Klarinet Archive - Posting 000136.txt from 1995/02

From: HardReed@-----.COM
Subj: Re: vibrato in ensemble settings
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 1995 17:59:44 -0500

>I'm interested to read so many comments in this forum opposed to >the use of
vibrato in an ensemble setting. While vibrato can be quite >expressive in
solo performance, I often find it absolutely essential >for blend in an
orchestral wind section. When playing unison >passages with flute in
particular, the vibrato-less clarinet can stick >out like a sore thumb.

>Andrew Grenci

Gee, Andrew...there must be a whole heck of a lot of major American orchestra
wind sections that are have a hard time blending!

Perhaps, we should look at vibrato for what it really is, that being one of
many COLORS we have at our disposal as clarinetists. Sure, not every player
makes use of vibrato, just as not every player plays with a bright sound, a
dark sound, an edgy sound, ad nauseum.

(BTW, one could assume -- subjectively, of course! -- that the flute employs
vibrato because it has no tone quality otherwise!)

How we express ourselves is an individual thing. Vibrato can be the
ammunition in our arsenal to help us attain that individuality, but it's
hardly necessary to becoming a successful, expressive musician -- in any
situation, be it solo or ensemble.

Different strokes for different folks, maybe?

Larry Liberson
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
<Hard Reed@-----.com>