Klarinet Archive - Posting 001275.txt from 1997/09

From: "C Henderson" <chenderson@-----.au>
Subj: Re: difference?
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 22:00:42 -0400

Charles said:
> If you had all of the major orchestral clarinetists play the same excer=
pt
> behind a screen, would you, could you, should you, be able to tell who'=
s who?
>
I'd say yes, yes, and yes - because just as creative talent is individual=
ly recognisable (telling the difference between Mozart and Beethoven, for=
example) so is interpretive talent. If you can't tell who's who, I'd =
argue it's probably more because we don't know enough of each person's =
sound/tone/playing style rather than because we shouldn't. Besides, from=
the performance point of view, when you play a piece, you're putting the=
whole gamut of your own experience and feeling for the piece into the =
performance of it. That will naturally result in a different sound to =
someone else, who brings different experiences to their playing. Perhaps=
the reverse question, which really made *me* realise what the answer sho=
uld be, is "should we all be aiming to sound the same?" If not, the answ=
er to your question *has* to be yes.

Clare
*******************************************************
Clare Pascoe Henderson
variously clarinetist, writer/lecturer, herbalist
chook fanatic and menagerie manager
<chenderson@-----.au>
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