 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Amanda S
Date: 2006-03-31 01:35
It's a week before contest, and my band director is suddenly deciding to change everything in this piece. One of his most disturbing changes is in intermezzo. We have no Ebs, so two Bbs play the Eb part for the first few measures down an octave. He's been trying to get them to play short for ages, and they've finally got it, but now he's decided it's too short. I understand that...the note needs to have some tone color, BUT he proceeded to ask the clarinets whether the notes should be long or short. We answered short...since there are staccotos over each note. This is what he said. Direct quote "No. Staccotos do not indicate short. I want these to be long."
I know staccoto does not mean overly short, but rather separated or disconnected. He wants these notes to be touching. Could any of you with experience on this piece enlighten me to his point of view? Also, if you have any tips for the solo Bb part, they would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Amanda
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Author: Lex
Date: 2006-03-31 03:57
Our band is also playing First Suite, but without Intermezzo-it's a shame.
I don't understand why your director would want to play that part connected... it would change the style of the entire movement, would it not?
I agree with EEbaum, short with substance. As far as the Bb solo, if you're wondering about style, talk to the first cornet player, seeing as they will have the same thing a little later and it would be best if it was played the same way.
I have a question for you now: Our band also lacks in Eb clarinets, and during Chaconne, our director transposed the Eb clarinet part into Bb for the little oboe-flute solos shortly after C. One of the notes just doesn't seem to fit with the other parts. Any chance your director did the same thing? Does it sound odd to you?
*heh, I've been looking at this site for about a week now, and your post made me get an account. Good luck at contest- we go Tuesday*
A.
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Author: Kchui999
Date: 2006-03-31 04:17
Just played it with my band last winter. the staccatos in the Intermezzo shouldnt be connected, but shouldnt be too short either. They're supposed to be "pulsating," for lack of a better word.
I also played the solo clarinet part. Really fun because of the melodies you get. One thing you really need to do is to make your part stand out. Its useless if you cant be heard somewhat above your section.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-03-31 10:39
Hi,
You are on dangerous ground when you try to second guess the director. The director is the only one that has the sense of the overall sound and balance and asking for a specific articulation goes with the job (right or wrong).
I have conducted as well as played this section with two Bbs and then 2 eefers (a totally different sound that is pretty neat). A beefer will never sound quite the same. Also, I have never played or heard any pulsation with this part. That would seem to be an incorrect interpratation but should probably be a very light sound much like what a snare would make playing the even 8th notes softly and closer to the edge of the head. IMHO the melody line that comes in during the next few measures should prevail without a change in dynamics by the eefers/beefers.
HRL
Post Edited (2006-03-31 15:00)
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Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2006-03-31 14:29
Intersting. We are playing this on Sunday along with the Second Suite, and I have the only effer. I'm playing with a lot of attack, not connected but not like 1/16 notes in 1/8 note time. The problem I'm having is throttling back. As Hank remarks, this part shouldn't come through to the foreground. It is marked piano. In the end, do what your director wants, he is the boss and you are part of "his" band.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-03-31 16:13
The world is full of idiots. As Dilbert says, if you make something idiot-proof, the world will just make a better idiot.
Of course staccato means short. You're right, and the conductor is wrong. However, he's still the conductor, and you can't call him on it. Just play it the way he says and tuck the experience away as a war story.
I was in a band that played Rossini's Overture to Italian in Algiers, which opens with pizzicato strings, played by the clarinets in the band arrangement. The conductor shouted that he had heard Toscanini conduct it, and the notes were always legato and connected. We snickered and played it the way the idiot wanted.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Amanda S
Date: 2006-04-01 03:18
It's so painful to just take all of the crud this director puts us through. I'm in the mood to rant, but I'll spare you all. I would like to make sweepstakes...just once, but with him, it will be quite impossible. This sounds harsh, but you would have worse things to say after meeting the man. Lex, my stand partner was going to play the Eb, but we never found one. She ended up transposing the part, and playing it on her Bb. I think I know which part you're talking about. A solo(ish) Eb part, quarter notes during the flute and oboe triplets? I don't have the part with me, but I could get it by Monday. That might be kind of late notice though.
Amanda
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-04-01 03:42
Amanda S wrote:
> It's so painful to just take all of the crud this director puts
> us through.
Don't lose any sleep over it. Eventually it will just be another learning experience to reflect upon.
There will be far greater challenges, both musical and non-musical, ahead in your playing career.
In the grand scheme of things, high school band is relatively meaningless...GBK
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Author: Llewsrac
Date: 2006-04-01 05:15
GBK wrote:
"In the grand scheme of things, high school band is relatively meaningless"
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-04-01 05:45
As stated - in the over all picture of life (and musical) experiences, high school band, for most people carried little or no weight and certainly had no bearing to later success or failure.
There will soon come much bigger challenges, both personal and academic. High school decisions will be petty by comparison.
Did we all have to make musical choices in high school? Were many of the days (weeks) in band less than pleasant? Were we scarred for life? Did we all somehow live to tell about it?
For some, like myself, high school band is just a distant memory, not because of years gone by, but through more substantial and formative musical experiences which followed.
Sometimes it is like the "can't see the forest for the trees" analogy. In a few years, when firmly entrenched in college, this seemingly major problem will be nothing more than a mild annoyance...GBK
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Author: Amanda S
Date: 2006-04-01 05:53
I talked to my stand partner, and she gave me the (transposed) notes for the Eb solo (starting on the third beat of 66?) C,A,F,D,E,E,F#,Bb,A. We think this is right...email me if you have any problems with it.
Amanda
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