 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-09-28 15:10
I'm playing principal clarinet in Wagner's Siegfried Idyll with my college orchestra. The strings play for a very long time, then I have to come in on a solo starting on a high C. I'm really having trouble getting ithe C out after such a long period of not playing. I've been blowing air through my clarinet but it doesn't seem to help much. Is there any way to be better prepared for such a solo? It's not a difficult solo, it's just the placement. I'm not sure if my reed's dried out or my clarinet's cold or what.
I have to switch to my not very warmed up B flat halfway through the piece (the first section's for A clarinet) but that's not as much of an issue. I'm not sure if it's because I start on a much easier note or because my reed's not having problems...
Thanks,
Micaela
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Author: William
Date: 2003-09-28 22:05
I assume that you are "blowing air" to warm the clarinet for optimum intonation and that you are keeping the reed moist. My advice addresses the delicate and rhythmically correct enunciation of the tone--and it comes from a clinic given by a master teacher, the (now retired) Professor of Clarinet at Eastman.
For starting higher notes delicately with immediant response, Stanley Hasty recommends starting the air before the tone is to begin, and then simply tonguing the reed to get the tone started "on time". The example he used was the ppp Bb beginning the Weber Concertino. He said that this articulative technique "saved him" on many similar entrances, perhaps it will be of help to you as well. I have tried it--and it works for me. Just start the air moving through the mpc and lightly tongue to begin the note.
Good luck and have fun being the Principal!!!
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-09-29 00:55
Don't think of pushing the air with your mouth. Instead, think of ringing the clarinet at the point of your lowest finger. It's a bit trickier with a high C--think of playing to your right thumb if you need to. Start the air pressure, then release your tongue off the reed to begin the note.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-09-29 11:54
William: Oh, that's what I didn't do! I started the air 2 half beats before the Bb in Concertino, but nothing came out until a beat too late, of course, at at time when it was really important to play it right.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-09-29 12:46
I've done the Siegfried Idyll a few times, the last time about six months ago and know exactly the passage you are referring to.
William's suggestion is quite correct - start the air moving before the note. The high C you are concerned about is marked piano in the clarinet part, but follows the flute and oboe who both play a similar passage before you enter. Take your volume cue from them and match their dynamics, shaping the passage the same way. Rarely is the clarinet part played piano. Most conductors will ask you to bring out that line, thus it will probably be played either mp or even mf.
I keep the clarinet barrel and upper joint warm by keeping my hands around them until ready to play. I also keep the mouthpiece cap on the reed until last the possible moment
Two other sections to watch out for: Don't be late in the birdcall sections (2nd page - Lebhaft), and be careful not to let the high D's "pop out" in the final clarinet solo at the end of the piece.
You might also think of transposing the last bird call and playing it on the Bb clarinet.
Listen to everything going on around you and let the clarinet sing...GBK
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-09-29 16:07
Wagner wrote for the German system clarinet, on which the high C is fingered with the left middle finger down. It has a much more secure and controlled quality than on the French Boehm instrument, where that C is a reltively poor note, particularly on the A clarinet.
I don't have my instrument with me, but you might try closing some holes and opening others -- perhaps putting down your right ring finger and opening the lowest or next-to-lowest trill key, or putting down your left index finger and opening the throat G# key. These aer off the top of my head and may not work at all, but there's probably some combination that will help.
GBK - does Tom Ridenour's fingering book have any suggestions?
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-09-29 16:32
The best fingering for a "soft entrance C6" is:
TR x x 3 + lowest right side key #4 / 1 2 3
A good possibility in this case.
Ken - Thanks for reminding me about alternate fingering choices. (I just checked my part and sure enough I had actually written in that fingering as a reminder to myself!) ...GBK
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Author: Ed
Date: 2003-09-29 18:15
Make sure you have the pitch in your ear and are voicing the note correctly and with good air support. Don't get tense and let your embouchure pinch. Another possible fingering is to add the three right hand fingers.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-09-29 23:45
There has been a couple of references to using trumpet/cornet material for clarinet practice. There are a six or seven small volume set of trumpet books called Shuebruk's (not sure of the spelling) graded lip and tongue trainers. A couple of these books contain exercises on entering on high notes cold. The exercise involves removing the instrument and replacing it and practising high entries cold. They involve accents, staccato, double and triple tonguing etc.. It is probably a little late in the piece now but tracking down these exercises for later might be a good thing. They are just designed, through repetitive work, to give you confidence in high entries which is the bane of the orchestral trumpet players life and so it would seem the orchestral woodwind players life. I use a similar approach to low 2nd bassoon entries which can be downright scary. Thankfully, sometimes, I play mainly high bassoon.
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-10-01 03:21
Thanks a lot for all your advice! It's a hard thing to practice because you have to take long breaks to make it anything like playing in the orchestra but I'll do my best. I have rehearsal Thursday so I can see if I can get it...
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