 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2004-02-17 14:04
Ok -- I've looked around the archives for this, but haven't found it. Apologies in advance if I am retreading old ground.
Our community band is working on Bernstein's "Overture to 'Candide'", arr. Walter Beeler, publ. G. Schirmer. Within the 1st clarinet part there are several places where a glissando is written from a given tone to another given (higher) tone. We're playing these as quick, chromatic runs. No problem.
However, I have a question about the single beat gliss in m. 46. It is written as a quarter note clarion A, preceeded by the usual wavy line (which begins in the clarion E space) and the articulation "gliss.", but no starting tone is specified for the gliss. The previous beat (half-beat) is a rest. The tone preceeding the rest is a chalumeau D. So, where (on what note) is the gliss supposed to start?
I'm sure there is a rule for this that I have forgotten. Can any of you set me straight?
Susan K.
Coshocton, OH
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Author: William
Date: 2004-02-17 14:14
I believe that the last time I played that part, I treated all of the glisses as lipped figures rather than chromatics. The one that you ask about is most probably a "scoop", a lip gliss beginning just before the note (no specific pitch, just lower) and ending on the beat where the note actually is. Lennie appreciated good jazz and often "wrote it in" or "quoted" it in his compositions. The overture to Candide is simply evident of that and a "jazz" interpretation of the wavy figures is certainly appropriate.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-02-17 21:30
William has given a good explanation of the gliss figure.
This is a common figure in jazz and is not specifically written out, note for note.
Just start the scoop, or gliss with a "false" fingering before the intended arrival note and lip up to the desired note.
Easier demonstrated than explained ...GBK
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2004-02-17 23:09
Although I'm not familiar with the piece, if it uses jazz or blues accenting, then another approach would be to slide up to the note over two or three notes and lip the last half or full tone. This can be done very quickly and is actually easier to do fast than slow. It gives a "whaaaaaaap" sort of feel to the notes.
Best
Rick
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Author: SVSorna05
Date: 2004-02-18 00:52
Hey Susan I'm also playin ur exact part at this point in time, but i'm not doing it chromatically (I never thought about it actualy) I'm just startin at around a D or middle C and scooping it up to the A. I hope that helps
-Dain-
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Author: ken
Date: 2004-02-18 19:42
Whenever playing the Beeler transcription I lip slur-smear-scoop the gliss; tricky spot actually, if the tempo is too quick you can get hung up in the gliss and miss the downbeat. With ornamentation such as this, phrase length and inertia often dictates rhythmic activity; i.e., if the entrance into the gliss is late the weakness of forward motion will cause the next beat to also be late. When assigned the 1st part I use only the embouchure here (if one can't use the chops then half-hole from middle line E natural and rip it chromatically). I then shorten the gliss and treat it as a "longer" pick-up better anticipating the downbeat. Of course, arriving ON and slurring into the downbeat in meter, with a full value note and in tune is always "the goal". Taking a closer look, this gliss is an embellishment in the larger context of an 8-bar phrase. Yes, be sassy, flippant, characteristic and enjoy Candide but keep your focus.
And, as for the rules of copy, my 20th-centruy (Dr.) Western Training taught me a written "wavy line" (extended mortem) can serve as BOTH a gliss or a smear depending on how notated. The gliss is negotiated chromatically and/or diatonically in the key signature (save accidentals). The smear is more of an "effect", where the bending and rolling of notes alters pitch with a significantly lesser tonal center. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, i.e., all of the clarinet parts (I've ever seen) of Rhapsody in Blue were marked gliss; however we know the second half of the opening run is traditionally accepted and performed as a smear. v/r Ken
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