Klarinet Archive - Posting 000469.txt from 1996/03

From: "Daniel A. Paprocki" <dap@-----.US>
Subj: To parrot or not to parrot. That is the question
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 21:12:39 -0500

Jacqueline,
That's a great idea. I aggree that a student should develope their
sound concept from their teacher, recordings, and live concerts. I've
always felt that I learned a phrase or an idea on musical shaping faster if
I heard it played. The same with tone. I like to think that the student
will listen to many clarinetists, sounds, and concepts and then assimilate
those that they like and disgard those that they don't care for (not that
they're bad - just not right for that person).
For that matter, should we listen to a recording of a piece when
we're learning it? This debate has gone on forever in the conducting world
- should you learn a piece with the record or formulate it in your mind?
I think with the typical student this parroting is invaluable. How
do you know where to shoot the arrows if you don't have a clear target.
After a time the student will have developed his/her own concept of how the
clarinet should sound by picking and choosing from their aural history of
clarinet sounds.
As far as imitating one player's interpretation, what's wrong with
that. It's a good start. How do you teach a student to play musically?
Some teachers feel that either the student has it or doesn't. I like to
give my students guides on how to phrase by showing them the "tricks of the
trade" in playing musical (I don't mean to make light the art of musical
playing but it's not some mystic magic - is it?) In order to build a house
you must first give them some tools. I feel anyone can be taught to play
musically. Most students are obsessed with technique and tone. Tone is
tone and technique gets boring, but if they can play musically - Yes!
By the way, since I have 3 parrot family birds (Indian Ringneck
parrakeet, Quaker parrakeet, and a budgerigar) I'm sort of an expert on
parroting. The parrot family has a greater ratio of brain to body weight
than chimpanzees and porpoises.

Dan

******************************************************************************

Daniel A. Paprocki
dap@-----.us

******************************************************************************