Klarinet Archive - Posting 001128.txt from 2004/07

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] ClarinetFest 2004, day 4
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 16:10:30 -0400


> I must make a brief comment about something that you wrote, though.
> Closing
> a lid on a piano will not make it softer. It *will* muffle the sound =
and
> the lack of clarity helps keep it from projecting sometimes (thus =
helping
> balance). The issue of volume for a piano falls squarely on the =
pianist
> to
> play quietly enough for a given instrument and/or room. This is a =
common
> misconception (and I see it all the time in performances that I =
record)
> but
> a misconception that should be brought to light. A piano will sound a =
lot
> better on full stick, but you need a pianist that is aware of the =
issues
> surrounding that kind of playing.
>=20
> --Ben
>=20
> Benjamin Maas
> Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
> Los Angeles, CA
> http://www.fifthcircle.com

Ben, I agree with you to some extent but I was always taught to raise =
the
lid on a short stick for accompaniment and full stick ONLY for solos. =
It's
just my opinion but I think that piano players, in general, were taught =
to
be soloists and they don't always necessarily "play well with others,"
unless they have been specifically taught that skill and practiced it. =
It
has a lot to do with the type of traditional piano lessons most students
have, in which memorized solos are the mainstay of their lesson =
repertoire.
I also think some of it is due to the fact that piano players practice =
alone
a good share of the time-not like band students who play with the band =
all
the time.=20
With all due respect for your opinion though, a 12 foot Steinway is =
just
a bit much to use as an accompaniment piano. That's a lot of horsepower =
and
some pianists simply have a heavy accelerator foot. Jeepers, my own =
grand
piano is only 5'8" and that's always too loud for woodwind =
accompaniments
unless I ride the soft pedal continuously. Christy=20

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