Klarinet Archive - Posting 000115.txt from 2005/04

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] legato (was fingers)
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 16:20:24 -0400

On 6 Apr, "Margaret Thornhill" <clarinetstudio@-----.net> wrote:

> Tony Pay wrote:
>
> > Actually, the characterisation of note-beginnings (whether at the
> > beginning of a phrase or within a phrase), and how those beginnings
> > contribute to musical expression, is a much more complicated issue than a
> > prescriptive characterisation of finger movement can capture. It
> > involves sound modulation, and hence diaphragm and embouchure too."
>
> I couldn't agree with you more.

I want to add something.

The usefulness of the 'slow finger' legato teaching metaphor has nothing to
do with how the action of the finger affects legato. That's very much a
second order effect. It is simply a psychological device to distract the
attention of the player from his or her airstream, so that that can continue
through the change. (Actually, there is a further wrinkle, but leave that
aside for the moment.)

Why most people fail to have an effective legato is that they change the
airstream between one note and another, thinking that they have to *create* a
legato.

I have my own metaphor for avoiding that; see:

http://test.woodwind.org/Databases/Klarinet/1998/09/000993.txt

...but I can see why the 'slow finger' metaphor helps.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd tony.p@-----.org
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
tel/fax 01865 553339

... ASCII stupid question... get a stupid ANSI!

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