Klarinet Archive - Posting 000176.txt from 2004/06

From: Brian Schuth <brian@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Multiphonic in Elliott Carter's "Gra"
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 19:36:43 -0400

I'm working on "Gra" (Polish for "play"), solo clarinet piece by Elliott
Carter. The last page calls for a multiphonic; specifically a "dyad" of
F# in the staff, c# two lines above the staff. A fingering is offered
at the front of the piece, which yields a multiphonic that is indeed
just a "dyad" on my clarinet -- it produces just two pitches at once.
Alas, for me the dyad is Eb/C#, which is not at all what is needed.

The best I can come up with after a couple of hours of goofing around is
a multiphonic that is very close to F#/C#, but with a much "richer"
sound -- that is, I'm getting some other noise/pitch in there, though I
can't place the pitches apart from F#/C# I'm trying to get. I'm tempted
just to leave it there. I feel a little guilty not trying to find the
perfect dyad.

My question is directed to those with experience trying to make these
noises -- am I a coward settling for this, or is compromise part of the
game when making "unauthorized" noises with the clarinet?

Brian Schuth
Eastport, ME

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