Klarinet Archive - Posting 000703.txt from 2003/02

From: The Ciompi Family <deal5@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Shepherd on the Rock
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 04:02:29 -0500

Dear Tony,
I understand your point and it is well taken. I too believe the entire
passage should be done in one breath, but breathing between the D# and the E
is as much a no no for me as your assertion that the breath after the B
natural is misplaced. Yes, ideally one should not breathe after the b natural
because it is a leading tone to the C. However,that D# wants to go to that E
just as badly. It is a leading tone in its way, and I for one CRESCENDO on
that D# to lead it into the E and then diminuendo subsequently on the
descending scale back to C.
Thanks for your input. I realize that my suggestion is not ideally in the
best interest of this phrase.

Tony Pay wrote:

> On Fri, 21 Feb 2003 11:55:14 -0800, deal5@-----.net said:
>
> > Elgenubi@-----.com wrote:
> >
> > > [In the Shepherd on the Rock,] would it be unheard of to try to
> > > breath somewhere in the 13 bars starting 15 bars before the end
> > > (measure 235)? If so, where?
> >
> > ...the best place to breathe is the fifth bar from the end, after the
> > 1/8 note B natural.
> >
> > This in no way hurts the phrase musically.
>
> I'm afraid I disagree. I think it's inadvisable to breathe anywhere
> after the beginning of the sixteenths until the passage stops three bars
> from the end. If you breathe where you suggest, you have to do so
> supremely well if you are not to spoil the wonderful rhythmic effect by
> breaking up the ascending scale. (After all, that scale only has an
> eighth note at the beginning to make it 'add up'.)
>
> And notice, the descending scale in bars 4 and 5 from the end (245/6)
> mirrors the ascending scale in bars 12 and 13 from the end (237/8). All
> of those bars are in one (or even in 'a half', in the clarinet part:-),
> and the 6 bars between go, 4 bars in two, 1 bar in one, 1 bar in four
> (worth while slurring this last in pairs, too).
>
> However, if you want, you can save yourself two bars much less
> dangerously by snatching a top-up breath at the beginning of the
> passage, between the half-note top D# and the beginning of the
> sixteenths. You want to do a diminuendo on the D# anyway, and play the
> descending scale lightly, to avoid swamping the soprano's words. So
> it's not at all unnatural musically to begin again on the E (strongly,
> but lightening) after your diminuendo D# and a snatched breath.
>
> I've said this before, but 'snatching a breath', just like 'applying an
> accent' is best done whilst playing with maximum support. For an
> accent, you relax the diaphragm for a moment, and the already flexed
> abdominal muscles create the sudden push. For a snatched breath, you
> relax the other part of the opposition (the abdominal muscles) for a
> moment, and the already flexed diaphragm draws in the maximum amount of
> air.
>
> Actually, I don't find that the passage *is* particularly taxing from
> the breathing point of view. What happens if you play with less air
> passing through the instrument? The sound needs to be 'not resonant' in
> any case for maximum effect at that speed and given that it's staccato.
> You may find that it's less tricky than you think to play it all in one
> breath.
>
> Tony
> --
> _________ Tony Pay
> |ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
> | |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
> tel/fax 01865 553339
>
> ... Get your grubby hands off my tagline! I stole it first!
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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