Klarinet Archive - Posting 000004.txt from 1995/06

From: Thomas Labadorf <Labadorf@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Weird keys, emotional keys, colored keys
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 1995 10:58:05 -0400

OK now for my two cents.

Of course Dan Leeson is correct when he relates key "color" to the facility
of the instruments. This is certainly true for stinged instruments as
already noted. And the question of how this all applies to the clarinet and
its liturature is also very valid. James Sclater brings up an interesting
point: is our perception of key "color" of preference effected by how we
remember particular pieces from their first performance? (Is that
essentially correct, James?) It's hard to say without a study on the
subject. And the usual catch-all disclaimer certainly applies here: ie. It
depends on the person. (Don't you hate that phrase?)

I seem to remember from the very dark recesses of my own grey matter that
there have been such studies. And I vaguely remember references to keyboard
works such as the Chopin Preludes and Etudes, and the J. S. Bach Well
Tempered Klavier. I'm sure there are others. Perhaps Scriabin and Bartok?
These pieces would seem to allow a better judgement since the quest of the
keyboard mechanic is to match the tones of all the notes throughout the
instrument.

Here is an opportunity for some of us to test these ideas first hand
especially if we don't know these pieces well. Get recordings of various
performers playing the same piano works and see what you think. I'd be
interested in your opinions.

Tom L.

   
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