Klarinet Archive - Posting 000604.txt from 1998/01

From: "reedy" <mwhight@-----.uk>
Subj: RE Vibrato
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 05:25:05 -0500

Several things occured to me about the use of vibrato.

In the classical context vibrato is an inappropriate expressive device
simply because we can say with some certainty that it was unknown on the
classical clarinet. It is impossibl to vibrato on a classical clarinet with
a classical mouthpiece(Grenser or Simiot) and so there seems little
justification for it.

For Romantic style it is another matter altogether. Vibrato here can be used
effectively in espressivo but by the same token so can non vibrato.Take for
instance the first movement of Brahms 4 . Towards the end of the movement
here is a short pause before the winds play a transformation of the main
theme- on the clarinet the notes are c,A,F# and Eb-know the bit? Here the
use of non vibrato by all the winds is more expressive than with.

I guess my attitude to vibrato is that it should be used as a device and
should not form a part of someone's sound otherwise it becomes the norm and
therefore inexpressive. Some people would argue that singers would not dream
of singing without vibrato and that it does form the basis of a core sound
to which you either add more vibrato or less. Arguable but not to my taste.

A particularly good example use of vibrato in my opinion is De Peyer's
recording of the Schmitt Andantino with Cyril Preedy where there is a
seamless change of colour by the use of vibrato and which is a natural
response to the needs of the music.

I also have a particular problem at the moment with regard to use of
vibrato.I am recording the Ebony Concerto on Sunday with Robert Craft and am
still unsure whether to use vibrato or not.Or if I do use vibrato ,what kind
should it be?

My apprehensions are based on the fact that this piece falls in an
uncomfortable territory between jazz and neoclassic style.If I use too much
vibrato will I be sending the piece up and not allowing the piece to express
it's parody of jazz? If I don't use any I'm afraid that it will be too
square. Here the question of vibrato is not a clear one.Any suggestions will
be gratefully received.
Michael Whight