Klarinet Archive - Posting 000492.txt from 2000/02

From: alevin@-----. Levin)
Subj: Re: [kl] Rhythm training, was: daily playing
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 10:42:41 -0500

No! No! No! Tony is absolutely correct. Playing an instrument is very
much like olympic biathlon [sp]. Part of you body must work very hard; yet
it must be totally relaxed. Stiff fingers and/or long "strokes" with the
fingers are signs of tension. If you are tense the most perfect
flexibility will only delay fatigue. Why make your body do more work than
it must. (If you want to do that go get some strenuous exercise.)

Flexibility is only a prerequisite component. Good breathing is at least
as important. (My wife teaches voice and voice therapy. She was surprised
to learn that wind players - in general - must breathe exactly as good
singers who wish to preserve their voices.)

Allen

At 08:40 PM 2/10/00 EST, you wrote:
>
>On Thu, 10 Feb 2000 01:57:46 +0100 "Rien Stein" <rstein@-----.nl>
>writes:
>>At Wed, 09 Feb 2000 11:26:11 GMT Tony Pay commented finger movements
>>when
>>playing.
>>
>>Tony, I must thank you. You have made explicit to me, what I have been
>>trying to teach my students, but never could say so well. I printed
>>your
>>remarks, I am quite sure I will re-read them often. One point in your
>>comment I missed however, IMHO the most important thing of playing
>>clarinet,
>>or, as to me, any instrument: relaxation. Sometimes, especially in
>>difficult
>>passages, I notice, that my students not only are lifting their
>>fingers
>>unduly high (but see your notes), but also stretch them out as far as
>>possible. And then afterwards press them down as if they had to go
>>through
>>the instrument with their fingers.
>
>I strongly agree, IF you change the term 'relaxation' to flexible motion
>
>
>>
>>As to the remarks by Walter Grabner, Wed, 9 Feb 2000 12:11:52 EST I
>>must say
>>his technique is the same David Pino in his book promotes, and is what I
>>think we all know. What I often tell my students, is, when they
>encounter a
>>particularly awkward passage, to play it from the back: first the last
>two
>>notes, then the last three notes, and so on, always starting at a low
>speed,
>>but accelerating, till it can be played at a tempo that is experienced
>as
>>the correct one.
>I also like working from the end to beginning.
>
>> It helped me master almost everything that is up to my (for
>>you pro players of course low) level, but sometimes I had, and will
>have, to
>>find different ways. It requires some creativity, and that is why, I
>think,
>>what makes playing more interesting, than listening.
>
>One of the best things i find when i get to a clarinet coach is the
>varied ways to solve complications.
>
>
>
>>My two cents
>>
>>Rien (note the correct spelling)
>
>add my two cents too(grin) are we up to 4?
>
>annhall
>
>~Ann H Satterfield~
>Principal Clarinet
>Imperial Sym.Orch.
>Lakeland, Florida
>
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