Klarinet Archive - Posting 000874.txt from 2000/09

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Daphnis et Chloe....................
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 12:27:25 -0400

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I cannot see the point of using butt ends of reeds when the L.H.little
> finger would seem to be a good deal more efficient, and less messy?

For some players, the little finger works better, however I found it to be a
sourse of unnecessary tension while playing fast. We have a tendency when
playing it to push down too hard and stretch too far with the left hand
little finger. Using the butt end of a reed allows the left hand to be a
bit more free.

> My extract, from Frederick Thurston and Alan Frank shows the
> metronome mark
> as eighth`s @-----. I don`t have a score, and wonder if Ravel _did not_ (in
> fact) give _any_ mark. Are we therefore only being _advised_ by the
> conductors`/performers` recommendations? I wonder does anyone
> have a score -
> pretty expensive I should think - to solve this question? I
> wonder if anyone
> remembers him conducting his own works, (not for the purpose of
> identifying
> _that_ tempo), I just wonder. He died in 1937, but was incapacitated from
> 1935. The ballet was written in 1912. He visited the U.S. 1927-8. Would
> anyone that _could_ remember be Outlook Express conversant? Ah
> well - - - - -
> Tony W.

As I remember, the score does not have any tempo markings in it (by
metronome). The second suite is the last few sections of the complete
ballet, not a suite that was more of a "medly" from the entire ballet. If
you get the second suite parts, you'll notice the numbers start at 152 or
something like that (I don't have the part in front of me).

I have played this a few times and the tempos vary pretty widely. Some
conductors conduct it at a tempo that is playable and some aren't so patient
:-) As with all music there isn't just one tempo that works. It's best to
be able to play it at a wide variety of tempos-- fast and slow. This also
applies to the last section.

--Ben

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

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org