Klarinet Archive - Posting 000041.txt from 2008/01

From: Margaret Thornhill <clarinetstudio@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: more slow fingers--opposing points of view
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:10:55 -0500

Those of us who teach, present and past, seem to have cherished clarinet
"creeds" that we swear by, based on our own experience and what we
ourselves were taught in our formative years. These clarinet creeds may
constitute different ways to similar results, as long as we decide for
ourselves on the basis of experience what truly is happening when we use
them with ourselves or students.

My principal teacher, Boston Symphony bass clarinetist Rosario Mazzeo,
believed in economy of finger motion, regardless of tempo. (He had a
great legato.) This approach is based on a simple observation. The
finger has two jobs to do; it's either covering the tone hole to which
it is assigned, or un-covering it. The tone of the pitch you are playing
through an uncovered tone hole is unchanging after the finger reaches a
certain height. If we move the fingers slowly to that height, you hear
that motion translated into glissed intonation, as noted by other
posters to this list, (including Jonathan and Karl, I think.) This has
nothing to do with "popping" btw.

I was exposed to "slow fingers" with another famous teacher I worked
with, Russianoff. He believed in something called "the backswing" to be
used in legato only. I have tried this, and (with respect to the people
who studied this with Leon, Hasty, Marcellus and others,or others who
teach it, like Sean and Tony) it doesn't add anything for me.

I think these and other great players found/find the additional finger
motion a marker that creates additional awareness of the connection
between notes--it looks and feels pretty and relaxed. But for me, it
simply seems like energy wasted, and I think I achieve the same effect
by directing my tonal support toward the next note of the melody,
unaided by what I consider superfluous motion.

Happy playing!

Margaret Thornhill

http://www.margaretthornhill.com

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