Klarinet Archive - Posting 000397.txt from 1998/04

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Rhapsody Slur
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 19:44:35 -0400

I have performed the Rhapsody about 5 times, and have been told I get a
pretty good glissando. When I do it, there are 2 factors:

1. Slide fingers off tone holes; and

2. Very much LOOSEN jaw pressure--as you tighten it back up, the
pitch will rise up to the C.

I don't get the advice about tuning flat--I find it impossible to lip
anything up more than 10 cents or so, but can lip down almost a half
step. Tuning on the sharp side forces you to use less pressure--always
a good thing. If you are tuned a little flat, you have to bite all the
time, which is not good for tone.

This is particularly apppropriate for Eb. At a master class I attended
once, a student asked John Bruce Yeh how he managed to play a
particularly difficult excerpt in tune--those of you who play the little
guy know that the altissimo can be very flat. Rather sheepishly, he
explained that he fingered the passage 1/2 step higher than written and
lipped it down. (I have since used this technique a number of times in
a pinch--altho have yet to sould as good as he does ;-)

kjf

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Jason Hsien" <jasonavhs@-----.com>
Subject: Rhapsody Slur
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 20:07:44 -0700

I'd like to first off thank everyone for their advice with the Rovner
ligature. I've decided to just grease it every few months, rather than
break
it and buy a new one.

ANyway, I personally don't play this part, but would like to know how if
I
ever have to. In Rhapsody in Blue, the Lead clarinetists has a trill and
a
slur from low G to high C. I see the lead clarinetist do it every time,
and
when I try, it always sounds like I'm just hitting every note
individually.
The lead can't explain how it's done, she just does. Anyone who's played
the
piece, can you give me any advice? Should I just chromatic up the scale
slurring, or is there something I can do with my embouchure? The obvious
thing is to loosen, but loosening your embouchure only goes so far
(which is
probably why they tell us that if you have to tune out of key, tune
flat,
not sharp)

Thanks for any help you can give me on this!

Jason Hsien
Student, Amador Valley High School
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