Klarinet Archive - Posting 000524.txt from 1995/06

From: Laura R Bornhoeft <lbornhoe@-----.EDU>
Subj: Glissandos
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 22:23:07 -0400

Just a quick comment, since this string seems to have retreated back into
the tapestry...

When I was studying clarinet in college in the mid 70's, I could hardly
begin to do a glissando. After my senior year, it was made apparent that
I ought to pursue another field for a career, and I spent the intervening
period playing in a very fine community band. The repertoire, as might
be expected, includes all kinds of music, including jazz medleys. These
contained bends, smears, glissandos, etc. done as a section, so it
doesn't really matter what exactly you're doing as an individual -- just
contributing to the overall flavor (and not feeling so self-conscious).

Last year I decided to resume lessons. I pulled the Bernstein and
Honegger sonatas out of my file drawer, and found that I could do a
respectable job on the glisses written in the last movement of each. I
even performed both on recitals this spring. Perhaps there may be a
little discussion as to whether a lip gliss or a finger gliss is
appropriate in these pieces.

The point is that it took 20 years or so for my glissando to come. But
that amount of patience probably won't appeal to most of you
contributors. Maybe one of these days I'll have both the courage and
ability to tackle Rhapsody in Blue...

Laura Bornhoeft

Note to Meghan and family --

The more experience you gain, the more you will realize that playing a
piece "perfectly" is an nebulous goal. In the early years, getting all
the notes and rhythms right is an adequate definition of "perfect". But
on a more adult level, you realize that you have to begin to add
musicality to your performance. You experiment with different ways of
playing the piece -- changing the dynamics, emphasizing different notes,
crescendos, rubatos, trying to evoke different moods, and all sorts of stuff.

There has been enough discussion on this list of different performers to
realize that each one has a different concept of how a piece (like the
Mozart concerto -- David Etheridge [did I get the name right?] has written
both a Ph.D thesis and a book on the subject) should be played. Lots of
practice enables you to develop your own individual style.

And then there's the challenge of mastering your instrument well
enough to play each note in tune consistently...

But, as others have said, a lot depends on your motivation, whether you
are serious about the instrument as a possible career, or consider it to be
a fine hobby indeed.

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org