Klarinet Archive - Posting 001358.txt from 2000/12

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Technique and Musicality
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:50:53 -0500

At 05:05 PM 12/29/2000 -0700, you wrote:
> For me, personally, I have always been the type of clarinetist who
> really has to work hard to master a technical passage, and since I am a
> perfectionist, I have always been willing to practice very slowly,
>working up the piece on the metronome very gradually, so that when it is
>finally up to tempo, it feels nice and free. (I believe that there was a
>recent discussion quoting Julius Baker about practicing "correctly" and
>learning the piece at a suitably slow tempo). When I have really learned a
>piece well technically, I can sort of go into a dream-like trance and feel
>the music come out. It's almost as if I have left my body and am
>observing the "creativity" as it unfolds. For me, personally, I can't feel
>this freedom unless I have practiced, metronomically, sometimes painstakingly.

Annie,

One can experience the dream-like state you describe without even playing
an instrument - by listening to someone else - either live or on a
recording. However, when you go into such a state and begin to have
spontaneous ideas about how you might shape the sound you are playing, it
means any technical limitations you feel you might have are not so
distracting as to affect what you imagine musically - the "end result" so
to speak. This is one of the major reasons teachers focus so heavily on
technical development - because by pre-learning diatonic and non-diatonic
sequences, being able to articulate many different ways in many registers,
being able to voice the pitch or tone in a given register at a given volume
all lends itself to the freedom required to play so many of the great
masterpieces.

I have a feeling this is what Neil has been trying to express and what the
other individual (who will go to his wordprocessor and compose some
additional 16 page junk mail about philosophical ends that have little to
do with what most people can or will experience) is arguing against.

> The reason that this discussion depresses me is because it makes me feel
> like DUH because I have to work so hard, (so that I can be free later)
> and it hurts my feelings that other people think I should maybe not be
> such a "slow learner". I will turn 55 in March and if I had to play the
> entire Weber repertiore right this minute, I would break down, maybe go
> to the Pueblo State Mental Hospital (in Colorado) for a little rest.

But it is no different than a seasoned professional attempting to learn a
brand new piece that is amazingly, technically difficult. We DO remain
creative and spontaneous as we practice - but it is because we have
developed our technique to the point where such difficult music no longer
distracts our ears from what we can hear - and that includes hearing what
is coming up as we look ahead. I would hazzard a guess that on some music
that is not so technically demanding (Finzi, Hindemith, Saint-Saens, etc.)
you would do very well. You don't have to pick a Baermann work (what
technique he had hmmmmmm?) to define your creative ability - sounds like
you may already have it!

>I have to concentrate very hard on being in a state to be open to
>creativity. Sometimes I get distracted, but I like to get right back on
>track. Sometimes "intellectual" arguments distract me, because I feel that
>the creative process is so simple and basic, that it's just ruins it to
>talk about it too much.

It can be possible to articulate what music is. Several on the list work
at doing that, and one does it too much. It can get in the way - but you
don't have to feel as though someone trying to put it into words should
ruin it for you. There is no prescribed way to create - and don't let
anyone tell you otherwise. There are prescribed ways to create in a
specific style - but those methods are also derived from understanding
performance practice, knowledge of the time period, etc.
etc..........endeavours that require the same effort as developing
technical proficiency.

>When Jon Manasse prepared for ClarineFest in Norman this summer, I
>listened patiently outside his studio as he practiced the Weber Quintet
>and long tones. He practiced so slowly and beautifully that he was able to
>incorporate the "dream-like" quality into the slow, metronomic practice as
>well. After hearing his
>practicing, I would never read any "creativity/philosophy" books. I would
>just go back to the space where I heard him practicing and try to remember
>the joyful, ever-patient quality that I heard through the door. I hope I
>haven't talked about it too much. ANNIE

Nope - you haven't. The reason I mentioned books to begin with was because
I, like so many others on the list, grow weary of a stubbornness designed
to garner attention - and to win what conciliatory point exactly? That's
why I'm not going to the bookstore to find the titles - I was just letting
people know if they have an interest, those books are there. Without
clipped, snipped, and out-of-context responses from someone inserted
between paragraphs and sentences!

Don't change a thing Annie - sounds to me like you are playing and learning
- and at age 55 to boot. Wow!
; - )

Stay cool - I will - we have even more snow and 12 degrees outside with a
wind chill of -25. Yowza. But worse, I am bracing for the literary junk
mail that I know is coming. Geez.

Sincerely,
Roger Garrett

Roger Garrett
Assistant Professor of Clarinet
Director, Symphonic Winds
Advisor, IWU Recording Services
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
Phone: (309) 556-3268
Fax: (309) 556-3121

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