Klarinet Archive - Posting 000418.txt from 2003/01

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Rigid Serpent
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 17:39:19 -0500

This description of a clarinet caught my attention, in Philip Kennicott's
article, "Roman Polanski At the Piano, Not Missing A Note" (January 20, 2003,
p. C1 and C8 in the Style section). Discussing Polanski's avoidance of
typical "piano movie cliches" in his new movie, "The Pianist," Kennicott
writes, "In the era of black-and-white films, there was a certain built-in
visual richness to the piano in pictures; its ebony bulk is imposing and its
black-and-white keyboard creates an instant rhythm of sharp contrasts
on-screen. And the piano doesn't distort the face of the instrumentalist;
clarinetists, no matter how hard they try, always look as if some rigid
serpent has a death lock on their mouths. The pianist, by contrast, can be a
composed and regal figure (though many directors insist on making the pianist
sway and grimace and stare repturously at the heavens)."

Too many pianists melodramatically sway and grimace and look for the Mother
Ship on the ceiling, without waiting for encouragement from any director--but
that's an interesting observation about the clarinet. We think we're the
ones doing the biting. Evidently, to Kennicott, it looks the other way
around. I'd forgotten until I read that passage, but as a young beginner, I
had a recurring nightmare that the clarinet beak and reed opened up and
chomped down on my tongue, and wouldn't let go.

Lelia

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