Klarinet Archive - Posting 000069.txt from 2004/05

From: "Patricia A. Smith" <arlyss1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] DePeyer (was: who *IS* too European?)
Date: Wed, 5 May 2004 09:46:05 -0400

David Niethamer wrote:

>DePeyer's recordings with the Melos Ensemble opened my eyes as a young American player to the possibility that 1.) there was more than one sound ("the one true sound") that could be gotten from a clarinet in playing classical music, and 2.) that blend and balance with string and other wind players was musically desirable and possible, if one was willing to be flexible about one's sound. For me it was a valuable lesson at an impressionable age.
>
>
And, a lesson, it would appear, that too few of us seem not to learn,
myself included! (Slaps self soundly! *VEG - very embarrassed grin*)

Seriously, I believe what you say above is something way too many young
clarinettists simply do not learn in the course of collegiate training.
There is way too much emphasis on conformity to one set ensemble sound,
generally so as to blend into a band section. There is nothing wrong
with this, per se. The problem I have with this, is that these young
students do not learn that there are various types of sound and that
each has a different purpose. There are many different possible sounds,
and that what is appropriate, even for one band composition, may not
work for another, even within the same ensemble! This doesn't even go
into the various needs of chamber music, solo literature, orchestral
literature, etc.

IMO, one of the first duties of a private teacher, once a student on
that level has gotten past the basics (if they are capable of doing so,
of course), is to assist the student in becoming aware of what that
"weapon" in his/her hands is truly capable of.

Musicianship is NOT something students learn by osmosis; it must be
TAUGHT. If students, whether they be music performance majors, music
history majors or music therapy majors or music education majors, are
NOT taught the basics of what IS music, and what is musicianship,
through listening, and if they are NOT taught how to listen - sometimes,
from the ground up! - how can they be expected to voice educated
opinions on how musically tasteful a particular performance is, in the
context in which it is given?

I think one of the most valuable gifts I have been given by the best
teachers I've had is that gift of how to listen to various works, and
what exactly to listen for, and how to voice, in particular, critiques
of those works. Sure, I still have a good deal to learn. But, had I
not been taught how to do this, I would still be floundering as much as
I was the day I entered college as a freshman, perhaps worse - I'd be
teaching some poor kids, passing on my own ignorance. (I promise I
won't make this about music ed., folks!)

Patricia Smith

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