Klarinet Archive - Posting 000030.txt from 1995/08

From: Larry A Greep <Larry.A.Greep@-----.MIL>
Subj: Re[2]: Possible Clarinet Heaven
Date: Wed, 2 Aug 1995 13:09:49 -0400

Beautifully written, Bruce. I admire those that can articulate thoughts and
feelings to the printed word, especially when the subject matter is an
outstanding musician in the person of Ricardo. I, too, have returned from the
Arizona conference rejuvenated and invigorated by the recitals and concerts
performed there. To witness greatness, energy and control, and exquisite
interpretation and phrasing by our young colleague, Ricardo, is truly amazing
and sublime. I've met briefly with Ricardo at two of three conferences at shich
he performed, and I've never met a finer, more outgoing individual of his
stature at such a young age! I'm sure he has his idols as most of us do, but he
has probably taken all the essential musical traits of his favorites and
distilled them for his own playing. Reflecting on the opening recital at Tempe,
noone in their right mind would consider the program he produced let alone
execute with such a command of the instrument AND the music. In my humble
opinion, there are a handful of individuals that can (or have had the ability
to) grab hold of the music and become part of message they transmit. Harold
Wright was one, and Ricardo is another. His superb and seamless performance of
the Bozza Bucolique just floored me; but then to follow it with one marvelously
performed solo de concours after another is beyond words.

As a clarinet afficionado (I'm an engineer by training and profession), I can
relate to the aura that you have experienced and only wish that I could have
been there to witness the event at Muncy's. All the years of preparation,
sweat, and countless repetitions somehow disappear when put together in those
split seconds of execution and grace.

Again, well done. I applaud your writing the "list" of your experience and
would like to see more folks make an effort to do the same.

Many thanks,

Larry Greep
Portland, Oregon

Subject: Possible Clarinet Heaven
Author: XDPW41A@-----.COM at Internet
Date: 8/2/95 12:19 AM

It was Friday afternoon, July 28 and Ricardo Morales had just finished
rehearsing Weber's 2nd Clarinet Concerto with the combined orchestras of
the N.C. Symphony and the Cannon Music Camp in Boone, N.C. The place was
Phil Muncy's picturesquely situated woodwind shop, nestled in the
Appalachian Mountains just outside Boone, N.C. And the event was about
three and a half hours of clarinet talk, trying mouthpieces, ligatures,
barrels and Phil's fine hand adjusting instruments.

The participants: Ricardo Morales with seemingly indefatigable energy and
enthusiasm for the all things having to do with the clarinet (including
lots of answers and responses to this aging neophyte's questions and
observations); my teacher (and hence my presence) Mike Cyzewski of the N.C.
Symphony (trying an apparently endless inventory of barrels, mouthpieces
and ligatures); Jimmy Gilmore, Principal Clarinet of the N. C Symphony
getting some final adjustments to his just purchased pair of Buffets; a
fourth year Juliard student, Leslie Hensley who was also getting some final
adjustments to a pair of new Buffets; and David Kirby, the Cannon Music
Camp clarinet teacher who happened to have been a graduate student at
Cincinnati when Ricardo entered as a freshman.

The Event: possibly a small scale Clarinet Heaven (small scale relative to
those of you just returning from Arizona).

Observations: Positioned from the back or side as Ricardo tries
instruments, mouth pieces etc., he looks more like a power running fullback
than a clarinetist. But his repertoire of sounds include the most
delicately articulated, apparently effortless notes above high c
imaginable: notes that seem to float into audibility from an almost
undetectable pianissimo.

In conversation, restlessly roaming Phil's shop, Ricardo exuded nervous
energy a-midst rapid fire observations and responses to inquires, and one
might expect his playing to achieve new limits of tension and energy. But
I suppose all that have heard Ricardo know that some of the most exciting
aspects of his playing are in the exact opposite direction.

He played the Weber Concertino with the Camp Wind Ensemble Friday night and
the Concerto Saturday afternoon with the combined orchestras. My
impression is that the virtuosic quick articulations and runs through the
various registers in the first and third movements of both pieces are, from
the standpoint of virtuosity, almost a non-event for Ricardo-- conspicuous
only in their lack of ostentation, marked by the pure integrity of each
note. But the delicate sounds of the slow second movements are what
brought the audiences of frenetic campers and equally frenetic parents to a
hushed awe.

I thought some rudimentary information might be of interest to KLARINET
readers who aren't familiar with Ricardo. He doesn't seem to have grown up
under the solicitous eye of parents anxious to orchestrate his success.
He left his home in Puerto Rico at the age of fourteen when he moved to
Florida, and he received his early training within Puerto Rico's free music
education program.

One consequence of his late arrival to this country is that when trying to
say something really close to the heart of his notions of the clarinet one
senses a struggle between his native Spanish and the English language.
Having established that caveat, one senses that regardless of how Ricardo
might hesitate for a moment find the appropriate English, he seems to be an
artist who won Metropolitan Opera Orchestra's Principal Clarinet position
at the age of 22 while possessing the mental constructs and understanding
of at least a 50 year old in the certainly of what he wants in terms of
sound and musicality.

Throughout the afternoon Ricardo responded changes in his instruments
achieved through Phil's adjustments, various combinations of ligatures,
barrels and mouthpieces, and a fairly steady stream of inquires and
observations from the rest of the crowd at Muncy's. I learned later that
Ricardo's a big boxing fan, and the way he seemed to engage any issue of
refinement in sound or technique in execution with clear and decisive
opinions seemed to corroborate that personality trait.

I provide these comments solely in the spirit of information of potential
entertainment. And I certainly welcome corrections from those who know
Ricardo well as well as any observations on his Arizona performance or
other performances he might have recently given.

Bruce Hudson, XDPW41A@-----.com

Raleigh, NC