 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: muzo
Date: 2010-09-16 12:31
Hi,
I'm playing this in orchestra at the moment and am having trouble with the trio section in the allegro vivace.
Do you have any tips for the section?
I am playing the Bb part instead of the C and the fingerings are very awkward. I keep practicing but I feel I'm not getting anywhere.
I have been playing it all slurred with plenty of air. There is much time for a breath because it's the solo.
Thank you in advance.
Post Edited (2010-09-16 12:32)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-09-16 17:40
I assume you're talking about the trio in the Scherzo (3rd movement). There are several problems in this section:
1. Obviously, the single slur over the whole passage from #8 to #10 with only a catch breath to finish the remaining 8 bars isn't possible for most players without circular breathing. You need either to decide for yourself on which long notes to end each phrase and breathe in reasonable places or let the conductor decide where he/she would like breaths placed and see if those choices work for you. My knee-jerk reaction would be to try for 16 bar phrases or, if that's too long, 8 bars, breathing after the half-note at the beginning of each phrase, but I haven't played this in awhile (don't remember what I actually did) and am not wedded to it.
2. It would be easier if this were a solo passage, but it's unison with oboe 1 (until #10, where the oboe leaves and the flute and bassoon join you). So (a) the breaths should be worked out with the oboist and (b) any intonation issues between you and the oboist also need to cleared up.
3. Finally, the notes starting at #9, where Bizet goes into E Major (F-sharp in your transposed part) is technically awkward and hits several notes that may be problematic in 2 above (intonation). Of course, you could try to get your hands on a C clarinet, but these 20 bars or so are only a little less awkward in E than they are in F-sharp. As you go between F-sharp and A-sharp, you need to roll your index finger between the tone hole and the A key and try in general to minimize the motion as you play these F# arpeggios. You also need to be careful to be precise and not waste motion between A# and G# where the arpeggio changes.
The technical awkwardness (3) has to approached by practicing slowly and paying close attention to any extra notes between the written ones. It's a coordination issue that has to be built up by accurate repetition. When you say you're "not getting anywhere" my first suspicion is that you're practicing it faster than you're ready to play it and simply practicing bad coordination.
One last thought has to do with reeds. This passage requires a responsive reed that isn't too soft - doesn't close - but isn't stuffy or require extra effort to produce a focused sound. A resistant reed can make the throat notes sound stuffy and in your effort to clear the sound up cause you to tense in ways that can cause everything else to lose precision.
Don't know if any of this is a help, but I hope it is.
Karl
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