Klarinet Archive - Posting 000506.txt from 2003/06
From: "Brash, Alexander" <BrashA@-----.org>
Subj: RE: [kl] Vibrato on the Clarinet
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 16:51:06 -0400
Oh my my my,
Let's not start this again :)
Seriously though, I think a lot of times players shy away from vibrato
mostly because of bad teaching. Because they're teachers were taught not to
play with vibrato, and their teachers, etc. You'd be surprised, if you
actually challenge even prominent clarinet players (and I've asked some of
the players here)on why not to use vibrato, they'll either come up with no
answer, or they'll mumble something quickly about "aesthetics" and move on.
For justifications on why TO use vibrato, and how to do it, please read this
wonderful article by my teacher, Jonathan Cohler:
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Study/Vibrato.html
Vibrato, when used correctly, is a wonderfully expressive device. It is best
performed as a combination of lip, diaphragm, and throat, but read the
article for more. A good way to practice is to set a metronome on 60 (or
just look at your watch), and then do one "vibration" every beat. Then two,
then three, all the way up to five. Practice doing this with just throat,
just lip, and just diaphragm.
Now, I'm hardly saying vibrato is appropriate in every piece all the time.
You need to do research into the performance practice of whatever piece
you're working on. For example, in the orchestral works of Mendelsohn
performed "correctly" (ie, as the composer intended), no one should use
vibrato. Not the strings, not anyone, it was the convention of the time. On
the flip side, I recently had a lesson with someone on the Brahms Sonatas,
who specifically frowned on my using vibrato at all. Yet Brahms wrote these
sonatas for a clarinetist that used copious amounts of vibrato...so it seems
to me playing them WITHOUT vibrato is against the composers intentions.
Some artists use vibrato even more regularly (like Mr. Cohler). I think the
point is that if I'm convinced by it, if it becomes an integral part of
whatever the artist is conveying, if it is done beautifully, then I'm fine
with it:)
Alexander Michael Brash
Education Dept, New York Philharmonic
10 Lincoln Center Plaza, 5th Floor
phone (212) 875 - 5735
cell (646) 284 - 0439
email brasha@-----.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Jason Spradlin [mailto:jaspradlin@-----.net]
Subject: [kl] Vibrato on the Clarinet
At the risk of sounding silly, I have a simple question to ask. I hear
songs all the time where a clarinet is holding a note vibrato. But, I've
always been taught to try my darnedest to hold a note steady. So my basic
question is, is playing vibrato accomplished through the embouchure or the
diaphragm? I asked my aunt the same question (she has been playing for
about 20 years or so) and she hadn't a clue, never tried, she said. And,
I've been having trouble accomplishing it myself.
Jason Spradlin
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
