Klarinet Archive - Posting 000140.txt from 1994/11

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: On tradition as a factor in performance
Date: Tue, 8 Nov 1994 13:18:43 -0500

Dick Williams' interesting story about the clarinet player who happened to
buy a pipe wrench on the way to a rehearsal (and all his students then went
out and did the same thing) may even be true. But there is a documented
case where exactly this sort of thing happened.

In 1935 a tenor in NY was studying the role of Otello in the Verdi opera of
that name. And at a certain point of the action, he was directed to turn
around, walk to the rear of the stage, stand there with his back to the
audience (and he was not singing this entire time), then turn around again,
walk to stage front & bellow out his forte lines.

The tenor asked the coach, "What is the purpose of the trip backstage with
my back to the audience?" The response, "It has been a traditional part of
all performances of Otello ever since the first performance sung by Tamagno
under Verdi's personal supervision! And since Verdi supervised the rehearsals
the tradition will be honored in this house!!" So the tenor did the role that
way even though it seemed to make little sense.

When the second world war came around, the tenor went into the US army and
wound up in Italy as a foot soldier. On arriving in Milan as part of the
conquering army he inquired about Tamagno and found out that the guy was
still alive! He was about 85 and living in the home for aged opera singers
sponsored by the Verdi trust (and the place still exists!).

So he went to see Tamagno and asked him about this little ballet that he
purportedly did, what with walking upstage and downstage, etc., etc.

Tamagno looked very puzzled. He said, "You mean you had to walk upstage
and downstage at such and such a place because it was said that I did it?"

"Yes," replied the American GI.

Tamagno thoughtfor a while and then his eyes lit up in remembrance: "Of
course!" he said. "It is just before the high B-flat. I used to go to the
back of the stage to clear my throat and spit!"

End of famous tradition story.

What traditions exist in clarinet playing that are honored even though
they have no authority but are done under the name "tradition."

Or as someone said, "Tradition is nothing more than the last bad
performance."

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