Klarinet Archive - Posting 000579.txt from 2001/09

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Recognizing what is on the page
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 14:50:15 -0400

On Sun, 16 Sep 2001 08:43:28 -0700 (PDT), Bilwright@-----.net said:

> When I tried (still trying) to write a duet for two Bb clarinets, and
> when I asked her to play the lower part with me (lower on the printed
> page and also lower in pitch), she automatically played gently.
> However I had imagined two voices playing separate melodies with equal
> strength. I had marked the two parts identically, and I had assumed
> that this would convey my intent.

Such an intent would normally be conveyed in a duet, which is quite
transparent as music goes.

However, sometimes it can be difficult to achieve what you describe when
two players have different sounds. I don't know your playing, but it's
not every pair of clarinet players whose sounds go together to achieve
what you say you intended. Being able to be one of such a pair, at
least when the other is sufficiently able, is what learning to play is
all about.

> Yet it didn't. She played gently and the upper voice became the
> primary line.

Then asking her to play more strongly would be the first step towards a
solution. Or, you could ask her to play a little more strongly, or with
a more penetrating sound, while you played a little less strongly, or
with a less penetrating sound.

Did you try that, and if you did, what did she say?

> Based on Tony's comments, I added (in English) "Equal voices"; but
> deep down in my heart, I know that this will make an experienced
> musician chuckle at the amateurish style. Tony's point, of course,
> was that this isn't usually done.

But in general, it might be. Composers sometimes write footnotes if
they want to call attention to a particular feature of what they wrote
that might be misunderstood.

I was just playing Mahler's First Symphony (on my Ottensteiners, the
strings pretty much without vibrato, and so on), and there are several
such footnotes in Mahler's score, instructing the conductor to make sure
that the players understand various points.

But in your case, finding out how to get the effect you want when you're
both the composer *and* one of the players would be bound to lead to an
interesting discussion with your teacher, perhaps leading to further
development of your own playing.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
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