The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Therese
Date: 1999-08-01 07:33
Any suggestions on how to approach the opening solo in "Rhapsody in Blue"? by Gershwin? I have never been able to "smear" very well due to a very overtight embouchure. thanks in advance!~*therese
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-08-01 13:06
Check the Klarinet archives & try searching here in the archives. It's been discussed to death is both places :^)
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-08-02 19:45
A couple of hints:
1) It *can* be done with a rock-solid embouchure but is *much* easier to do if you learn to "relax" the embouchure a bit.
2) The smear really only applies when you get over the break. Go chomatically from the chalemeau G to clarion B or C - you must be able to play the chromatic scale *very* quickly - it has to be even.
3) The smear is done mostly by sliding the fingers off the rings (in whichever what is most comfortable). This takes a LOT of practice - it took me years to perfect (or nearly) my technique. The biggest problem: grasping the instrument too tightly. The key is to relax.
Have fun. An introduction to Rhapsody in Blue led me to become a fan of Artie Shaw - probably the biggest user of glissandi (portamento, actually) in the swing era. Although I've never had the pleasure of performing the opening to Gershwin, I use glissandi quite often in my jazz performances (although I still can't compare to Artie
Kevin Bowman
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Author: Daniel
Date: 1999-08-03 06:07
Hmmm... in the original piano version of the Rhapsody, it's merely a diatonic scale starting on the 5th scale degree of the key (Bb major scale starting on F <for clarinet would be C scale starting on G>), not a chromatic scale. And i don't think i've ever heard the Grofé arrangement for orchestra and piano played as a chromatic scale either.
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