Klarinet Archive - Posting 000102.txt from 2002/11

From: MVinquist@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Lower Lip Not Folded Over Teeth (was Sharp Teeth)
Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2002 09:50:22 -0500

CGBeale says: "Robert Marcellus and Bernard Portnoy held the lower lip in
front of the lower teeth without folding the lower lip over the top edge of
the lower teeth. Marcellus' description of his embouchure can be found in
John Weigand's Doctor of Music treatise, 'Robert Marcellus' Fundamentals of
Clarinet Playing and Teaching', available from the Florida State University
library."

Bernard Portnoy is a special case. He has a receding chin and holds the
instrument almost vertical to compensate. Obviously, it doesn't interfere
with his playing.

Robert Marcellus was a special case, too. He was diabetic, which produces
many health problems. For this or perhaps other reasons, he had severe
problems with his teeth. His students on the list (Greg Smith, David Hattner
and others) can fill us in on his embouchure, but they've said here that he
held the instrument nearly vertical, with the bell between his knees, for
acoustical reasons. He had the bell reamed out to correct the intonation
caused by doing this.

I once worked for a couple of months on strengthening my (double lip)
embouchure so I could support the mouthpiece with my lower lip outside my
teeth. It made a definite change in my tone -- I sounded something like Jack
Brymer with (close your eyes, Dan) a floating, "English" tone. I took it to
Kalmen Opperman for a lesson. He listened for 5 seconds and told me to stop.
He said the tone produced by an "outside the lips" embouchure lacked center
and resonance and was too unstable to be reliable. He teaches putting half
the red part of the lower lip over the teeth.

I'd really like to read the Weigand dissertation. Do you have a copy, or his
address, or the FSU library email address? I wonder whether he would consent
to having the embouchure section posted.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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