 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-01-15 20:29
I'm slogging my way through Jeanjean's studies - Mélodiques et progressives (the series where he breaks down, 20 studies a piece, into three volumes). The first volume is titled "assez faciles" (supposedly = really easy!?! hah! not for me, that's for sure). He has notations on many of these "do not decompose" or in French "ne pas décomposer", or sometimes, "decompose"!. What on earth does this mean???? Puts me in mind of those bad riddles about what happens to composers after they die!
Tetiana
P.S. By the way, thanks again to all who wrote to give me advice when I had my wrist pain. It was very much appreciated and the pain has gone away! I've turned into a strap-wearing geek.
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2003-01-15 20:39
The Jeanjean "decompose" you ask about means simply: the meter, being a compound meter such as 6/8 or 12/8, is not to be "decomposed",that is, it is to be taken in 2 rather 6 pulses per measure for 6/8 or 4 rather than 12 for 12/8. If the indication is to "decompose" for, as an example, a study in 9/8, then it is to be counted in 9.
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Author: HAT
Date: 2003-01-15 20:56
Don't be discouraged that they aren't easy for you. They aren't supposed to be. They are easy for someone who has played through the various books that come after it!!!
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-01-15 21:32
Ahaaaaaa!! Douglas, thank you! All becomes clear! And HAT, I did suspect that the "assez faciles" is a relative term after all. I do find them quite challenging and some of them have me drooping with exhaustion by the time I finish. But I find Jeanjean nutritious, as in oat bran, and the pieces not at all unlovely. I started the second book (they progress with key signatures). So that should keep me busy for a good long while. But maybe for a break, you might recommend another series of studies. (I use the Baerman for scale work; I also have the full Rubank series and use them for the short exercises).
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2003-01-15 23:01
assez facile means relatively easy.
Anyways nothing JeanJean wrote comes easy to me.
I heard or read that Marcellus did one entire book (the 20 or 18) in just one week of practice...
-S
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Author: HAT
Date: 2003-01-16 01:03
It was the 16 that marcellus did in 2 lessons (not sure how many weeks in between). Those are some rough etudes.
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Author: Jim S.
Date: 2003-01-16 06:06
He (Marcellus) said that he did the first eight one week and the next eight the next week (for Bonade) practicing 4 or 5 hour a day.
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-01-16 14:07
Salut Sylvain et merci! Oui, je le sais. But "assez facile" also means "quite easy"- downright disheartening when this stares up at me from the book. Not to mention the stories about Marcellus. Er....., ahem......, I'm ashamed to ask, but but who was Marcellus?
Tetiana
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2003-01-16 18:48
Robert Marcellus was the principal clarinet player at the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, considered by many, especially in North America, as one of the most influencial player of the 20th century.
Many of todays principal players in US major orchestras were his pupils.
You can read more about him at:
http://www.clarinet-saxophone.asn.au/index_articles.htm
Best,
-Sylvain
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Author: Kat
Date: 2003-01-16 21:20
tetiana,
For other etudes, use the Rose 40 and 32, and, for an interesting side turn, try the Uhl 48 studies.
The Rose are standard studies; you didn't mention whether you've done 'em, but if you're doing Jeanjean, they should be good too. The Uhl (IMHO) are marginally more difficult than Rose in a technical aspect, but I had a lot of fun with them! They're nice and quirky!
FWIW, I (gasp!) never was started on the Jeanjean studies...
Now that I've been out of clarinet performance grad school for oh, say 12 years, maybe I should start them!
Katrina
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-01-17 20:01
Sylvain!
What a fabulous article and a terrific site. (Of course not as terrific as this one). Thank you again.
Tetiana
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-01-17 20:02
Dear Katrina
Thank you very much for the suggestions. No, I haven't done Rose yet nor Uhl - quirky sounds very good indeed.
Tetiana
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Author: d dow
Date: 2003-01-19 11:54
Let's not forget Daniel Bonade who taught people like Marcellus and was the originator of the "American clarinet school of thought".
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Author: Kat
Date: 2003-01-19 22:45
Yeah, ya know I'd just been thinking about that???
All the recent hoo-hah (all deserved, of course) about Marcellus has left me wondering who remembers dear old Bonade! (Not that I ever knew him personally...LOL)
Katrina
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