Klarinet Archive - Posting 000052.txt from 1996/02

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Improvisation and other things that clarinetists don't do
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 1996 08:30:07 -0500

Jonathan,
*AMEN* IN SPADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for seconding what
I've been preaching for years to anyone who will listen. We really have a
problem in the clarinet world when our definition of a great clarinetist is
one who can play all the notes in "Daphnis". I have only heard a handful of
clarinetists in my life who even start to approach the standard
amount of musical artistry expected of *any* concert violinist under major
management today.

Fred Jacobowitz

On Thu, 1 Feb 1996, Jonathan Cohler wrote:

> At 4:36 PM 1/29/96, ncrocker@-----.EDU wrote:
> >> But that brings me back to the question: What's to discuss? :-)
> >
> >Why not discuss this? Sure, so most of can agree that improvisation in
> >performances of Mozart's music is required. How many musicians can *do*
> >it? How many performances and recordings involve spontaneous
> >improvisation? As I do a mental inventory of the recordings and
> >performances I have heard of Mozart's music, I can think of only a few.
> >I think it's part of playing Mozart correctly. I also think that those
> >who do it are still in the minority.
> >
> >It seems to me that somewhere along the line, people stopped improvising,
> >and with the recent interest in authenticity, the practice is being
> >revived. Is this true? How do we learn to improvise? If all of us with
> >half a brain can agree that Mozart REQUIRED improvisation, then why
> >is it that most musicians don't perform it that way? If it's so
> >obviously necessary to performance, and not done frequently (or
> >well) then why shouldn't we discuss it?
> >
> >Nichelle Crocker
> >
> >
>
> I agree completely.
>
> When I said, "What's to discuss?" I was emphasizing (through irony) the
> point that this should indeed be the very center of our discussion and our
> mission as clarinetists. This is one of many problems that I see with the
> present world of clarinet playing.
>
> Very few players do it (improvisation in classical music, that is), and,
> clearly, all should. It goes along with the many other things that most
> clarinetists don't do, and should. And it falls back in the laps of
> clarinet teachers that don't know how to do it (and should), and therefore
> don't teach it.
>
> Let's take a few examples. How many clarinetists do you know that:
>
> 1. Produce and use all kinds of vibrato well?
> (Did you ever know a violinist, cellist, oboist or flutist that
> was not taught vibrato?)
>
> 2. Circular breath?
> (Do you know any professional violinists that cannot play
> double stops or saltando bowing?)
>
> 3. Double tongue?
> (Do you know any cellists that cannot play spiccato?)
>
> 4. Play difficult concertos from memory?
> (Do you know any pianists that use music when performing
> Rachmaninov's 2nd Concerto?)
>
> 5. Play expressively and with great color?
>
> 6. Improvise in appropriate contexts?
>
>
> I think all of this points to the fact that the general musicianship level
> of the clarinet playing profession is substantially lower than that of
> other instruments.
>
> And one of the causes of this, in my opinion, is the overly orchestral bent
> of clarinet pedagogy. In other words, we spend too much time in music
> schools working on orchestral excerpts and not enough time on solo and
> chamber music, and score analysis, and study of OTHER instrumental writing
> or voice writing....
>
> I know severally highly reputed, very well known, clarinet teachers that
> will actually have their students spend entire years (sometimes two or
> three) doing nothing but orchestral excerpts! What a waste! (How many
> violinists, pianists, sopranos, cellists, harpsichordists, gazoo players do
> you know that do this?)
>
> This is not music making.
>
> We have institutionalized the mechanisms to keep clarinetists musically and
> technically handicapped. Until we change the institutions, it won't
> change.
>
> Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! But those are the sad facts.
>
> --------------------
> Jonathan Cohler
> cohler@-----.net
>