Klarinet Archive - Posting 000642.txt from 1998/07

From: "Jay D. Webler" <webler@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: The Mozart concerto and Mark - or _any_ young student
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 00:45:00 -0400

As I read all of these comments on the Mozart Clarinet Concerto I don't
know whether
I should feel proud or deceived. My first introduction to the this
wonderful concerto was when
I was 13 years in the 9th grade. My teacher gave it to me at the end of
my ninth year so that I would
have time to prepare the 1st movement for a contest in my Sophmore
year. At that time (1966) it was only rated a grade 5. My teacher
believed that it should be grade 6 but felt I could handle it.

When he would go over it with me, I remember that he would spend a great
deal of time on the musical
interpretation and proper phrasing. Often we would not get get past the
first 8 measures during a lesson.
I managed to get a A rating with my first attempt. By my Senior year
the Mozart was upgraded to a grade
6 solo (where it belongs) and I performed it again, and once again I
recieved an A. (In my junior year I played the Weber 2nd Clarinet
Conceto. That's another story). It is now 30 years later and I am still
pulling it out. I am now taking lessons from a reputable player in a
large metropolitan area and she is reminding me of the things which my
general teacher taught me when I first saw this concerto. I did not go
to College to study music, so I am thankful that my teacher introduced
me to the Mozart when he did. It would be a memory that I wouldn't have
if my teacher had decided that I should wait until my senior year in
college before I could attempt the Mozart.

I do not how teachers teach solos in the public schools today. If they
just hand the Solo to student and leave it up to them to figure it out,
than perhaps it would be better if they waited. It makes me more
thankful
for the teacher I had. Even though he was a general music teacher, who
played trumpet, his dedication
and knowledge was a great aid to me. However, I wonder how inflated
these competition ratings are. It's not very helpful to and individual
receives a high rating if it does not truly reflect reality. Is the
system designed to make students feel good, or is it an honest appraisel
of their actual ability?

Jay Webler

Edwin V. Lacy wrote:
>
> As some of you know, from time to time I teach all the woodwinds. In the
> case of all our instruments (except the saxophone - thus far at least I
> haven't been subjected to Mozart for saxophone) I find it very difficult
> to deal with a situation where a high school student has played the Mozart
> concerto (or concertos in the case of the flute).

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