Klarinet Archive - Posting 000204.txt from 1997/12

From: "Tahna Britton" <tahnab@-----.com>
Subj: Re: De Peyer
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 12:40:58 -0500

Okay, I understand this, that's very true and a good point. Performance
practice is a good way to get a start on what the composer had in mind when
writing the piece though, isn't it? It's a good place to start determining
what the style of a piece should be, even if we can't be sure exactly what
the composer had in mind.

----------
> From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Cc: leeson@-----.edu
> Subject: Re: De Peyer
> Date: Friday, December 05, 1997 6:54 AM
>
> But Tahna,
>
> I think what Dan was trying to point out is that, short of a letter or
> some specific reference to a specific work that spells it out, there is
no
> way (study of composer, time period, etc.) to know for sure what the
> composer had in mind.......if he didn't write that information down - for
> example, if Mozart had written to a dear friend...."I recently wrote the
> XX concerto for Clarinet, and originally thought of a 32 Key Clarinet
with
> a tapered bore and undercut tone holes with a dark sound and a thick reed
> - no edge - just a beautiful warm, chocolately color about it....blah
blah
> blah" - we would still be somewhat in the dark as to what he wanted. He
> never wrote that kind of stuff down in any great detail....and we don't
> even know if dark meant what WE hear as dark today.....(what is dark
> anyway????).
>
> Yes indeed, study study study so you understand performance practice, but
> we still will not know absolutely what Mozart or any other composer of
> prerecorded history had in mind unless they wrote down specifically what
> it was.
>
> Roger Garrett
> IWU
>
> On Thu, 4 Dec 1997, Tahna Britton wrote:
>
> > Isn't that why we are suppose to study the composer and the time
period in
> > which the piece was written? For instance, the very short, very
unheard of
> > piece that I am doing for juries, Sarabande by William Corbett, is
> > obviously a Sarabande, and a Sarabande is traditionally a grave and
> > dignified dance in slow triple meter. If I played in one, like a
waltz,
> > or very fast and cheerful, I obviously wouldn't be playing the piece
like
> > the composer wanted it to be played. Am I correct or not? Also, the
tempo
> > marking, whether the notes are legato, staccato, marcato, etc., and the
> > dynamic markings all give clues as to what the style is.
> >
> > ----------
> > > From: Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
> > > To: klarinet@-----.us
> > > Subject: Re: De Peyer
> > > Date: Thursday, December 04, 1997 3:02 PM
> > >
> > > > From: MX%"klarinet@-----.77
> > > > Subj: Re: De Peyer
> > >
> > > > Makes sense to me. It would be improper to play Dixeland music
with
> > the
> > > > same tone and style as a Mozart ( for example) piece. The style
that
> > the
> > > > composer had in mind should be strived for.
> > >
> > > That's a nice statement. Like motherhood and apple pie. But how do
you
> > > know what style the composer had in mind? Who decides that. Where
is
> > > the international style governing body who concludes what that style
> > > is and puts out rules on it?
> > >
> > > Dan Leeson
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > ----------
> > > > > From: J. Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@-----.edu>
> > > > > To: klarinet@-----.us
> > > > > Subject: Re: De Peyer
> > > > > Date: Thursday, December 04, 1997 4:54 PM
> > > > >
> > > > > Sort of a reply to Dan:
> > > > >
> > > > > I shall first start off by stating that what I am about to say is
my
> > > > > opinion, and that's all. You may also consider it a vague shot
in
> > the
> > > > > dark.
> > > > >
> > > > > While a tone should represent your voice, etc etc, I feel that a
true
> > > > > performer should know how to play with the correct, classical
> > standard
> > > > > that we constantly get pounded upon--"Why don't you sound like
that
> > all
> > > > > the time???" and stuff. The reason I say this, is that as a
> > performer, I
> > > > > want the audience to hear my style, my voice, yes...but what they
> > should
> > > > > hear first is Mozart's voice, Rossini's voice, Weber's voice,
etc.
> > > > > I believe the personal creativity and uniqueness of playing
should
> > > > > NEVER come at the sacrifice of the composers original intentions.
> > > > > Remember, oftimes some of the audience to don't come to hear Bob
> > Smith
> > > > > live with the Alabama Banjo Choir. They come to hear the
works--the
> > > > > music, not the performer, draws me to the concert. And I expect
to
> > hear
> > > > > the music as it was written--as the composer intended. And the
vast
> > > > > majority of clarinet works written were written with the full,
> > focused,
> > > > > rich tone in mind. I feel if you do not play these works with
such a
> > > > > sound, then you are not doing the composer any justice--rather,
you
> > just
> > > > > want to show off your fast fingers (as the case often is).
> > > > >
> > > > > Like I said, my opinion. I shall grab some fireproof clothing,
as I
> > do
> > > > > not doubt that flames may surely be headed my way...
> > > > >
> > > > > Shouryu
> > > > >
> > > > > Coming soon! A whole new Dope-onna-rope! That's right! Shouryu
is
> > > > > changing EVERYTHING!!! A new signature with new and improved
design!
> > A
> > > > > new web page with...>gasp<...USEFUL STUFF! Stay tuned in the
winter
> > when
> > > > > Warm Up gets a whole new makeover!!! http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe
> > > > > (This does not mean, however, that Shouryu has a girlfriend yet.)
> > > =======================================
> > > Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
> > > Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
> > > leeson@-----.edu
> > > =======================================
> >