The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2004-01-17 23:43
What fingerings do you like for the high Eb in Measure 8 of Brahms Sonata 1? Have others tried the suggested fingering in Ridenour (Thumb hole/register key/OXX/OOX G# key?).
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-01-18 01:08
wjk -
That's the standard fingering. Roll your left index finger down off the hole to ease the jump into the altissimo. You may need to "shade" another hole or two to keep the note from being sharp, and you have a difficult choice on the following clarion F#. Using the right ring finger there means you have to lip it down quite a bit, while switching to the right middle finger during the register crossing risks a missed interval.
Although many teachers will shudder, I've found it possible to slide my right ring finger up to the sliver key, using the ideal TR 0XX XOsO Eb fingering. With practice, there's time enough during the register change to do this, and it gives an easy transition down to the F#.
The fingering problem didn't exist for Muhlfeld, for two reasons. First, Brahms wrote the passage an octave lower and put it in the higher octave only at Muhlfeld's insistence. James Campbell plays the original version in his excellent recording. Second, Muhlfeld played a non-standard instrument that had a thumb key for clarion F and played the middle F# and high Eb with just the right index finger. Keith Puddy recorded a fascinating version of the two sonatas on one of Muhlfeld's restored Bb instruments.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-01-18 01:41
Yes... Use a half hole (to prevent the note from popping) and finger the altissimo Eb6:
TR OXX / OOX Eb
then go the the clarion F#5 with the fingering:
TR XXX / OOX
As Ken rightly notes (wow - nice pun) , the tuning for the altissimo Eb6 should be fairly close, but the clarion F#5 may have to be lipped down. Thus you must listen carefully and work with a tuner to see how far you must go.
I applaud Ken's bravery for the idea of using the standard Eb6 fingering (TR OXX / XOsO Eb) in this passage, but I've never been able to get it smooth enough to be satisfactory ...GBK
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2004-01-18 08:15
I use the same fingering as Ken. Sliding the finger slightly outwards as well as upwards makes the slide easy after just a little bit of practise. I also use the left hand alterate Eb key to allow for ease of movement for the right hand slide.
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Author: jez
Date: 2004-01-18 11:30
Register key, no thumb hole, 123 x2x g#/d#
jez
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