Klarinet Archive - Posting 000309.txt from 2001/11
From: "Gregory Smith" <Gregory@-----.com> Subj: Re: [kl] American "Clarinet Sound"? Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 22:09:43 -0500
Robert Moody said:
> The thing is, in America (or any other place, I imagine), you can find
> successful players playing with a larger varieties of sounds. This is =
why I
> don't feel there is a distinctly "American" sound. Though I do =
believe the
> there *used* to be distinctively national sounds or *schools* of =
sounds.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------
Robert,
Your last sentence is what I guess I'm trying to get at. And not that =
long ago either!
There is so much "cross pollination" going on with the sonic world =
growing smaller by the day via the multitude of recordings, etc. that =
national styles and sounds are becoming less and less apparent - more =
homogeneous. Witness also the cross pollination with the rising =
discussion in the past few weeks/months about the interchangeablity of =
German and French clarinets, mouthpieces, using Reform Boehms, etc. here =
on this list and especially on the clarinet bulletin board over at =
www.sneezy.org .
Having had direct experience with this through our using of both German =
(Oehler) and French (Klose) systems here in the Chicago Symphony - =
depending on the repertorie - I can assure you first hand that this is =
what is happening.We've been doing this for 6 or 7 years now.=20
As far as I know, we are the only orchestra that is observing this =
practice at the request of our music director, Daniel Barenboim who is =
also a strong believer in the difference between "national sounds" =
especially when applied to differing repertorie. He wants to preserve =
and even highlight these distinctions. It really is fascinating to hear =
it in practice.
There are many differences in the two systems (that help us produce =
totally different sounds, even from the same player) that are too =
numerous to mention here. We've adapted to them on a gradual basis =
working up to playing recitals and chamber music on each - again =
depending on the repertorie. But in the orchestra, Larry Combs and I for =
instance will play La Mer on the first half on our French instruments =
and Wurlitzer (Oehler) instruments on let's say the Mahler 5th on the =
second half of the concert. Or on just the first half of a concert, a =
Beethoven Overture played on the Wurlitzer (Oehler) system instruments =
followed by Ravel's LaValse on the French Buffet-Klose'/LeBlanc =
instruments.
If any other clarinetists are doing this on a regular basis in a full =
time orchestra it would be interesting to hear about since I'm not aware =
of its practice elsewhere.
Best,
Gregory Smith
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Gregory Smith =20
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Mouthpiece Handcraftsman
=
2737 Hurd Avenue
Evanston, Illinois. 60201-1209 USA
1.847.866.8331
1.847.866.9551 (fax)
Email: Gregory@-----.com (NEW)
Website: www.gregory-smith.com
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
---------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|