Klarinet Archive - Posting 000493.txt from 2003/08

From: AnneLenoir@-----.net (Anne Lenoir)
Subj: [kl] Articulation in the Weber Concertino
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 10:09:33 -0400

I never thought that I would be referring to an article, but this one
has got me thinking. I recently recovered from my "performance anxiety"
problem. On Monday, Aug 11, I played the Weber Concertino with our wind
ensemble, "The Little London Winds" in Soda Springs Park, here in
Manitou Springs, Colorado, for our final summer concert. Not only was I
not anxious, but I actually enjoyed playing. Before I went down the hill
to the park for the concert, I listened to my recording of Jon Manasse
playing "The Complete Works of Weber" and I noticed that he did very
little articulating on the fast passages, and that he took them pretty
fast, faster than I learned the piece as a child. Anyhow, in recent
years I have had problems with fast articulation, partically from
neurological damage from high blood pressure. I decided to play
Concertino with practically no articulation, and it was a lot easier for
me.
Yesterday I was browsing through Volume 30, Number 1 of "The
Clarinet" from December, 2002. I noticed an article on pp. 50-61 "Carl
Maria von Weber's Clarinet Concertos" by Frank Heidlberger. I don't want
to go into a lengthy discussion about the article, but I do want to
mention that Heidlberger had some copies of segments of the original
scores on p.60. He mentions the fact that the original scores were
marked without articulation, and goes on to talk about Weber's
friendship with Baermann, and showing the later articulations that were
created by Baermann. I thought to myself, "I really think that it is
o.k. for a person to customize their own articulations when playing
works of Weber." I know that some people on the List may not agree with
me, but I don't care. I'm tired of tripping over my tongue and fingers,
and very happy to be capable of performing the Concertino in public with
a sense of wellbeing.
However, after I finished the performance, I did get quite a long
round of applause and had to stand up 3 times in the band shell. This
doesn't usually happen during our concerts. After I sat down for good,
lightning struck, and we had to play an extra 20 minutes in the band
shell during a very severe thunder storm.
Well, last night they held auditions for the Pikes Peak
Philharmonic. I had scheduled an audition, but I wasn't sure whether I
should go or not, due to my previous experiences with extreme
"performance anxiety". I decided to go an "test out" my alleged recovery
from nervousness and played the Weber. I had started to get nervous. I
checked my pulse, and it was right at 120. I could have whistled
"Colonel Bogey". I was o.k. as soon as I hit the first note. The Pikes
Peak Philharmonic is a community orchestra that rehearses every Tuesday
evening. The audition was for subbing for the first clarinetist, who
will be missing a few concerts this year. The conductor loved my
clarinet playing and told me that they would be using me this season. He
gave me a copy of the programs for the season, and it looks like they
will be playing some great works. ANNIE

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