Klarinet Archive - Posting 000303.txt from 1996/09

From: thehat@-----.ORG
Subj: Neil L./reeds
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 23:37:36 -0400

In a message dated 09-05-96 INTERNET: peter.stoll=UTO wrote to ** ALL **:
Ip> I believe all in support of this. I wonder if anyone out there feels
Ip> as I do that reeds are, as the principal source of sound generation,
Ip> critical to a player; I myself have noted much variation in what some
Ip> of the "big name" players I've heard have been able to do depending
Ip> on their reeds. Anyone out there agree with this? Cheers!

I think you're taking what I said one step too far. I didn't say that the
best players would play identically on any reed. I meant that whether or not
such a player had a good reed, he/she would still be a great clarinet player
and be easily identifiable as such. See the difference? For instance, if an
orchestra plays a run-out concert at a high (or low) altitude relative to
what is considered normal for him/her, there is no way that he/she will feel
(and possibly sound) as good as normal. However, the player's professionalism
and musicianship will ultimately cover for what, in an inexperienced or weak
player, would cause a total breakdown.

I heard Harold Wright play the Brahms Trio in Chicago several years ago. The
hall was the Civic Theater, which has terrible, dry acoustics. It's very hard
to play in. It was also freezing in the hall that night. I am sure Wright was
not happy with how he played, but it was still a very good performance by any
standard. Even if Wright was unhappy, I am sure 99.9% of all clarinetists out
there wish they could give ONE performance in their lives that good.

Any professional player will sound somewhat different from day to day. Most
players change gradually during their careers as well. Listen to early and
late Marcellus. You'll hear a clear difference. Part of this is no doubt due
to his physical problems (he had all his teeth removed in the late 60's for
instance) but most of it was his concept developing, since his career didn't
last long enough for his playing to begin to deteriorate, as happens with
some older musicians.

BTW, the afm board hasn't received messages for a week or so, and I've missed
some of the responses to what I wrote. Anyone care to forward them to me?

David Hattner
clarinetist-at-large, NYC

-> Alice4Mac 2.5d3 E QWK Eval:04Feb96
Origin: Hat's Nut House

   
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