Klarinet Archive - Posting 000043.txt from 1997/07
From: "Michael D. Moors" <mdmoors@-----.us>
Subj: Re: Improvisation (2)
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 01:49:07 -0400
I prefer to add embellishments to "personalize" my solo. To tastefully
leap up and octave or add leading tones, passing tones and such. For some
reason K622 seems sacred to me and I pride myself in taking the section in
the rondo up an octave ;-) But feel more comfortable embellishing the
Weber's #1 or one of Stamitz works. Marcellus is the role model to me in
K622.
Mike
At 11:00 PM 7/1/97 -0400, you wrote:
>At 12:13 AM 6/15/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>Dan,
>>Please let me clarify myself. I do believe that adding embellishments to
>>music is very acceptable and is what makes a piece, such as the Mozart,
>>interesting to hear over again by different artists. I believe that this
>>was always done, certainly in Mozarts time. However, I have not been
>>accustomed to calling these added touches "improvisation". To me improv is
>>much more of an involved process than a turn, a neighboring tone, passing
>>tone, etc. Possibly I am wrong, and please correct me if I am, but I have
>>understood improv to be using the tonal structure of the written music and
>>actually changing the line, etc to be related to the piece being played
>>however very different in character. I have not been extensively
>>introduced to improv on clarinet and embellishments of any kind were
>>called just that. I recently played the Rossler Concerto and added a great
>>number of embellishments to make the piece bearable due to the repetition
>>of arpeggios, etc which were quite boring as played. I have not done a
>>great deal of investigation on changes on the Mozart, but did do extra
>>things to it when I played it to keep myself entertained. I do worry about
>>changing the character of the music. I believe that it was intended to
>>sound a certain way and anychanges that are made should remain in that
>>character and be compatible. Sorry to ramble. The Mozart is very close to
>>my heart. It really is a masterpiece.
>>Lynnette
>>--
>>Todd & Lynnette Staley
>>email: nette@-----.net
>>
>>----------
>>> From: Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
>>> To: klarinet@-----.us
>>> Subject: Re: Improvisation (2)
>>> Date: Saturday, June 14, 1997 8:46 AM
>>>
>>> > From: MX%"klarinet@-----.86
>>> > Subj: Re: Improvisation (2)
>>>
>>> > Craig,
>>> > Is there a really good reason that you feel the need to change the
>>Mozart?
>>> > I have never heard of anyone changing it. There are places for improv
>>but
>>> > 622 is not, IMHO one of them. If by improv, you mean adding turns,
>>etc, it
>>> > may be acceptable in spots but the piece has served many in the past
>>with
>>> > no changes at all.You really could change the character of the piece.
>>> > --
>>> > Todd & Lynnette Staley
>>> > email: nette@-----.net
>>>
>>> Todd, with great respect, I am forced to disagree with your thesis
>>which,
>>> if I understand it, suggests that K. 622, among other works of that
>>> era, should not be subject to performer created ornaments, instantan-
>>> eously created; i.e., improvised on the spot.
>>>
>>> On the contrary, I suggest to you that Craig's request is a very
>>> reasonable one, that it has serious historical precedent, and that
>>> any performer of that era was expected to do exactly that in any
>>> performance of not only solo works, but chamber music, and even
>>> orchestral playing.
>>>
>>> And let me make my point even more specific: doing this thing has
>>> nothing to do with the music needing it or not. The central issue
>>> rotates around the role of the soloist in the late 1700s; i.e.,
>>> was the player a reproducer of someone else's music, or what the
>>> player a participant in the creative process?
>>>
>>> You are correct when you state that "You could change the character
>>> of the piece" but that is nothing more than a challenge to
>>> improvise without doing that thing. It is for this reason
>>> that I am being so inquiring of Craig who simply says that
>>> he wants to do it. And if, with no understanding of the
>>> parameters involved, he simply goes ahead and does it, it is
>>> absolutely certain that what he will arrive at is something
>>> so badly out of character that anyone listening to it will
>>> say, "The guy is crazy."
>>>
>>> You have touched on the heart of problem when you agree that
>>> it might be OK to add turns here and there. The question is
>>> "What can you do, and where?" "How" comes later.
>>>
>>> But for you to suggest that it was not done in Mozart's time
>>> by every and any competent professional performer flies in
>>> the face of history.
>>>
>>>
>>> >
>>> > ----------
>>> > > From: Craig E. Countryman <cegc@-----.net>
>>> > > To: klarinet@-----.us
>>> > > Subject: Improvisation (2)
>>> > > Date: Saturday, June 14, 1997 8:54 AM
>>> > >
>>> > > Any information about either classical or jazz or both would be
>>great.
>>> > > For instance, in the Mozart Concerto. Also, if I need to improv
>>some
>>> > > jazz stuff where do I begin?
>>> =======================================
>>> Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
>>> Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
>>> leeson@-----.edu
>>> =======================================
>>
>>I may be wrong, but I thought we had agreed that when we referred to
> improvisation in classical music, for instance the Mozart Concerto we meant
> adding embellishments. This should not imply changing the character or
> meaning of the music. Jazz improvisation is another matter. Jazz
>improvisation
> implies usually changing the melody by using the chordal (not modal)
structure
> of the music and well, improvising! I really think we are confusing two
>different
> animals here. I think what is happening is that we are calling the
>embellishment
> and stylizing or personalizing of classical music improvisation and this
is
> confusing many of us who have a background in classical and jazz or swing
> or bebop or whatever.
> Marty
>
>
>
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Michael D. Moors
http://edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu/~mmoors/
