Klarinet Archive - Posting 000745.txt from 2001/07

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] German versus French
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 20:22:09 -0400

Josh posted:

<<<It seems that the Germans have a problem as to who can play what.
Well, I think it is all hog wash. Music is music. It is a universal
language.>>>

I must disagree, at least in part.

There are many esteemed clarinet players returning to the use of
"original instruments" -- using clarinets made (or replicated from those
made) at the time of Mozart to play Mozart's clarinet music, for
example. They do indeed sound different, both on recordings and in
person, and I can appreciate the argument that the performance is
enhanced by its historical accuracy. For the most part, I don't agree
-- I tend to like performances on modern instruments better -- but
that's entirely a matter of preference on my part.

I can appreciate the desire to keep the German clarinet sound alive, if
only to play German music, based on similar historical accuracy. I
question what is really important here, though -- is it the sound that
is made, or the means by which it is created? =20

The reason I ask is that it is entirely possible to get a "German" sound
on a French clarinet. Reform Boehm clarinets have been sold for a
number of years. One of my teachers, Bill McColl at the University of
Washington, has used a Viennese mouthpiece on a Buffet clarinet since he
studied with Leopold Wlach in the 1960's. The sound he produces on his
current Buffets (made of boxwood, no less) is pretty darn close to what
the Viennese would require.

Abe Galper asked:

One might ask the question: Is it the clarinet the intended professor is
playing or the player himself that is the object of the letter?>>>

Given that the same Berliners don't appear to be so adverse to
Allessandro Carbonare being their principal, I have to wonder too.

kjf

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