Klarinet Archive - Posting 000074.txt from 2005/04

From: "Margaret Thornhill" <clarinetstudio@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Slow Fingers (was Clarinet Day at Steinway Hall)
Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 17:13:53 -0400

I enjoyed Ken Shaw's detailed account of clarinet day at Steinway Hall.
Here, however, he described Todd Levy's controversial approach to finger
technique:

"Next, Todd talked about varying finger movement for fast and slow
passages. The student kept his right-hand fingers completely straight,
and only a fraction of an inch above the holes. This, and quick finger
movement, is fine in fast passages, but in slow ones, you need to have
your fingers curved and raise them well above the keys. You bring them
down slowly, even making a slight preparatory upward motion before
starting them down".

The concept of slow fingers in legato passages is not original to Todd (who
is of course, a very fine player.) I was a student of two of the most
influential teachers of the 20th century:
Leon Russianoff, who advocated this method (which he called the
"backswing")and Rosario Mazzeo,with whom I worked for almost a decade, who
absolutely hated it.
Interesting controversy! Read on:

First a quote from Leon's Book (Clarinet method, vol. 1, page 83--Schirmer,
1982,sadly out of print):
"Relating Finger Lift to Tempo"
"Always allow the note values and the tempo of a passage to dictate the
height of your finger life. The general rule is: the longer the note values
and the slower the tempo, the higher you may lift your fingers. Faster
playing requires a smaller, more efficient lift ("closer" fingers) to
produce and even, smooth motion."

Rosarios Mazzeo strongly held the opposite position, in other words: the
finger has only two jobs, to cover the tone hole and to uncover it, and that
any additional motion may look pretty but really has no positive influence
on tone or legato (rather like the "leading with the shoulder as an
expressive device" remark in Ken's review of another pariticpant at clarinet
day).
Here's a quote from Rosario's book, The Clarinet: Excellence and
Artistry(Dorn Publishing)

"Many teachers allow their pupils to use what I call the "unwinding" method.
A finger is brought to the instrument with each joint contributing a little
to the overall motion. The result is very imprecise control of timing and
inefficiency in closing the required hole.
My observations lead me clearly to the conclusion that those players with
normal sized hands are most successful when the fingers are slightly arched
...being very conscious that all movement is at the base of the finger. This
joint acts as a fulcrum or axle. There must be no sympathetic movement from
any other joints or fingers, and each finger must act as an individual, as
though sprung to either close or open instantly. The time spent in movement
must be as close zero as possible..."

I side with Rosario--I learned this finger technique from him, and it serves
me well as a solo player. I have a clean AND expressive legato despite the
absence of finger flourishes (pace Leon's memory and Todd). I challenge
anyone on the fence about their own technique to try it both ways and see if
you agree that the virtue in slow fingers is primarily choreographic,
(making the player Look More Relaxed.)

Cheers,
Margaret Thornhill
Los Angeles

Artist/Teacher of Modern and Historical Clarinet
http://home.comcast.net/~clarinetstudio/

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