Klarinet Archive - Posting 000551.txt from 1996/03

From: B HUDSON <XDPW41A@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: What type of sound carries?
Date: Thu, 21 Mar 1996 11:35:01 -0500

>I am just a students, but in my experiences, it isn't so much dark or
>bright, but focus. If you have a focused sound that is in tune, it has a
>tendency to cary much better. For example, my teacher, Mr. Grant >(principal
>clarinet of the Rochester Phil) has a rather dark sound, yet it still
>projects. On the flip side, Mitchell Lurie has a much brighter sound but
>it projects too. The common thread here is a focused sound

>Ben Maas

Ben, I'm worse than "just a student." I'm an adult beginning student, and
as already suggested the pros will take offense at such vague notions and
bright, dark and focused (although I hear very advanced professional string
players using such language all the time with no apparent ambiguity-- I
cite Colin Carr and Brian Manker (principal cello NC Symphony) comparing
cellos in my front room a few weeks ago. However, in the spirit of
anything to avoid preparing my taxes, and with the possibility representing
overly obsessive beginners I'll throw in my 1 and 1/2 cents worth. For me
the issue of focus is best demonstrated playing scales-- say the Klose
series with which I seem to spend a substantial portion of my practicing
life. Again for me the the shape of the oral cavity, which apparently is
primarily determined by what nature give us coupled with the syllable
pronounced in creating the sound, is at least as important as supporting
the sound. (I'm a fairly large guy with an aggressive approach so
"supporting the sound" isn't the major problem-- relaxing with it might be
another matter.) But relaxing brings up item number two-- tension in the
tongue seems to distort focus rather easily, and seems to be such an
automatic thing to do if you're not thinking about it.

I'm not sure that penetrating the concert hall is the problem. Last
Saturday I heard Kelly Burke, Clarinet Professor at UNCG, play
Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimmini-- a piece who's clarinet licks are its
only redeeming feature in my opinion-- with the Greensboro Symphony (oh I
know not the Dallas Symphony etc.) Her sound is focused, that is it
remains beautiful across the registers, but more importantly the musical
statement remained relaxed and absolutely convincing. The experience is of
something beautiful as opposed to some ego ridden clarinet intrusion.
Since the evening included Shostakovich's 1st Cello Concerto-- featuring
stunning clarinet parts against the solo cello line, especially the second
movement-- I guarantee you that nobody left the hall worrying about the
weak clarinet presence. I don't have to look far afield regionally to find
players who will move you back on your seat from within the symphony, but
they are not beautiful-- musically they don't convince, they intrude. For
me it's a case of their approximating where the sound and music was going--
never quite being there. And I'm talking professional players with
significant credentials.

Bruce Hudson, xdpw41a@-----.com

Raleigh, NC