 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: justwannaplay
Date: 2004-05-12 10:51
Hello guys,
Some of you might remember that I'm an adult relearner who picked up the instrument again last October. I think I've made pretty good progress, and I try to practise daily, but not with real consistency. In my last lesson my teacher pulled out the Mozart Concerto, as a longer project to work on. She is a university music/teaching major, so about half my age! I asked her what exam level it was (8) and she then asked me if I wanted to go for an exam with it. In the back of my mind I had been thinking about going for an exam, eventually, when I felt ready, but never imagined with something like the Mozart concerto! (ok, just first movement).
Years ago, while a teen, I started the Weber Concertino with the idea of going for a NYSMA exam, but didn't have the support/technique/foresight to really go ahead with it.
Those of you who have played/play the concerto - is this possible, given I'm not really that good? I believe my teacher sees my maturity and thinks it's doable, lets say, compared to a kid she's teaching, but I'm not sure I'll ever have the technique to pull something like that off.
What would I need to do to prepare myself? If I manage to polish my playing skills sufficiently, how would I start on the musicality of the piece? Read? Listen to other recordings?
Help!
Elizabeth
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-05-12 11:37
I'm not very good and I play it. I play it badly. I get most of the notes most of the time, but several phrases I really can't play at all. Does that matter? If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing badly.
What is important, I think, is to split your practicing time between things that you really enjoy (but are maybe too hard for you) and things that will do you good (but are dead boring). Your teacher needs to recognise this balance. I'd be wary of a teacher who constantly gives you more and more difficult music, and never works on the basics. Equally, I wouldn't want to work with a teacher whose only aim is to get you to play a flawless F major scale.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Tom Piercy
Date: 2004-05-12 12:07
Help! (?)
I'd be curious to know if you have asked your teacher these same questions and discussed these issues with her. What was her advice? She certainly knows more about you than "we" do -- being a self-described "adult relearner" and "not really that good" is all relative.
You may or may not be headed in the right direction; to be truly, and specifically helpful, "we" would need more background from you and your teacher's ideas and thoughts.
In general, "go for it," -- the Mozart is a wonderful piece that every clarinetist should enjoy pursuing and playing.
Tom Piercy
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Author: msroboto
Date: 2004-05-12 12:19
I'm an adult relearner too. I'm not that great and probably never will be.
I was also given that piece a while back.
I say definitely listen to some version(s) of it. Learn what you can from it. There is a lot.
I don't expect to ever perform it so for me and maybe for you what else is there.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2004-05-12 12:44
Elizabeth, et al.
Re: performing the Mozart Concerto, there are certainly different levels of performance that might be available to you. I don't think for a minute that I would ever be asked to perform this piece (or much of anything, frankly) with a symphony orchestra, or even the local concert band (although I do fantasize about having a shot at that . . .). However, I am going to be performing the Adagio section for a local music teacher's master class this afternoon.
What's the point of doing that? Well, it does give me an excuse to bring that section to a level of mastery that I otherwise would be unlikely to attain, and it will give these young learners an opportunity to see an adult actually using some of the skills with which they are struggling. From talking to the teacher, I know that she has shown them the score, and they are interested in hearing me execute the runs and arpeggios, which look very forbidding to them. I expect to talk to them about how one approaches a score, showing them my learning process. If time permits, I am also going to play a Benny Goodman swing piece that uses many of the same techniques, to demonstrate how differently similar musical ideas may sound in different hands and different times.
Considering the alternatives, I think this is fun, and a good use of my time, and these days, that is enough for me.
Susan
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Author: justwannaplay
Date: 2004-05-12 14:58
Here's more on me (you're right Tom, my message was sketchy because I had to go practice before the lesson):
my main concern would be the exam situation. That is, I wouldn't want to go in there and have the examiners bury their heads in their hands and think, why? .
How bad/good am I? hard to tell since I haven't been graded/tested before. I can only go by my own ability and the memory of what I could do during my teens (Symphonic Band, 2nd clarinet). Age is a funny thing - you think you can do it, because you can do pretty much anything else, but whether you can really do it is another matter.
I just came from my lesson, in fact, and I was squeeking all over the place and I'm not really a squeeker. I was struggling because of that, as well as the anxiety of playing it! You'll all agree I'm sure that Mozart is deceptively simple. I think my teacher had second doubts about suggesting it! (but if she did she didn't express them). I don't now want to say to her, 'Oh, I don't want to do this', because deep down I do - it's just wondering whether the skills can ever match up to the will.
I believe I would have about 7 months to prepare. I know that preparation means a lot of exercises, scales, etc., which I find difficult imagining within a short time frame. I have Baerman 1st and 2nd division (made a mistake, wanted to buy the III book), and Klose Complete Method. I have practiced a couple of studies from the Baerman for my lessons, but my teacher does not assign exercises from it. She is going to bring me some scale studies she is familiar with. Can I practise the Klose on my own? How?
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-05-12 15:18
I like David P's attitude. I also play "it" and if given the opportunity to play it for an exam or in public would go for it. Does anyone, including judges, expect an amateur to play perfectly....and who cares?? If you like the piece just play it as best as you can....Mozart would approve. Yes, listen to a few recordings for inspiration and clues. Personally I feel that the "amateur player" should strive for accuracy and feeling rather than finger speed. Sabine Meyer's version with basset horn gives me goose bumps. Do it.
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-05-12 17:23
If your main concern is the exam, then surely your teacher should be your guide. She should know what standard the examiners expect.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-05-13 05:20
God ... the Mozart Concerto is not the only piece of clarinet music written ... but one would surely think so.
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-05-13 17:39
diz - I think that's a little unfair. Of course it is not the only piece, not the only worthwhile piece, not even the only great piece.
But it has a good claim to be the greatest piece. It is the piece that brought some of us to the clarinet in the first place. It is the piece that every classical music fan knows.
What is surprising to me is not that so many amateurs like myself want to play it. The surprising thing is that, from what I can gather, it forms a part of so many professional auditions. I would have thought, if you were auditioning someone to play second clarinet in an opera orchestra, say, the ability to play the Mozart wouldn't be an ideal benchmark.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Reply To Message
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Author: justwannaplay
Date: 2004-05-14 09:29
diz does have a point - I would probably choose something else, like the Concertino, but the Mozart is on the list of pieces from which to choose. Plus my teacher is familiar with it, having done it herself for the exam. Also, I've got personal reasons for wanting to play it.
I've had a look at the exam board website and they do offer something called 'Performance Assessment', where you don't go for an exam per se. This is specifically for Adult learners or relearners. That seems a very good idea for a 'dry run', before going ahead with an exam.
Thanks for the replies,
Elizabeth
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-05-14 17:22
I say if your teacher thinks that you can do it, and you enjoy playing it, why not? If she believes that you can pass whatever grade you're trying to pass while playing it, I'd certainly be glad that she had that faith and give it a shot.
I'm with David Peachem. I can play most of the notes. Aside from a select few runs. And I'm sure that a professional musician listening in on me would probably cringe when they heard me playing it. But if my teacher said "Go for it," I would. Cause it's fun to play, certainly a goal to strive for, and if he/she thought it'd be a good idea, then I'm with them on it. I hardly believe that your teacher is trying to embarrass you on your audition, but rather sincerely believes that it'd be beneficial to you.
So I say go for it.
alexi
US Army Japan Band
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