Klarinet Archive - Posting 000319.txt from 2001/05

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Materials (was[kl] buffet clarinets)
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 08:22:09 -0400

At 12:06 PM 05/11/2001 +0100, you wrote:

Tony P wrote:
>I suspect he means an extended sense of the word 'feel' -- as in, how we
>perceive the instrument to respond.

You got it!

>Slightly more frivolously: I wonder what would happen if you did an
>experiment designed to determine whether listeners could tell whether a
>performer had a good reed or not?

It's a good question. But as you already know, what we perceive by feel
(response and other general characteristics of the reed) others cannot
perceive as easily. The better the player, the less the audience can
hear. Thus - a "lousy" or "bad" reed might sound perfectly fine to the
listener. It would certainly be a frivolous experiment, but it might be a
fun one.........

>And if it turned out that an audience *couldn't* tell the difference
>between good and less good reeds, would it mean that the difference
>between good and bad reeds was 'only' subjective or psychological?

Ok - you got me laughing this morning. Although it may be that because of
my 2800 yard swim and the incredible coffee (which always tastes better
after a good hard swim) I am just in a great mood. Or maybe it is that I
am playing poker tonight with the music staff from the neighboring
institution and the Jamaican Jerk Pork and Hot Buffalo Wings will go down
well? Or maybe it is the long ride to Joliet, IL in my '41 for a car show
tomorrow in 68 degrees of perfect weather that is affecting my perception?

Probably it was just a funny statement. Thanks for posting.........!

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

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

"A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes
another's."
Jean Paul Richter (1763-1825)

---------------------------------------------------------------------
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