Klarinet Archive - Posting 000856.txt from 1997/05

From: Everett Austin <austine@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: forked B/F# key
Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 09:24:42 -0400

I really like Mr Galper's book on scales, which is similar to Albert's
without the triplet seconds, but with several interesting bonuses:
explicit alternate fingerings for each line (above and below), special
sections on unusual fingering options including all possible slides, and
a fingered rendition of Klose's "finger-twisters". The slide you
mention is very useful in the first movement of the Brahm's quintet
(descending figure with cello) to avoid a poor slur (f-f#-d). Once you
are used to it it is easy.

Everett Austin

'On Thu, 29 May 1997, Jay E. Niepoetter wrote:

> I have recently been looking for good beginner clarinet book for
> students. I purchased Avrahm Galper's Clarinet for beginner series,
> published by Boosey and Hawkes. I have respected Mr. Galper and his
> students for some time now. He was formerly P. Cl. with the Toronto
> Symphony. Anyway... he teaches to slide from the forked B/F# key
> (chromatic B -- some people call it the knife key) down to the 3rd tone
> hole.
>
> Example -- in the low register: A#-B-G
>
> I was always taught to use the middle finger for B natural when it is
> followed by a note that use the 3rd tone hole in the left hand. I find
> using the forked fingering fairly awkward, but maybe its just because
> I'm not familiar with doing the slide. If I could develop this
> fingering smoothly it could become a very useful technique.
>
> My question is more a survey... Do you use the slide off the knife key,
> or the switch to the middle finger to play this passage?
>
> Just curious,
> J
>
>