Klarinet Archive - Posting 000287.txt from 1999/10

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Orchestral karaoke (was: [kl] Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall)
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 16:42:02 -0400

> I hope it didn't look as if I thought that Michael Lowenstern's clarinet
> playing wasn't good enough for him to play live. (I talked about "Milli
> Amadeus Vanilli" performers a day earlier, in a different
> message, than the
> message where I brought up Lowenstern.) I've never had the
> chance to hear
> him live, alas, but I have the impression that some of the *music* on the
> album "Spasm" probably isn't fully reproducible in live performance, by
> anyone, including Lowenstern. In his dual role of soloist and recording
> engineer, he did heavy electronic manipulation on some tracks, where he
> played bass clarinet, electronically distorted these sounds, then
> over-dubbed
> and re-mixed. The liner notes explain some of what he did. I could be
> wrong, but I think that on some tracks, there's very little (if any) pure
> clarinet sound.

I spoke with Michael about some of these exact topics when I played Spasm
last year. Spasm's tape part is sampled bass clarinet sounds. The
clarinetist has a substantial part, but because it is against bass clarinet
sounds, it is sometimes difficult to hear.

Lowenstern is also a master at dealing with electronic manipulation of his
instrument. He has a whole studio of effects boxes and computers that he
can put his instrument through... He is probably the only person in the
world that can reproduce most of what is on that CD in a live setting.
Spasm is quite definitely fully reproducible (Although I am the only person
that has been Brave, er Stupid? enough besides him to perform it). Contact
him for a part and CD, I remember he only charges about $50 or $60 for it.

If you have questions about his level of technique, check out the track
titled "total absorption" by Perry Goldsmith. Yes, he can play it, and no
he can't be human.

I saw him play many years ago at Eastman as a part of a new music group
called Portable Electronic Coffee House. (It was actually their last
performance. they later disbanded). The whole group was able to interface
live acoustic instruments with electronics. They all also played various
electronic keyboards and wind controllers.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
Los Angeles, CA
benmaas@-----.com
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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