Klarinet Archive - Posting 000606.txt from 1998/07

From: Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] Solos - to play or not to play?
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 15:58:27 -0400

Dr. Lacy:
Almost invariably, the student will protest, "But, I already played that -
when I was in HIGH SCHOOL!" Most of them take it as a definite insult
that a professor will ask them or force them to play a piece which they
consider of a level of difficulty of a "high school" work. Then, when
they find out the level of detail with which I want them to consider the
work, they become bored or impatient or both.

Funny - I knd of went the other way. I became annoyed during lessons, but
intrigued at the same time (annoyed because it wouldn't be but another
four notes, and Dr. Borchert would stop me again, intrigued simply by how
much detail can seriously alter the piece). Now, granted, I hadn't played
any of these pieces in HS, as my HS career was 99% bass. But even still,
I had performed the Weber Concertino on bass! How dare I be forced to
play something as miniscule as the Bassi Nocturne or the first few
movements of Vaughan William's English Folksongs!

I went along with it because I was me, and he was he, and I knew that he
knew better. I was not really hearing the big differences that all these
minute details were making, but he sure was.

Then Dr. Borchert invited me to assist him in judging the district Solo
and Ensemble festival. I was going to hear these solos played by
'skilled' high schoolers. None of which who had the torture/benefit of
Dr. Borchert's constant nitpicking.

And my eyes were open wide. Technically, a lot of the works I heard were
fine...but the details, the little things, things I had spent weeks on
alone just perfecting, they weren't there, and it all came together.
Several students (including Josh, at the time) performed the Concertino
(although none of them were as arrogant as I to perform it on bass), and
although I had not trained under Dr. Borchert with it, I recognized every
point where minute details had to be included, and weren't. All those
performances were critically ripped to shreds in my mind - and yet, none
of them had performed it any worse than I did when I was in high school.

While students may get frustrated and annoyed with this 'back to the
elementary' method, it is vital, IMO. I would suggest to you, Dr. Lacy,
out of only my own experience, to continue to nitpick, and then have them
hear some high school players play the piece. Perhaps it will open their
eyes, just as it did mine.

For solos now? I'm a junior in college when August arrives, and I've
played mostly repertiore from the Voxman Concert and Contest, the Hite
Studies, the Baermann Divertimento, and the Rose Elegy. Nothing
outrageous yet. But that begins now. Over the summer I was handed the
Milhaud Duo Concertant (I'm surprised no one has suggested that to Chris
yet). When the semester resumes, I'm expected to begin work on the
Poulenc and the first Brahms sonata. I can expect to see the Saint-Saens
in the spring as well.

The Mozart? Dr. Borchert won't work with me on that yet, and I'm fully
aware that I'm no where near that piece as far as musicality goes.
Technically, I could learn it, but I still have a lot of maturing to do.

Perhaps younger students just move too fast, and that is why they get
offended and bored when you hand them 'high school' solos. But the way I
see it, if you can't learn perfection on the Bassi, how can you expect to
learn perfection on the Mozart? One must begin with the other.

Just my opinion, people.

Shouryu Nohe
Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe; ICQ 6771552
Coffee Drinker, Musician, Otaku, Jesus Freak, Admirer of Women
(Not necessarily in that order)
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"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."
- Max Lucado (The Eva quotes will return later. ^_^ )

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