Klarinet Archive - Posting 000121.txt from 1999/06

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Standing is bad (further flame bait)
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 14:44:15 -0400

Tony Pay correctly noted:

<<<You haven't said that people shouldn't stand. You've just said that
*you* don't want to.>>>

and

<<<But if you argue that one cannot have a good sound and stand, that's
another thing. . . . If you argue that, you're wrong. Not only in my
opinion, either. . . .But I don't think you're arguing that -- apart from
your own case.>>>

Goodness, yes. Lots of people sound great standing, no question. (I
suspect that they might sound better sitting, but that's their choice.)
Some people would probably sound great standing on their heads. Stockhausen
wrote some wonderful pieces to be played while DANCING -- ones you are
unlikely to see me perform.

My point of the debait (this is a pun, yes) is that there are teachers who
force students to play standing (or from memory) when the net effect is to
harm the sound quality of the performance. This bugged me when a pinhead
teacher did it to me, and still does when I see it happen. Some people,
like me, sound better sitting with music. (I suspect most people do, but am
willing to accept others' assertions to the contrary). Sitting/standing or
use of written music should be the performer's choice, IMHO.

Of course, the performance of Stockhausen's Harlequin will suffer.
(Although you really wouldn't want to see me in a tutu--trust me on this
one.) For just about anything else, though, my opinion is that the physical
position of the clarinetist is irrelevant, and should be the one that
produces the best sonic results.

kjf

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