 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2003-01-17 17:34
I'm busy practising the solo from the Adagio of Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony. In the 12th bar there is a very sensitive legato from C to high D and back. It's very difficult to play the beautiful legato required using the standard fingering for high D. Any alternative suggestions?
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2003-01-17 18:38
Try just the register and throat G# keys (I think that's right, I'm at work trying to visualize it without a clarinet in my hands...). You might have to add one or two of the r.h side trill keys to improve the intonation, I'm not sure.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-01-17 18:53
To follow up on Dave's suggestion:
There are a number of ways to finger high D (at least 12), but in this circumstance, due to the dynamics and the C which preceeds (and follows the D) you must choose a fingering which matches in timbre and resistance.
My first choice would be:
TR with throat G# key, the lowest (of the 4) RH side trill, and the right pinky G#/Eb (to slightly bring up the pitch)
See how that works - if it is not sufficient, repost and I'll give some other options...GBK
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-01-17 19:09
One additional note - I put the right pinky G#/Eb key down as soon as I reach the first C, and leave it on for the alternate D fingering and the final C.
Check the pitch with your tuner to see how close you are, and if slight adjustments are needed...GBK
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Author: d dow
Date: 2003-01-17 19:14
In orchestra I tend to use the normal fingering for this exerpt and try to avoid complicated cross fingering, however if it does help the above suggestions may be very useful from GBK
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-01-17 19:28
I totally agree with David that the normal fingering is preferred, and the air stream must be kept moving or the high D will "pop".
The best alternate, if you must use one, is the fingering I've suggested.
I have played it both ways, and usually choose the fingering according to that day's reed...GBK
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2003-01-17 21:30
Just about the most emotional solo to be played. Suggest 1 hour of T'ai Chi before concert. As GBK suggests there's a small plethora of alternatives here, but none will be as smooth as the simplest one if it's beautifully in tune. I too was worried about the slight change of timbre with the "standard" fingering.
It will depends on the special characteristics of your clar but for this passage my Eaton approaches this D easily using only the second top trill key added to C. I may be very lucky but there it is.
Enjoy this solo to the full.
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Author: jez
Date: 2003-01-18 11:06
If you can get used to moving the thumb off the hole while keeping it on the key this produces a smooth move keeping the notes in the same register. If the D is too sharp with just the speaker-key you can put down the left 3rd finger which also helps stabilize the instrument.
jez
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Author: Keil
Date: 2003-01-18 14:07
I suggest fingering it using the regular fingering but half holing the D. It makes for a very sensitive and appropriate D when done correctly.
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Author: d dow
Date: 2003-01-19 11:51
Won't half hole technique lower the pitch on the flat side?
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Author: thechosenone
Date: 2004-02-01 22:15
The best fingering, IMO, is an alternate for the C, recommended to me by great professionals in the Philadelphia Orchestra.
While playing the C, keep the 3 right fingers down. That way, the D is ready. Just a tiny tiny embrochure adjustment on the C will make it sound like the normal fingering.
My orchestra's actually playing this, and this is what I do, just thought to offer some help.
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2004-02-02 00:23
Chosen one...Why would putting three right fingers down prepare for a high D? I can't picture it.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-02-02 00:32
I believe the chosen one thinks we're talking about D5 just above the break and not D6 (which is the one that I thought we were talking about here).
As to the respect of halfholing lowering the pitch, curiously enough, it doesn't unless you put too much of your finger over it. Experiment and you'll find that just keeping that hole slightly covered makes it much easier to play the D and much easier to control the dynamic as well without compromising the pitch.
I honestly don't know what I'd use since I don't know what the music is. ALthough DS's thought would be my immediate though as well. And since it's not a quick back and forth slur (as I take from your post of "legato"), I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to carefully tongue it with the standard fingering while halfholing your index finger. I personally would use standard fingering even for slow slurred passages.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-02-02 01:13
Liquorice -
At least for me, none of the alternate fingerings for altissimo D sounds right, and, as far as I can tell, none of the players use them on the recordings I've heard.
Charles Neidich gave a great method of preparing to cross a register break, which involves setting your tongue and palate so that you can play the next note without using the register key or half-holing the left index finger. See my summary on Clarinet Day at Mannes at http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=101441&t=101441
Perhaps Greg Smith can tell us how he (and Larry Combs) play it.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: vin
Date: 2004-02-02 15:34
I have used the chosen one's fingering in an audition. Worked like a charm.
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Author: thechosenone
Date: 2004-02-02 19:43
If you put three fingers down on the thumb C (or whatever else you may want to call it), there is no need for alternate fingerings or voicing issues on the D. The C itself is barely changed.
It prepares the D above it because the right index finger already closes the large tone hole slightly above the finger. One of the reasons for popping the D is the poor coordination of the left middle finger tone hole and the right index finger tone hole. With this fingering, coordination isn't an issue, which eliminates about 95% of the problem. You'd have to be doing something really out of the ordinary for the D to pop out. It works excellently, matching timbre and brightness, etc. Go try it and tell us how it works. It's also very easily to implement, taking at most a few tries to get the feel.
Liqourice mentioned wondering how Greg Smith and Larry Combs played it. This is how Donald Montanaro plays it...(alt C)
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Author: vin
Date: 2004-02-03 15:33
On my current A clarinet, the C is very different with the 3 fingers down- the hardest part for me is matching the b to the c (with the fingers down). On my old clarinet, it wasn't a problem. I have to voice it a lot now. chosenone- I know people who have studied with Don Montanaro that don't like this fingering- just because the don does it doesn't mean it is the be all, end all- although it is the prefered fingering of many, including me.
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