Klarinet Archive - Posting 000474.txt from 1998/01

From: GTGallant <GTGallant@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Player ratings
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 1998 00:40:32 -0500

My ratings were based on a partial list of players I admire (except Leister
and possibly Shiffrin). In order to receive a high rating (10), the performer
had to be exceptional. Jonathan Cohler and Charles Neidich tied for first. I
have heard both many times live and have nearly all their recordings. They
are the masters and are above and beyond any player today. There is not a
thing they cannot do. If a piece of music exists, I'm sure they've played
it...or can learn it in a minute or two! I do prefer Cohler overall, because
he never overrides the music with too much technical wizardry - sometimes
Neidich can. Listen to his recordings and compare them to other players.
They are unbelievable and as close to pefection as recordings will allow.
Neidich is the virtuoso showboat, a throwback to the past. He is exactly what
a firey soloist (IMHO) should be. These two performers should be talked of
more. We have much to learn from them.

Stolzman was rated third. Stolzman is a great performer, but his technique
and tone are wild at times - he will be the first to admit his shortcomings.
This does not effect his star, though. He is an enigma in the clarinet world.
There hasn't been a clarinetist this century who has generated such popularity
among the general public.

Paul Meyer came in fourth, just short of Stolzman. Meyer has extremely clean
technique and has built a vast repetoire. He is not very expressive, though.
His tone is ok - albeit air leaky - but the dynamics are small, like an
orchestral player. I can't see him improving on musicianship or sound in the
future.

Shiffrin was fifth. I have a few of his recordings and find them passable.
Not too expressive and a little stiff. His tone is nice but as Meyer, no
dynamic range. His technique doesn't seem to be up to par with Meyer, but
beats Stolzmans. I rate him as an average player.

Leister was sixth and thrown in just for comparison. It is great that he made
such a lengthy career playing clarinet. He does have a nice, in tune, focused
tone and ample technique. Maybe that's the only requirement in the Berlin
Phil, I don't know. I believe he is as close to a synthesized robot as the
clarinet world has ever seen. I personally do not like electronic music and
feel MIDI is for computers, not people.

Thank you all for listening to my diatribe.