Klarinet Archive - Posting 000394.txt from 1996/10

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Detlev Schrader comments on Amodio
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 14:48:22 -0400

Detlev has commented on his remembrance of a recording of K. 581 by
the Italian clarinetist Luigi Amodio. While I have no information to
help him on this matter, it seems to me that we have never had a
discussion on the Italian clarinet school, particularly with reference
to contemporary Italian clarinet players.

We speak very often, and in glowing terms, of clarinetists in the
UK, France, and Germany, but hardly ever of Italian players and I
wonder why they are excluded from our conversations. I can think
of three reasons:

1. We have limited experience with these players since so
few opportunities exists for us to hear them. (And is there
significance to the fact that few recordings of Italian
players exist?)

2. There are no really distinguished clarinet players in
Italy. This is difficult to accept because of the long-
standing interest in all aspects of music in Italy,
particularly vocal and wind instrumental (woodwinds
especially).

3. The Italian school of clarinet playing has not been
integrated into the overall school of European/American
playing in the last 50 years, so what they play sounds,
in some respects, foreign to our ears (no pun intended).
I do not know why the Italian clarinet school is out on
a limb by itself, but my suspicion is that this is the
case.

That Italy produces some brilliant technicians, by any standards,
is not deniable. But is the schooling of an Italian clarinet
player equivalent to other European standards?

When I think of the US, I can certainly remember great Italian
players (really born in Italy) coming to America and having
fine careers. Gino Cioffi was one. Benny Amato at the Metropolitan
Opera was another. Jimmie Abato, also at the Met was a remarkable
player. And Al Galladoro was stupendous. But today, no major
orchestra in the US has a player trained in the Italian system.
Why is this so? Perhaps because American players are getting better.
Or is it that Italian trained players are now no longer as well
trained.

About 10 years ago I did a review of one of Italy's major players
who had recorded a work. I forget the work. Frankly, I was
shocked by the low standard of playing; i.e., the intonation was
terrible, the whole conception was out of the latter part of the
1800s. It was substandard playing. About 5 years ago, my wife
and I were in Rome and we heard one of Rome's important orchestras
and I came away equally unimpressed with the clarinet playing.

When I go to France or Germany, and certainly the UK, there is never
a moment that I feel that I am not among great clarinet players,
but I can't seem to find this in Italy.

Is it that my perspective is poor or has the standard in Italy
dropped over the last 50 years?

Who in America today would go to Italy to study clarinet? And with
whom would one study?

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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