Klarinet Archive - Posting 000194.txt from 2009/03

From: Jim Justice <saglio1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Glissando vs. portamento (was: Rhapsody in Blue)
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:28:11 -0400

I concur - that particular passage - especially played on the clarinet - does not meet the definition of a portamento; however, It does meet the definition of a glissando.

Clearly, Gershwin wanted a glissando - and as you note, he said so on the score!

Jim

>The easy way to remember:
>A Piano can play a glissando, but cannot play a portamento.
>
>A portamento is a slide, and a glissando is notes.
>
>Unfortunately, MANY composers do not know this and continue to write the words incorrectly, and often interchangably. This creates many interpretive problems when deciding whether to slide or not.
>
>Gershwin wrote a glissando (and it says so right in the part).
>
>I heard a recording of Whiteman's band (the clarinetist's name is escaping me now) playing this once - very grungy!! :) The story I heard was that he threw it in on a lark (or a joke) and Gershwin loved it, so the tradition stuck. Don't think the beginning is the only place to insert a portamento.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Sean
>www.osbornmusic.com
>
>
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