Klarinet Archive - Posting 000226.txt from 1996/03

From: niethamer@-----.BITNET
Subj: Re: clarinet tone in orchestras
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 23:40:55 -0500

Dan Paprocki wrote:

> Are we as clarinetists too obsessed with darkness? Everyone wants to
> sound like Wright or Leister...

Having heard both, and understanding the limitations of the verbal
characterization, I wouldn't say either player was particularly "dark"
sounding. Ditto for Marcellus, who I only heard at his Master Classes
well after he had retired form Cleveland. But all three of these players,
while having their own distinctive sounds, had beautifully balanced
sounds, with great depth of tone, but with a component of "highs" in the
sound that allowed it to cary to the very back of the hall when necessary.

I heard Marcellus take a student in the Master Class to task for sounding
too dark and tubby!

I think that in general we're too obsessed with technical aspects of
playing, and not enough concerned with music. The technical stuff is
important, but it's important to keep in mind that it's only the building
blocks which we use to make music. (Sorry - it's hard to be coherent at
this hour - hope no English teachers read this list!!)

David Niethamer