 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-06-03 22:14
Once ote the thread on "Clairnet Surgery." What are the differences in the tones mentioned. (Maybe with hearing aids I couldn't tell the diffference anyway). Bob A
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-06-04 00:35
GBK, Two things I learned:
1. I am a slow reader. Took 20 min.
2. I don't know what I learned as it was much too philosophical for my limited experience.
Bob A
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2003-06-04 06:31
BobA- to really over-simplify:
French sound: bright, brilliant, used to have very quick, narrow vibrato.
German sound: dark, round tone, no vibrato.
English: "hooty" open sound, wide vibrato.
But then, I have also heard Germans with a very bright sound, French with a dark sound, and English with a round stright tone! Each individual has their own sound. These days, when everybody has access to CD's of players from all over the world, these national schools are becoming less different from each other. In a way, this is a shame. But I woudln't go as far as to say that everybody sounds the same. It would be impossible to get a job in a north German orchestra if you played with a wide vibrato, for instance.
But like GBK says, this is all debatable. Hope I don't get slaughtered for this post!
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-06-04 06:50
Oh man, that is a GOOD article! I'm one of those people who believes there are different 'schools' of playing - however, a clarinetist from England isn't necessarily an English clarinet player - what if a student at the Royal Academy, for example, played Wurlitzer clarinets, and studies the German sound, with a purely German setup??
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Author: beejay
Date: 2003-06-04 07:07
Brymer (and I agree with him) said differences in national styles are like differences in accent. A clarinetist from Dover is not likely to play exactly the same as one from Calais, even if all other things are equal.
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-06-04 08:26
I'm with Beejay on the point re the way you speak also carries over into tone production. Brymer said that the vowel he used while playing was Aww, whereas we often see people on this BB advocating an Ee vowel, which would produce a different tone. But even then, I think many top modern English players play on wide lay mouthpieces between 1.2mm and 1.25mm, and do aim for a plush or even fat sound. I disagree with the view that they tend to use vibrato. That is a Brymer/de Peyer era thing, and even they were selective (in fact, I think it often sounded contrived). Most English playing is straight and melifluous, rather different from the reedy playing of the French players, for instance.
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-06-04 14:48
GBK,
Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the Leeson article.
Hans
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-06-04 15:22
The English tone is certainly dissapearing in place of a more homogenous American like sound in UK.
What with Booseys fast dissapearing it will be harder to maintain this difference...as to Easton and Howarth clarinets they offer the choice between small and larger bore(English sound) clarinets...
David Dow
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-06-04 15:34
Well, I think that the extremes of English sound of the second half of the 20th Century probably are waning, but there is still something different, and not particularly American. The bore of the instrument is only part of the story. James Campbell, who has a very wide sound, has played on Buffets for years. I am not sure I would regard Michael Collins as sounding particularly American, and he plays on French instruments. Andrew Marriner, with his "Peaches and Cream" sound is really very English, and he plays on French instruments.
Also, The true wide bores on the market, by Eaton and Rossi are actually picking up market share in the UK, as compared to the 1990s when almost everyone bought French. Howarth's wider clarinet is only 14.75mm, as against the Eaton Elite being about 15.2mm, so Howarths are not wide bore, even in the wider incarnation.
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Author: jez
Date: 2003-06-04 15:52
I think that here in the UK and maybe throughout the world national characteristics are becoming more watered down, almost to the point of disappearing.
I'm a great lover of the old English style. I played B&H 1010s till after I left college and changed to narrow bore not because I preferred the sound but because I found it easier to cope with the intonation. (maybe I should try the modern wide-bore instruments which I believe might work better)
For the first years of my career most of the people I worked with played 1010s.
The trend now, however, is for people to use narrow-bores but aim to produce a darker sound on them than used to be the norm. I'd say there was a heavy influence here from the German school.
Left to my own devices I try to sound like an old-style English school player, but to blend in with todays young players I have to try to make a heavier sound. Curiously I find this easier to do on a German-style instrument!
We're currently trying to replace the bass cl. player in our orchestra so I've just listened to about 50 players at screened auditions. Out of those 6 were invited to come and play with us and 2 of those turned out to be French, both having studied at the Paris Conservatoire. There can't be that much difference left between those 2 'schools' I don't think that would have happened 30 years ago.
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-06-05 00:18
jez, I'm overcome with questions. Where did you find 50 bass players? Were these 50 primary bass players or 50 clarnetists who happened to double on bass? Would that make a diffference in their basic sound?Bob A
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-05 01:49
The BBC Phil is certainly an extraordinary orchestra - the fact that 50 players turned up surprises me not.
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Author: jez
Date: 2003-06-05 16:38
Bob A.,
We advertise on musicalchairs and in the UK national press. I wasn.t surprised at the number of applicants. I believe the 3rd fl/picc job (also going) had over 100.
The successful candidate will be expected to play 1st, 2nd or 3rd cl. as required (there's only 3 in the section) so while a bass specialist is desirable we need an all-rounder.
One of the candidates on trial is also in for the job of 2nd/E flat in an orchestra just down the road.
Few British players specialise too exclusively. As a freelancer its important to have as many things to offer as possible; a lot play all sizes cl. & sax as well.
jez
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