Klarinet Archive - Posting 001430.txt from 1998/05

From: <Maestro645@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Please help me / Chalumeau / clarion etc
Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 11:17:54 -0400

In a message dated 5/29/98 Lee Hickling wrote:

> Nowadays the notes up to G are usually thought of as being part of the
> upper or clarion register. High G# up to the second C about the staff
> (written) have come to be called altissimo. Klose' said high G was the
> reasonable limit of the instrument, and advised against going higher. To
> judge by some of the posts here on the Klarinet list, there are a few
> students out there, and possibly even some professionals, who spend time
> trying to produce the altissimo notes, probably to impress other
> clarinetists. Their time would be better spent blowing long tones and
> playing tech exercises, scales and arpeggios.

I didn't expand my range to impress anyone. In fact in my concert band you
have to be first chair trumpet to impress anyone, even if you make All-State
and the trumpeter has not (can you sense a slight touch of bitterness there?).
But, seriously, I worked on getting higher notes because music calls for it
now. For example, you need a larger range to play Weber's 2nd Concerto, Sphor
Concertos, Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe, and Ginastera's Variaciones Concertantes
(a piece I have recently ordered, and found goes up to double high D).
I've also found out that the higher you play, the better developed your lower
notes are (well, at least it is for me). For example, before my altissimo F,
F#, G was not as great as I wanted them to be (I'm very picky), but when I
went higher, those notes sounded better when played.
Chris Hoffman

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