Klarinet Archive - Posting 000068.txt from 2008/04

From: X-CTN-5-MailScanner-jhf@-----.gov
Subj: Re: [kl] Schubert 8th Symphony - 3/4 or 6/8?
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:13:00 -0400

No disagreements here, Joseph; I did say there were exceptions. I've
learned to do the two-in-one-hand, three-in-the-other thing myself
(using the crutch phrase "not difficult"), but I've only done it for
fun, not in earnest. ;-)

Cheers,
--Joe

On Fri, 2008-04-11 at 00:33 +0200, Joseph Wakeling wrote:
> Joseph H. Fasel wrote:
> > With rare exceptions, I appreciate conductors who conduct the written
> > meter and don't attempt to indicate hemiolas or syncopation, for two
> > reasons: (1) it's less confusing and (2) these devices comprise
> > rhythmic tension that is more effective if not explicitly conducted.
>
> It really depends on the work. I remember a friend telling me about
> playing a Stravinsky piece (I forget which, it might have been Rite of
> Spring) under Boulez, who conducted some passages with 3 in one hand and
> 2 in the other. After the initial "Wha--??!!" reaction, it produced
> very positive results since in this case there really needed to be the
> feeling, not of syncopation, but of two concurrent rhythmic structures.
>
> Then again, I, in my much-less-prestigious playing history, have had on
> more than one occasion the problem of playing with a conductor who
> switches between a 2-beat and a 3-beat (or something similar) and _gets
> it wrong_, with (say) a different eighth-note speed for the 6/8 and 3/4
> bars. Which is not much fun. :-(

------------------------------------------------------------------