Klarinet Archive - Posting 000733.txt from 2002/04

From: HatNYC62@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Tony Pay, Articulation and K. 622
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2002 10:28:14 -0400

In a message dated 4/25/02 4:13:32 AM, klarinet-digest-help@-----.org
writes:

<< If I come clean about that recording, I have to say that I now don't
play so much staccato, and it's all changed rather a lot in other ways
too. Part of that is to do with getting better technically on the
instrument. What's not often realised is that staccato is actually in
many ways *easier* than legato, particularly on a period instrument,
because you can control the weight of individual notes more precisely.
If you have to slur, it's harder to make the passagework even -- but
sometimes the end result is more satisfactory, even if you're less
comfortable. >>

Folks, read this paragraph and learn.

Tony Pay is one of the best and most impressive models of great articulation
on the clarinet in the last 50 years. And great technique in general, for
that matter.

Before I learned how to tongue properly and comprehensively in college, I
wondered about Tony's K. 622 recording and all the tonguing.

But after I learned proper articulation and particularly the stopped
stacatto/prepared fingers technique from Mr. Marcellus, I realized what Tony
says above is true. . .technically it is FAR EASIER to play a passage cleanly
if you tongue it rather than slur it. This will be doubly true on an old
instrument with many cross-fingerings and stuffy notes.

Now of course, if the passage is faster than you can tongue, this doesn't
apply (Tony can tongue very fast, probably even faster than I). And mixed
articulations can be more difficult than EITHER all slurred or all tongued.

If you don't believe me (or Tony) your articulation probably needs some work.
It is a part of clarinet technique that is rarely taught well or even
understood. All the important details are in Daniel Bonade's compendium. That
book and some of Tony's recordings and Robert Marcellus's and Clark Brody's
and Karl Leister's should help.

David Hattner, NYC

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