Klarinet Archive - Posting 000422.txt from 1994/10

From: "Chris W. Castillo" <chrisc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Chris Castillo's interesting on idea on language influence
Date: Sat, 29 Oct 1994 17:21:47 -0400

On Sat, 29 Oct 1994, Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu wrote:

> Chris has some terrific ideas. Some pan out. Other may not. Most
> recently he voiced the thought that, perhaps, language differences could
> be responsible for differences in sound characteristics at a national
> level. He offers the supporting evidence that certain sounds in French
> do not exist in English and could contribute something that Americans
> can't do.
>
The point was that the differences in languages cause different vowel
sounds to be blown when playing. (aw, ou, ee, ooh, etc)

> Nice thought Chris, but I don't think this one will fly. There is a great
> deal of difference in regional accents in the U.S. People from Brooklyn speak
> in a way that is absolutely impermissable anywhere else (and may be impossible
> for a non Brookynite to reproduce; i.e., toity doity poiple boids = thirty
> dirty purple birds). Other regional differences in English exist that are, to
> some extent as distinct from one area to another as American English is from
> British English, maybe more. But those regional differences don't add up to
> an inherent Brooklyn sound, or a Philadelpha sound.
>
Very true indeed. Here is a compromise between those who believe that
there is a National School and those who do not believe so: Generally,
people from France (Germany, England, USA, etc.) sound
similar--specifically, they do not. Just because I am an American
player, it does not mean that I *have* to sound American. I may choose
to mimic German qualities. I may have my own unique characteristic (most
players do anyways). However, if I am one of the sheep in the pasture, I
can be spotted as an American player.

> Besides, I speak French. So why don't I sound like Delecluse? Delecluse
spoke
> English. Why doesn't he sound like Stanley Drucker (or did he)?
>
What vowel sound do you use in order to make a sound? Just speaking
French will not make you sound French when playing clarinet. You may not
know English at all, just French, and you can sound American because you
are emulating an American vowel tone. Or, you may be one that sticks out
and makes a dramatically different tone than the rest of us sheep.

Regards to all.
(Personally, I sound 'Chris'-ish)

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C H R I S C A S T I L L O
chrisc@-----.com mercer island, wa
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