Klarinet Archive - Posting 000164.txt from 1997/06

From: Gary Young <gyoung@-----.com>
Subj: RE: what to listen to
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997 12:50:28 -0400

Alan--

Here are some thoughts for your consideration.

Get and study the book "Casals and the Art of Interpretation," by David
Blum. It is published by the University of California Press; I got mine
for $6.95. I don't know if it is in print -- I think I saw one at the
local Borders a few weeks ago, but my memory is quite unreliable.

Books are ordinarily not much help with musical interpretation, but I think
this one's an exception. You could listen to some recordings by Casals
(either on cello or conducting, e.g. the great Marlboro recordings he made)
as you read the book, to hear what the book describes. For all his
technical flaws, compared to today's flawless (but often soulless)
musicians, I think Casals is a great and exciting artist because of his
interpretation. At the very least, reading the book will help you learn to
ask good questions about phrasing, articulation and dynamics; you always
have to find your own answers, but sometimes you can learn the questions
from others.

Compare recordings of the same piece by different artists, to see how
differently they perform the same passages. (Have the music in front of
you.) This can yield astonishing results. Ask yourself whose
interpretation you like, and WHY.

When you get a new piece, work on it without listening to anyone else
playing it, until you have formed your own idea of how it should go --
tempo, shape of line, dynamics, everything you can think of, down to the
micro-level. Then start listening to others (recordings or live), and
compare your interpretation with theirs. Ask yourself if you like what
they do better than what you have arrived at, and why.

The clarinet is your voice. Listen to and learn all you can from great
vocal artists (try Dawn Upshaw), including great folk, blues and pop
singers (you can learn a lot from Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday or Bonnie
Raitt or Ani di Franco, for instance, but probably not much from Bob Dylan,
though I love him anyway). If you are working on the Mozart concerto or
quintet, listen to his late operas.

Take a passage (say the clarinet entrance in mvmt 1 of the Mozart Concerto)
and ask yourself how many different ways -- not "correct" ways, just
different ways -- you can think of to play it. Actually play it those ways
(as you practice, not in performance!), and see how they feel. After you
have a sense of how many ways the same passage can be played, then start
asking which ones you prefer, and why. (I don't mean to suggest you
disregard the composer's intentions, so far as they are discoverable.)

I don't teach clarinet and I feel a bit awkward making these suggestions,
but I hope you find them useful. Keep your ears open, ask questions all
the time, and be patient with yourself. Good luck!

Gary Young
Madison, WI

----------
From: SCHEER@-----.ca]
Subject: what to listen to

I've been playing the clarinet for about ten years now..taking
lessons..just completed a Grade nine exam here in CAnada which
is three from the top you can go. I find my technique is improving
quite well but I have a tremendous amount of difficulty with
phrasing and musicality. Many people have suggested I need to listen
to more recordings. I do have a few recordings..the Weber, a few
Mozarts..Copeland's..but I don't know what to listen to in order
to really improve my appreciation of music and my ability to phrase
things intelligently.

If anyone can help with suggestions I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,

Alan Scheer
scheer@-----.ca

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