for a bad vibrato, just for using any at all.

Now here was thisincredibly gifted artist, from whom everyone could
have learned a great deal, shut out of everything because "he plays
with a vibrato."

I think that this was simply an excuse on the part of the powers-that-
were-in-place at the time. They jumped on the one thing that
American players did not do, and then said that he was awful because
he did do it.

So, while Karen may show a more tolerant attitude today than our
predecessors did in the 1940s, I do not want to let get out of focus,
how bitterly any vibrato use at all was treated by the American
clarinet playing community. It was simply not considered an
acceptable technique and was as negatively viewed as playing out of
tune!

Let me make this perfectly clear: most of us are students of those
very players who were so unyielding in their anti-Kell attitude,
and we bear some of their views on this matter, even if at a
subconscious level. I can read it in the interesting posts
directed at this subject. If one were to sum it up, the kinds
of responses that we are getting are "Well, it is allright if used
in moderation, and if done right, and if not done too much, and if
not too wide, or too narrow, or too bold, or too mild, or different
in any way from that which I perceive as being appropriate. And if
it is different, to the extent of that difference, it is crap!!"

Exaggerated perhaps, but not too much. That is exactly how I have
heard some of my colleagues speak of, for example, John Denman,
a British trained player who now resides in the US. The major
criticism against Denman is "Well, he uses a vibrato all the time,
you know."

Kell died an embittered man because of the way he was treated. He
lived nearby in Monterey but I was not yet a California resident. Once,
while here on business from the east coast, I went to visit Rosario
Mazzeo who invited me to a party where Kell was present. I wanted so
much to have him talk about his clarinet playing and I tried to lure
him into discussing his experiences. Just the anecdotal material would
have been fascinating. But he would not speak of clarinet playing,
just his painting. I was in a blue funk for weeks after that meeting.
There was so much I wanted him to tell me, and I could not make it
happen.

Karen, now do you have a better understanding of the enormous rift
that existed ca. 1950 between the very, very few who played with
a vibrato, and the very, very many who were simply unwilling to
tolerate anyone (particularly Kell) who used one.

There is so much of that in the clarinet playing world: an attitude
of only one way to do something, that person's way. Some of the most
respected players and teachers in the US (many of whom are now
retired) still speak that way and teach that way when they give master
classes. It is sad and very, very tragic.

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