 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Gardini
Date: 2005-03-24 23:18
I hear people make references to American vs. German or French sound, or style of playing. What is the definition of these different styles and who would you consider best represents the pure form of each of these respective styles.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kevin
Date: 2005-03-25 00:32
My personal opinions have Robert Marcellus labeled as the ideal American sound, Paul Meyer as the French sound, and Karl Leister as the German sound.
Basically, the German tone is the darkest, and the music of this school is generally of a more dramatic and refined nature (think Weber and Brahms). The French tone is the brightest, and music of the French school is of a more outward and/or playful style (think Poulenc and Messager). The American school falls in somewhere between.
Post Edited (2005-03-25 00:33)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: psychotic lil clarinet girl (don't as
Date: 2005-03-25 00:39
hm... German sounds harsh
French sounds grr... I can't pronounce
And English is the only language of the three I know!
As for the clarinets, I had no clue that there was a difference. Of course, I haven't been around the clarinet community long enough to have figured that out. But for future reference now I know, so thanks for asking that question.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2005-03-25 01:06
However ...
There is great debate over what if anything is left of the "schools" of playing. In fact, at this very moment, I am assisting Dan Leeson in an experiment in whether or not such "schools" of clarinet playing can be identified today.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: larryb
Date: 2005-03-25 01:14
hey mary, there's a great quote (I think it G. B. Shaw, aka Corno di Bassetto), somthing like:
I speak English to my wife,
French to my mistress,
Italian to my lover, and
German to my horse.
Maybe the same applies to national clarinet sounds...
A well worn topic.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-03-25 02:32
When I spent a little time with Guy Dangain (solo clarinet--Orchestre de Paris) a few years ago, I was surprised to know that he was playing an American mouthpiece--Borbeck--if memory serves me correctly. But, of course, that particular French orchestra has strived for an "international" sound from the outset, under Solti and Barenboim among others. Horns were playing Conn 8-D's, Vincent Bach trumpets and trombones, even Heckel bassoons! To me that's a shame: the unique schools of playing the various instruments in different countries is a legacy that will be sorely missed, if lost. If you haven't heard a "real" French orchestra play Belioz, Debussy and Ravel, you haven't really heard the sound that those composers envisioned when they wrote down the notes. Same thing goes for Czech orchestras playing Dvorak and Smetana, Russians playing Tchaikowsky etc etc. And Delius just doesn't sound right without a "lisping" uniquely Brit oboe!
With the best conductors performing interchangeably anywhere the jets take them, we're in real danger of developing a homogenized "standard" orchestral palette. Takes a lot of the fun out of listening to music. Even here in the US it's getting harder and harder to identify distinctive traits of our top orchestras! (Or have my ears gone bad from 50 years of sitting too near the trumpets and tyimpani?)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2005-03-25 03:48
So Mark, after reading Leeson's article that GBK posted...I am wondering exactly what the extent of your experiment with him is. Enquiring minds...
Katrina
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: LeWhite
Date: 2005-03-25 07:43
I think globalisation has affected and will continue to affect our sound as clarinetists. I cannot say whether this is good or bad, only that I feel it may lead to a more uniform, boring international standard.
__________________
Don't hate me because I play Leblanc! ![[down]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley23.gif) Buffet
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2005-03-25 11:39
Let us not overlook the contribution of varied instrument bore sizes to sound.
I have a lovely set of Uebel clarinets with a purely straight bore, just a little narrower than my trusty Ridenour TR147 - the Uebel set is more resistant and sounds "covered" when played with the same mouthpiece as on my TR.
Playing larger bore instruments (as the Boosey 1010 or Selmer Centered Tone)
requires a considerable amount of concentration to keep on pitch. They also seem to prefer being played LOUD... although top players manage well!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Liquorice
Date: 2005-03-25 12:02
I'd love to take the test, but I don't subscribe to this mailing list. Am I too late? How do I subscribe?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Nathan
Date: 2005-03-25 22:18
I'm always surprised that when people continue to talk about these various national schools of clarinet playing, and their characteristic sound, they almost always fail to mention the Guatemalan style/school of playing. This seems to be a gross oversight in my opinion.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: psychotic lil clarinet girl (don't as
Date: 2005-03-25 22:25
I speak English to my wife,
French to my mistress,
Italian to my lover, and
German to my horse.
hm.... if you wanted to relate that to clarinets...
I play my English clarinet for my wife
I play my French clarinet for my mistress
I play my Italian clarinet for my lover, and
I play my German clarinet for my horse.
But it doesn't matter, because a clarinet is A CLARINET! ^_^
My question is, why does this person relate three people he has sexual relations with to his horse? It's just odd...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
