Klarinet Archive - Posting 000237.txt from 2003/08

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpiece patches, stiff upper lip
Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2003 23:06:42 -0400

In a message dated 8/9/2003 7:30:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time, lharlow@-----.net writes:

> By the way, everyone that studied with McLane
> at Curtis had to change to Dbl lip. I guess he was serious.>>

I'm going to jump in here on this discussion.

I studied for quite a few years with John Mohler, who was a student of McLane.

Dr. Mohler (who was just honored at the last ClarinetFest for lifetime achievement) sometimes played with a double lip embouchure. When he did, he rested the clarinet bell lightly on his knee.

When he stood to play, however, as in a recital, he used single lip. I could never hear any difference in his sound whether he played single lip or double lip.

In his teaching, he allowed students to play double lip if they wanted to, but he never really advocated it.

I will quote John Mohler, as saying that he tried to keep "true" to McLane's teachings.

I sometimes use a double lip embouchure on Bb/A and bass. On the most technical passages, or those that soar to the stratosphere, I go back to single lip. I tend to reserve double lip for soft passages, especially those centering around the throat register.

Some of the Wagner bass clarinet excerpts come to mind here.

Again, I urge people not to argue which is better or should be "preferred", but to use them as techniques to get the best musical expression in the passage being explored.

In other words, it another tool in your toolkit! Use it when appropriate. If it's not appropriate - don't do it!

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com

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