Klarinet Archive - Posting 000023.txt from 2008/01

From: "Mike Vaccaro" <mike@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] "loud" dynamics in clarinet playing
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:47:50 -0500

Remember at that time the bass players were mostly not using amplifiers and
those bands did not have guitar generally. Also the clarinet was usually on
microphone. I played with the Woody Herman band in the 70's and listened in
the 60's so that is a little later than you are talking about. Benny had a
very classical approach to the clarinet even in his jazz playing and many
have argued that he had a jazz approach to the clarinet when playing
classical music. He did not play loud. Woody played a little louder and
rougher. Buddy DeFranco, what can one say, always refined and impeccable.

Mike Vaccaro
www.VaccaroandStevensWoodwinds.Com
www.MandMMouthpieces.Com

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From: <dbittker@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 3:31 PM
Subject: [kl] "loud" dynamics in clarinet playing

> Perhaps some of the "elders" among this group could help with this
> question. I've often assumed that the greats of the swing period of
> clarinet playing,(when Shaw, Goodman, etc. were the "stars") had the
> ability to be heard over a full band of saxes, trumpets, trombones, etc.
> with a minimum or sometimes absence of microphones. I'm not old enough to
> have heard them, but have suspected that they had "powerful" sounds that
> carried well in large theaters and dance halls. Any feedback on this? (I
> never heard Tony Scott live either, but have heard his sound described by
> many clarinetists as being the "loudest" clarinet player around.) But
> specifically, what about Shaw, Goodman, Woody Herman, and the others, when
> the clarinet was the featured instrument? Any comments? Thanks, Danny
> Bittke
>
>
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>

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