Klarinet Archive - Posting 000956.txt from 1999/01

From: "Dannene Kulp" <dannene@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] PLAYING WITH THE REED "UP'!
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 09:03:26 -0500

it's interesting that they thought it gave them superior articulation
because the main reason for switching the reed to the bottom was the poor
articulation!

-----Original Message-----
From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Date: Monday, January 18, 1999 9:28 PM
Subject: [kl] PLAYING WITH THE REED "UP'!

>Playing with reed "UP"!
>
>
>Part of this article appeared in the Clarinet symphony quarterly in
>1954. It is attributed to Jim Collis, the editor of that magazine
>
>Playing with the reed turned up is common in Italy today.
>Some of the great names in the history of the clarinet are those players
>who played this way.
>Lebanchi,Carulli and Luigi Bassi to mention only a few.
>The players were quite firm in their belief that theirs is decidedly the
>superior method and they hasten to explain why.
>Firstly, they maintain, they are untroubled by the fuzziness of the
>tone resulting from excessive saliva on the reed, since the reed does
>not lay near the bottom of the mouth where saliva accumulates.
>
>Secondly, the tongue does not come near the reed and coat it with
>saliva; enough moisture is contained in the player's wind to keep the
>reed properly moistened.
>
>Thirdly, the staccato obtained is of superior quality because the tongue
>touches only the thin tip of the reed and does not touch the flat part
>at all.
>This gives "tongue tip" control" and therefore a great delicacy of
>articulation is possible
>
>Fourthly, both lips are used, which makes for greater delicacy on
>control and a better tone.
>
>A first hand authority on the subject was Gino Cioffi, the first
>clarinetist of the Boston Symphony, who played with the reed on top
>until two or three years after arriving in the USA in the 1930s.
>
>Mr.Cioffi changed to the customary way of playing not because of
>artistic reasons, but for economic reasons.
>The musician who plays in an unorthodox manner is considered suspect by
>those who hire players even if his playing is faultless.
>Both Mr.Cioffi and another famous clarinet player in the opera, Michael
>Fusco have been heard playing with the reed on the top and their tone
>and technique were excellent.
>
>Carl Baermann advocated using the teeth on top of the mouthpiece, no
>doubt suggested by other eminent German players of his day.
>
>--
>Avrahm Galper
>TONE TECHNIQUE AND STACCATO
>THE UPBEAT BAERMANN MELODIC SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS
>http://www.sneezy.org/avrahm_galper/index.html
>
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