 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2002-02-10 16:26
There has been a lot of discussion on the board about bore dimensions, acoustics, etc.; so I wanted to recommend a book and open the discussion for other recommendations of similar/related material. I found "Clarinet Acoustics," by O. Lee Gibson, published by Indiana University Press, a very helpful book. It was easy to find on the Barnes and Noble website (www.bn.com).
Some of us may have already read this particular book, especially those of us who took clarinet performance. But for those aspiring young players and those who took up clarinet after their formal education ended, this book will answer a lot of questions about acoustics, dynamics, research, etc. There is information about the history of clarinet acoustics and when and why changes were made and improvements developed.
Any other good reads out there?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2002-02-10 16:59
"Horns, Strings and Harmony" by Arthur H. Benade, Pub. Anchor Books, Doubleday and Comp., Inc. 1960 Covers basics of accoustic for all instruments.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-10 17:01
I can't recommend the Gibson book on a scientific basis; there are number of innacuracies in it - many of his "scientific" conclusions were based upon anecdotal evidence.
But it is interesting reading nonetheless.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob
Date: 2002-02-10 19:07
"Woodwind Instruments and Their History" by Anthony Baines, Dover Books is quite interesting and it covers lots besides clarinets.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-02-11 02:14
A few well known, but very essential texts to own, or be familiar with:
The History of Musical Instruments - Curt Sachs
Musical Wind Instruments - Adam Carse
The Clarinet - Oskar Kroll
and a few personal Classical favorites:
Essays on the Viennese Classical Style - H.C. Robbins Landon
The Classical Style - Charles Rosen
(Hint: print this wish list, and leave it in a conspicuous location 3 weeks before a birthday or major holiday) ...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-02-11 14:27
V G advise, GBK, that was the way I received my "Scotland" as a delayed Chr. present via Amazon. I didn't want this to end without mention of books by Brymer, Rendall, Pino, Lawson, Williman [all with "clarinet" in their titles] also the lengthy listing in Groves Dict. of Music. They all discuss acoustics to some degree, its necessary!. As Mark said well, there are significant differences of opinion between Gibson over Benade [earlier], but reading both is very worthwhile. The very old Helmholtz, like Groves , is prob. only found in libraries. Luck, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2002-02-11 21:40
Thank you, Mark Charette for going public with what many of us wanted to say about the Gibson book -- interesting, anecdotal, but hardly scientific.
IMHO, both the Willaman book and the Stubbins book belong in that same category.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-12 01:54
LOL! John, I did it as gently as possible ... there have been times when I've read his column in "The Clarinet" and just sputtered "no, no, no" when he tried to say something "scientific".
There's times he's right for all the wrong reasons, and then again he's got a ton of empirical knowledge of the instrument - a lot more than most of us. Just because it hasn't been measured scientifically doesn't mean it isn't right! I just wish he'd come out and say "I think ..." more often than "This proves ...".
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-02-12 02:10
Recently, I rather became interested not in technical matters but how to interprete clarinet music in different times, such as how Mozart, Weber, Brahms pieces were played by the players to whom those pieces were dedicated. In those eras, they may have been played quite differently than today. For example, Mozart disgusted equal temper. How Mozart clarinet music was played then?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-02-12 16:08
Don -
Helmholtz, "On the Sensation of Tone," was republished by Dover a number of years ago in a facsimile of the original edition. It's quite technical and has nothing in particular about the clarinet in it, but it's worth having at the paperback price. Probably everything he said and more is in Benade's various books.
I agree that Gibson is unreliable on the technical material, and Stubbins is even worse, though both are eminent teachers.
Willaman's book is wonderful. He was a big virtuoso who toured with various circus bands, and his war stories are inimitable. There's also a big list of fingerings with an enlightening discussion of when to use which.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-02-12 17:50
Ken...As usual I agree with all of your fine recommendations.
However, the Willaman book has some serious problems with his fingering section.
Yes, he does give some helpful advice as to when he suggests to use certain fingerings. However, whether through better players or equipment, the highest part of the register is becoming more routinely used than it was in 1944.
There have been many more convenient and tonally accurate fingerings published in other sources (eg: Ridenour) since the original publication of Willaman's book.
One example: the use of the open thumb hole for high notes C#6, D6, D#6.
Also: Willaman gives a finger busting A6 to B6 trill. I added 2 other (easier) possibilities of this particular trill to Tim Reichard's fingering chart just a few months ago.
http://www.wfg.sneezy.org/
Other than those caveats, I would still keep the book as a reference source to use. I consult it, and still enjoy reading through it...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
