Klarinet Archive - Posting 000468.txt from 2003/07

From: "Karl Krelove" <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Rose Etude #8 (from 32) bar 10, last note: chromatic fingering or 1st
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 18:23:57 -0400

I find myself reacting to this post on a couple of different levels. First,
I agree that the easiest fingering for that passage for me is to use the
"regular" (first finger) F-sharp, although I tried the chromatic fingering
when I read your post and didn't find it as awful as you do.

Another reaction I had is to wonder what the band director plays - chances
are, if he is *requiring* an alternate fingering in a passage like this, he
isn't a woodwind player - he's learned the fingering from a
how-to-teach-the-clarinet treatise somewhere. Most likely he's a brass
player - they either don't deal with fingers at all or only need to worry
about three of them.

My final reaction is that declaring *any* fingering as necessary or useless
in most specific contexts is a sticky proposition. Timbre, response,
intonation, ease, articulation, the location of the notes in the phrase, all
can have an effect on the choice of fingering when there is a choice
available. What I find physically convenient may well be different from what
others find comfortable for the same passage. Certainly, if after some trial
and error a student decided *for him/herself* that the chromatic fingering
worked better, I'd leave it alone. The test would be if I could hear any
awkwardness in the student's execution.

My 2 cents worth...

Karl

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Anne Lenoir [mailto:AnneLenoir@-----.net]
>
> I have several students who are preparing a large portion of this etude
> for their chair placement in Symphonic Band as well as for All State
> Band tryouts.
> I would never consider using the chromatic fingering. It seems
> stupid to have your 2 fingers on the side and then have to go slam down
> your fingers to reach the Clarion E at the beginning of bar 11. That's
> why it is called an "alternative" fingering. The regular F# is your
> first finger. I am starting to get very annoyed at my students. They
> have no respect for me at all when it comes to learning a passage with
> correct fingerings. Does anybody out there go from throat F# to Clarion
> E with the chromatic F# fingering? If so, maybe I can learn something
> new from you.
> My students are all telling me that the band director said they had
> to use the chromatic fingering or else he would take points off their
> final score. ANNIE
>
>

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