Klarinet Archive - Posting 000876.txt from 1999/02

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] More on BAERMANN
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 06:11:43 -0500

Selmer on the Baermann books

Among other works I will mention:
Part 4 of the Baermann method. No better work on phrasing for clarinet
was ever written. Parts 2 and 3 are very fine technical works. It is
advisable to take up part 4 after completing the Klose method. Part 5 is
good, but only intended for the most advanced players.

Here is what Langenus had to say in his foreword to the Baermann method:
The method as a whole has been left intact, although I do not always
agree with Baermann's statements.
As to the musical contents it would be sacrilege to change a note, as in
my estimation there has been no other who has ever written as
interestingly and effectively for the clarinet as did Carl Baermann.

Here is what Baermann had to say about articulation: There are two kinds
of detached articulation, the hard and the soft. The former must be
produced by the tongue very sharp and short on the reed of the
mouthpiece as if one were to pronounce tee,tee,tee,tee.
The soft slurred staccato must be produced as though the player was to
pronounce dee, dee, dee, dee, very softly and smoothly.

As I mentioned before, the closest any American edition has printed
exactly what Baermann wrote was the Bettoney edition. I have one such
edition that was used by a well known teacher (not USA) and many slurs
were introduced over the soft tongueing parts.
Those parts should be left as they were originally written. There is
something to be learned from that soft tonguing style.

There is one sentence in Baermann that always puzzled me. "An inviolable
law for the beginner is to lip with deliberation and repose". Practice,
with time and patience will enable him to find the proper embouchure for
a given tone, without him having to hunt for it through all possible
variations.

Lately, I have taken that to mean:Get ready, get set, go! Take a breath
before playing, think about the way you are going to proceed , then
blow.

Anyone with ideas about that phrase?

--
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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