Klarinet Archive - Posting 000790.txt from 1999/12

From: "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Tschaikovsky No. 6, 1st clarinet - Responses
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 10:46:33 -0500

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Randolf Keller [mailto:rkeller@-----.com]
> Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 5:27 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] Tschaikovsky No. 6, 1st clarinet - Responses
>
>
> Thanks to all that answered, especially the responses to "IMHO" are very
> helpful for the Tschaikovsky!
>
> ;-)
>
> Randolf
>

I, too, noticed you weren't getting many (any?) serious responses, although
my experience over several years here is that the kind of sarcasm contained
in the above message just puts people off. The unhappy fact (from your point
of view) is that I suspect nobody responded for the same reason I've held
back. There really is no secret bullet that's gonna lick these licks. You
need to be certain of the obvious basics:

1) Don't bite or pinch. There is an especial tendency to do this up high
when you're tonguing - you can start bouncing your jaw up and down with each
attack, which is absolute death in the passages you're talking about.

2) Do be certain you're maintaining a constant stream of air. If there's any
tendency to puff separately on each note, they won't speak quickly enough
and you'll either get slow or have some notes not respond. Make each set of
sixteenths move toward the eigths that follow, and the conductor will
probably want the eights long (but in tempo).

3) Be careful not to be late - to give too much time to the sixteenth-note
rest (or the tie) that appears on the beat before each of those passages.
The conductor will probably complain about lateness anyway, because it's one
of those things conductors learn to complain about whether they hear it or
not, until you're certain you're actually ahead of his beat, but practice
with a metronome so you are pretty sure going in that your entrances are on
time.

4) Be especially careful about your reeds for this piece. If they're too
thin, these high articulated things will thin out or close up and be
impossible to play cleanly at anything less than forte, which the conductor
won't let you do. If the reeds are too heavy, your response on these
passages will likewise be compromised and the pianissimo solos leading into
the development and later into the coda will be nightmares.

No magic or funny fingerings (at least that I know about). It's a tricky
passage, not so much from a fingering standpoint, but more from the
direction of ensemble - rhythm and controlled sound that doesn't blurt out
of context. Also watch out for the last few beats of the passage that begins
at measure 187. The measure at K (198) is actually fairly exposed, so if you
get stuck anywhere before that, make sure you're back by the measure before
K.

There - probably more than you wanted (or maybe needed) to hear. Of course,
after that there are three more movements to play :-). Have fun with it.
It's a lot of fun to perform.

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