Klarinet Archive - Posting 001009.txt from 2000/05

From: Jim Lytthans <lytthans@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] White Tone
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 12:43:55 -0400

I just played the Copland Appalachian Spring last Saturday night with the La Mirada SO. Several players asked me about the "White Tone" marking. The concept I had in mind was much like a vocal "sotto voce", i. e., subdued voice. The jazz term "sub tone" came to mind, also. When I was a grad student at USC, Copland wrote "Emblems" for our wind ensemble. I was serving as librarian of the wind groups and had many verbal and written conversations with the composer while he was writing the piece. One day over lunch, I asked Copland what he meant by "white tone". His comment was to make an "simple tone", as in "Simple Gift". Basically he wanted a pure, somewhat colorless sound, with subdued overtones.
BTW, my mother in law was in the audience Saturday. Her brother was Erik (Fred) Hawkins, who danced the roll of the Young Man in the premiere of "Spring", and later was married to Martha Graham for some 10 years. My wife Lynette frequently talks about evenings at home as a child with Uncle Fred and Aunt Martha. I sure would have enjoyed being there!

Jim Lytthans
Anaheim, CA
(lytthans@-----.net)

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