Klarinet Archive - Posting 000583.txt from 2004/08

From: "Larisa Duffy and David Dow" <duffyl@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Improvisation
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 23:05:20 -0400

Another point that may reaffirm some of these comments is that a repeated
phrase done in exactly the same manner may be great for a Music Festival or
competition but to a keen ear may be somewhat boring...Harold Wright in
lessons always said the Coda should feel just like a Coda...a summing up and
build up ton inevitable conclusion.. The tone of the performer must be able
to show us where we are on the Musical map!

Alot of the problem is the way players are being taught..

or rather not being allowed to bring there own insights into the
music...outright improvisation over a set of chord changes is not what
Mozart intended..

however, an insightful turn of phrase that somehow differentiates it from
the exact same material that came from before will have the effect of
reaffirming and relinquishing the originality of the music....the key is
also not to go too far as to be vulgar...however, sometimes trying wildly
different approaches can tactfully show us how to develop a solid
interpretation.

Playing it safe is not a great place for a truly good player.....

A simple example is the Trio of a Minuet...I have always felt that deadpan
playing of any Mozart Trio will not give the weight and colour needed...

going into the Trio key change many players don't shift gears so to speak.

I have even allow for a slight slackening of tempi in the Trio of K581 to
good effect and simply return to the previous tempi at the end of the
Trio....

(an analogy)it's kind of like sitting back with a good blond lager and then
going back to the office..refreshed but not drunk!

once again a good performance of this particular Trio helps us to return to
the Opening material

and will re-emphasize the beauty and majesty of the phrases...by simply
plowing through in the same tempo will lessen some of the effect. The last
time through of the melody I tend to played at a Forte with a fairly long
quarter sustained but played as written....

I remember Rafael Kubelik said something very interesting in a rehearsal of
the Mozart 40th...there has to be a feeling that a development section is
taking or" eading"us into a new realm ....FINE performances share a similar
respect for where the thematic material is going and vary the approach to
phrasing and tapering of given dynamics...without this elasticity and
dynamic playing we only stay mentally enganged but not involved...

David Dow
Symphony NB

If work is it's own reward...then what is sleep?

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