Klarinet Archive - Posting 000440.txt from 1997/07

From: rteitelbaum@-----.com (Rob Teitelbaum)
Subj: RE: How do you smear?
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 13:10:43 -0400

Craig,

I'm not very good at describing this technique (nor am I often very good
at executing it), but you might want to check the Klarinet archives on
Sneezy, as a number of list members in the past have given some excellent
descriptions of how to execute a glissando. (Actually, portamento in this
case.) You might try searching under combinations of terms like
"gliss(ando)", "Gershwin", "Rhapsody in Blue", "Copland", etc.

I will say, though, that one way to make the Copland gliss more
manageable is to do a fast chromatic run from the A to a C2 or D2. From
there, smearing to the D3 is relatively easy. I don't think it's even as
hard as the Rhapsody in Blue opening, because here you don't have to
remove all your fingers. As for the initial chromatic run, it would
probably be covered by the orchestra, and if not, I don't think anyone
would think less of your performance. Anyone who can play the rest of
that piece well has my respect, whether or not they do a perfect A to D
gliss at the end!

Rob Teitelbaum
rteitelbaum@-----.com