Klarinet Archive - Posting 000263.txt from 2001/11

From: HatNYC62@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: clarinetist's block
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 09:18:57 -0500

A few of you have written to me privately asking to hear my 'story.' So here
it is.

Around 10 years ago, I was getting started in the business. I was out of
school, working professionally. I had a job in the South Bend Symphony and
had been in the finals or semi-finals of a half dozen auditions or so. I
thought I knew about everything I needed to know about playing in an
orchestra already. I figured I would pick up the rest after I won the big job.

I had the opportunity to play a few weeks with an older, far more experienced
clarinetist at that time. Hearing this person do his job made me feel like a
total amatuer. During the two weeks we played together he didn't miss any
notes (in very difficult repertoire), he didn't miscount anything (including
rests). Every marking in his part was made clearly audible, including every
dynamic marking and articulation marking.

I had always figured half that stuff didn't matter in the orchestra. Could
anyone hear it? I had my answer.

It was some of the best clarinet playing I had ever heard. Colleagues told me
he still practiced 5 hours a day.

After that, I realized how much technique was really necessary in order to do
everything comfortably, as well as how much work is needed to build that
technique. I continued practicing scales, and really applied myself to making
everything on the page represented in sound. This is actually very difficult,
particularly in sight-reading.

But more importantly, I realized the intense and daunting level of mental
concentration that must be maintained in an orchestra over long periods of
time. This is a real 'deal-breaker' between musicians who make excellent
orchestral players and those who don't.

Within a year I had a full-time job in the Charleston Symphony and had done
fairly well at some big auditions. Ironically, now that I understand
orchestral playing better than ever, I don't really want to do it 52 weeks a
year anymore. It's TOO HARD. That's why I respect those folks who do it so
much. I know exactly how hard it is.

As for the other fellow, it took him a few years, but he eventually won a big
principal job. No surprise to me.

David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords.com

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