Klarinet Archive - Posting 000205.txt from 2002/02

From: AnneLenoir@-----.net (Anne Lenoir)
Subj: [kl] I was thinking about Abe Galper today as I taught my student.
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 07:05:44 -0500

I have a 15 year old student who is working on the Weber Concertino, and
I was thinking of what Abe Galper taught me about breath attacks as we
worked on the first note, the Bb that seems to go on forever and is
supposed to be a gentle mp entrance. Last year when I took clarinet
lessons from Abe after Thanksgiving, I noticed that Abe avoided the
problem of these delicate entrances by the use of the breath attack,
where you don't use the tongue at all. In fact Abe taught me that there
are many places when you can use a breath attack. It takes a lot of
unnecessary "chirps" and accidental "thuds" out of playing gentle
passages.
Abe also taught me a few other things that I will mention later as
they come to my mind. They involve a special way of practicing his tone
exercises in his new book "Tone, Technique and Staccato". I recently
got several new clarinet students, and I like to use every minute as
productive as possible during their lessons. When Abe's tone exercises
are played correctly, smoothly and evenly, without any bad connections
or notes popping out inappropriately, my playing improves and my
students sound noticeably better right away. Abe noticed that I was not
rolling my left index finger to the A key properly. He taught me to
cover my first hole in the left hand with the finger a little off so
that I could roll to the A key with my knuckle. I was very resistant and
told him that I didn't care about whether or not I rolled the knuckle,
but he made me do it anyhow. After a few tries I notices that it really
improved my playing. I have tried to teach that "knuckle rolling motion"
to the A key to all my students. They all say "Thank you Mr. Galper".
ANNIE

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