 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-11-17 11:16
On a recent trans-atlantic vacation I took along David Pino's book "The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing" and found it to be a treasure-trove of information. I also have two other books, one written by David Pino's teacher of 15 years, Keith Stein, and also the "Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet". These can fill in the gaps of our individual training. Plus, they contain the history of the clarinet and its development over the centuries.
So many of the topics covered here on the Clarinet Pages are in these books. Those of us who started as self-taught can benefit from the remedial techniques presented. Old-timers can see where their techniques can be polished up, and where their own habits have slipped over the years. It seems to me that teachers should have this information under their belt before they even begin teaching so as to help their students begin without any bad habits and to teach without frightening their students into playing with fear of retribution. Also advanced students should be reading these reference books. It takes a measure of experience in playing and dealing with practice routines to be able to understand the depth of information presented as I believe new players would find this too far over their heads to be beneficial.
It's invaluable to have the benefit of the years of experience in professional playing, and in teaching and in being taught, all written down as a reference to go back to time and time again to absorb the information.
The benefit of these Clarinet Pages, of course, is that we can ask specific questions and get the advice of other highly experienced individuals. All of these sources of information have been enlightening, even to know that there's a wide variety of opinions about some topics!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-11-17 12:30
Brenda...Here are a few more reference books which you might want to own in the future. All are excellent and contain valuable insight on the history, development, acoustics and playing of the clarinet. By no means a complete list, but here are the "Big 3":
Clarinet - Jack Brymer
The Clarinet - F. Geoffrey Rendall
The Clarinet - Oskar Kroll
Also, Pamela Weston's series on clarinet virtuosi is certainly worth looking at...GBK
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-11-17 13:14
Hi,
The doctoral dissertation by Shannon Thompson a few years ago on The Philadelphia School of Clarinet Playing is terrific. Lots of things on style, practice, and equipment (Portnoy, Bonade, etc.).
Other principal members of the woodwind section are covered as well. The comments by Bernie Portnoy are worth the read alone. Lots of cool stuff on Bonade.
HRL
PS The dissertation was from U. of Texas and can be had from University Microfilms or gotten on inter-library loan.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-11-17 15:43
Baines, Woodwind Instruments and Their History (my favorite -- not easy, but chock full of fascinating information -- available in paperback)
Adam Carse, Music Wind Instruments (a bit dry, but comprehensive)
Robert Willimann, The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing (long out of print -- full of war stories and practical advice)
Jack Brymer, From Where I Sit and In the Orchestra (his two autobiographies -- great practical advice)
Pamela Watson, Great Clarinetists of the Past and More Great Clarinetists of the Past (expensive but worthwhile -- there's also a recent supplement, and another volume, Great Clarientists of the Present, is out of print but worth finding)
Al Rice - The Baroque Clarinet (available in paperback) and The Classical Clarinet (new, and expensive in hard cover) (comprehensive and well-written books by the man who knows more than everybody)
Grove article on Clarinet.
See Gary van Cott's site for more.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Rev. Avery
Date: 2003-11-17 16:09
Just ordered Stein's book. Thanks so much for the advise. Can't wait to get it!
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-11-17 17:47
Thanks guys, for the info. For university students - don't they have to read some of these books as part of their education? I can't imagine their getting away with not having to do their own reading to accompany lessons, practice and recitals.
It seems like it would be an entertaining read to find out what goes on during rehearsals and performances. As I well know things don't always go smoothly (the post about the conductor changing the Berlioz for example). I know of one case where the clarinetist told the guest conductor "yes, sir" during rehearsal and then performed the part the way he knew was appropriate during the performance. I guess with enough years behind you you could get away with that. Another time the guest conductor was fired. Then, the stolen instruments, reeds that won't play at crucial times, this would be quite the read!
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