Klarinet Archive - Posting 000477.txt from 2000/10

From: GSmithClarinet@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpieces
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 22:56:56 -0400

In a message dated 10/09/2000 2:47:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
rgarrett@-----.edu writes:

<< It takes
a long time to learn how to blow on a Pyne mouthpiece with an open facing,
but, in my opinion, it is well worth the effort. >>
*********************************************************
It seems to me, implicit in this statement is the notion that something
extraordinary is available to one if they are willing to work extra hard at
what it takes to play a mouthpiece like this. In my opinion it is not
necessary to feel as though one needs to work hard to make a mouthpiece play
beautifully and reliably when it can be done just as well with less effort.

In fact, I would say that this extraordinary effort detracts from a players
ability to free themselves of their equipment to get to the act of actually
making music and that if the mouthpiece is right for that person, no such
correlation between extraordinary effort and result exists.

Orchestral players in North America whose playing that I know of and admire
in the last century - Bonade, Marcellus, Maclane, McGinnis, Wright - played,
as I understand it, traditionally styled mouthpieces that were to them
efficient, comfortable and reliable in their response, articulation and
timbral characteristics without needing to resort to any extraordinary
efforts to play them.

Gregory Smith
=================
Clarinetist
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Mouthpiece Handcraftsman
=
2737 Hurd Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60201-1209 USA
1.847.866.8331
1.847.866.9551 fax
E mail Gregory@-----.com (new)
WWW.gregory-smith.com
=========================

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