Klarinet Archive - Posting 000712.txt from 1998/02

From: Agrenci@-----.com
Subj: Re: Re: Working with singers
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 03:42:35 -0500

In a message dated 2/18/98 6:01:16 PM, Jacqueline Eastwood wrote:

>Yes, Dan, unfortunately, it's true. Singers in general, and soprani, in
>particular, have a tendency to drag more than instrumentalists do. I
>don't know whether it's because they work so often with pianists who are
>used to following their "interpretations". Sometimes the problem is
>caused by physical distance, esp. with the Opera Chorus, for example. I
>often think they are unaware of the discrepancy, which doesn't help. You
>might point this out if you can do so tactfully, but my experience with
>singers has been that you will reach a happy medium at best (i.e., you
>will end up doing more of the adapting!). I've done a few chamber pieces
>with singers (Shepherd on the Rock, Spohr 6 German Songs, etc.) and found
>this to be the case every time.
>
>Just remember, they're "emoting"..........
>
>Jacqueline Eastwood
>University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
>eastwooj@-----.edu

I feel I must step up to bat for singers everywhere, who are obviously not
reading this list. True, there are singers who simply have bad rhythm (as is
true for clarinetists BTW) and perhaps Dan has the misfortune of being stuck
with one of these. On the other hand, I think that many instrumentalists
should learn that a _metronome_ is a great _pedagogical tool_, but a
_terrible musician_. I have had the equally dreadful misfortune of playing
chamber music with wind players who seemed to think that rubato was a dirty
word, and that any slight slowing or speeding of tempo was a moral afront to
all things holy. This is an interpretive approach which _may_ be correct for
Stravinsky, but is certainly "out to lunch" for most of the 18th and 19th
century repertoire.

And regarding another posting on this topic. MARCHING BAND INDEED!!! I hope I
never meet a singer whose performance of Shepherd on the Rock is informed by
marching band experience.

Andy Grenci