Klarinet Archive - Posting 000680.txt from 1997/07

From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Eb clarinet woes
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 22:19:38 -0400

On Sun, 20 Jul 1997, Sarah B. Horney wrote:

> Hello. I'm a high school student (I'll be a SENIOR in the fall), and I
> have a bit of a dilemma. I have been playing the Eb soprano clarinet for
> two years in band, but practicing it for four. Next year, my band
> director told me that the first chair position is mine, if I want it.
> Even though I would love to be first chair, I am addicted to the Eefer.
> My band director has also exiled me to the fourth row with the tubas and
> euphoniums because he says that although I have a beautiful sound, I'm
> too loud. I have listened to recordings of our concerts made from the
> very back of the auditorium as well as right off the stage, and I can
> only hear my part if I listen very hard for it. (This was especially
> annoying in Slava! You'll understand if you've heard it.) Anyway, I
> would like to know which road I should take (Bb or Eb) as it will affect
> my practice schedule.
>
> Have fun!
>
> Sarah
>
My own personal experience is that playing E-flat is a heck of a lot more
fun!! In a typical band, there are several people on each clarinet part
-- OK, so maybe the first-chair player gets a solo once in a while, but
the E-flat player gets them all the time. Of course some of them might be
unintended.....

I flat-out refused to play in the Wind Ensemble as a doctoral student
unless I could play E-flat. It's the only way I could stay even remotely
interested in what was going on around me -- rather a mediocre bunch, I'm
afraid. We rehearsed William Byrd Suite into the ground -- and I just
LOVE that E-flat part!! What a treat, but it takes some real control and
finesse.

Can you find a teacher in your area to help you specifically with the
E-flat? Sounds like your band director is suffering from the typical
attitude that E-flat clarinet is loud and screechy and that's all it is
capable of doing! Work for a nice, blending sound quality (in addition to
the stridency called for on occasion!) and you will go farther if you
decide to continue on into college. It IS more difficult to play soft and
with a blended sound -- there's your challenge!!

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu