Klarinet Archive - Posting 000148.txt from 2008/01

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Support again
Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:00:45 -0500

Thanks, Tony, for your explanation of your usage of 'conscious'. That
was very lucid and helpful.

I like your "magic" diminuendo excercise too. I'll try that on some students.

And while metaphors can be inspirational (if you know what they
mean), it is always critical to be able to translate that into
something physical that you understand and can control at will.

I am still clear, however, that you must change the pressure,
embouchure and voicing whenever making medium to large skips on the
clarinet.

A great example of that is the opening of the Copland Concerto. It
shows up every fault a player has in this area in just a few measures
of playing. Most players solve the problem by playing the whole
passage too loud, despite the fact that it is marked piano. In fact,
I have never heard a student (at any level--grad, undergrad, high
school) come in and play the opening correctly for the first time in
a lesson or masterclass.

After a little bit of work on changing air pressure, embouchure and
voicing, however, they all walk out of the lesson/masterclass being
able to play it.

--Jonathan

> > In either case, however, you are consciously changing the air pressure at
>> the moment the notes change in order to obtain legato.
>
>I hope to have unpacked the word 'conscious' in that sentence in a way that
>is helpful.
>
>Tony
>--

--
Jonathan Cohler
Artistic & General Director
International Woodwind Festival
http://iwwf.org/
cohler@-----.org

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