Klarinet Archive - Posting 000229.txt from 1995/02

From: Martin Pergler <pergler@-----.EDU>
Subj: "Vibrato" in Quantz, Hotteterre, was Re: Various
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 1995 11:04:28 -0500

On Wed, 8 Feb 1995, Roger J. Shilcock wrote:
[...]
> (2) 18th cent. vibrato (dread word! - as fake newspaper columnist "Wallace
> Arnold" would put it) / D. Leeson: Quantz surely must be our man for this - I
[...]

Quantz seems to mention only the bebung (flattemen[t]), and only slightly:
[On playing a long note messa di voce, s/10 of Ch. XIV: Of the Manner of
Playing the Adagio] "...and from there diminish it to the end of the note
in the same fashion, making a vibrato [Reilly's trans: Q says
bebung/flattement] with the finger on the nearest open hole. ..."
There is also I believe a bit on "vibrato" in an accompanying string part, but
I have heard there is debate on the translation and versions of Quantz'
treatise here; I can't find it right now.

>From Hotteterre's Principles of the Flute, Recorder, and Oboe, Ch. IX
Vibrati and Mordents:
"Vibrati are produced almost like the regular trill, with this difference
that the finger is always raised at the end, [...]. In addition, it is
done on holes which are further away, and some on the edge of holes.
Contrary to the trill, it involves the lowest note.
[...]
"...the vibrato on low D-natural [lowest note on the bq flute: MP],
which can be produced only artificially. As no finger can be used to
produce this ornament (since they are all in use stopping the holes),
the lower note shakes the flute in an effort to imitate the ordinary
vibrato."

My comments. First, it is very difficult to extend from these remarks to
the 18th century clarinet. Hotteterre dates to 1707 and Quantz to 1752:
both substantially predate significant use of the clarinet in a period of
considerable stylistic change. Furthermore, (someone please comment on
this -- I don't have a reference but I believe it is true) we move from a
period in which woodwind players would often double (triple) on fl,ob,recorder
to a time of more specilaized instrumentalists later in the century.
Second, the concepts called vibrato above consist of an essentially
trill-like figure between the main note and a slightly (< semitone) flatter
pitch produced by the fingers. No mention at all of varying pitch via
diaphrahm, etc. I guess the "workaround" mentioned for the low D _might_
correspond very loosely to some sort of lip vibrato.

Does anyone have any knowledge on the evolution of string vibrato? It
might tell us more.

Martin

-------------------------------------------------------
Martin Pergler pergler@-----.edu
Grad student, Mathematics
Univ. of Chicago
amateur clarinetist and recorder player.

   
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