 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-25 21:20
That whole conversation about Star Trek Voyager reminded me of something that's been bothering me. I think that this topic might steer such interests in a more productive direction.
As a teacher, I have been deeply concerned about the absence of the clarinet in popular culture. Benny Goodman and Pete Fountain fade more into (or rather out of) memory every day, and modern renaissance men like Daniels, Byron and Stoltzman are virtually unknown despite their ability to cross over styles in a way that leave a Galway in the dust.
Incredibly, even clarinet players don't seem to think that the clarinet is that cool. The most excitement that I've seen has been from a sax student who was captivated by a guy playing in silhouette on a commercial for rice. (I forget the brand)
The most recent popular flagwaver that I can remember was Hal Linden, who starred in the sitcom Barney Miller. After doing a Merv Griffin appearance and sitting in with the band, he started playing his horn on a number of other talk show appearances and waking some folks up. I also recall Fred McMurray playing clarinet and sax on occasion in My Three Sons, and some mention that Peter Graves (Mission Impossible) was a very good amateur player.
Where once upon a time playing the clarinet could bring someone celebrity, I now find myself more in search of celebrities who play the clarinet. Garrett Wang's character on Voyager was a hopeful. He did two scenes that I know of, and some random space alien also tormented him about his fears of "that G-sharp in the Mozart Concerto." While I applaud their efforts to be accurate with the clarinet thing, I had hoped to see some episode where he would fulfill his clarinet fantasies in the way that only the sci-fi shows can make up. (Hats off, though, to the Star Trek producers for promoting music as a hobby. I may not be satisfied, but we all should be grateful)
Lisa Simpson has been a great help in engaging younger sax players. There have been at least three episodes that revolved around her musical pursuits, and her apprenticeship with Bleeding Gums Murphy.
Woody Allen is probably the most visible celebrity clarinetist today. In my desperation, I bought a copy of his movie Wild Man Blues, where he tours Europe with his jazz band. What I found was some very pedestrian playing, neurotic behavior, a truly embarassing episode at what I think was the Buffet factory, and a major helping of the Soon-Yi relationship. (Perhaps a West Virginia tour is in order) A lot of the public associates his name with the clarinet, but I found nothing remotely inspirational in a movie devoted to the subject.
In eight years of providing new students with cassette tapes, I find that they have little enthusiasm for some of the finest classical works, but sometimes they respond to a Benny Goodman, Pete Fountain or Richard Stoltzman if I select something really accessible. While some of this is helpful to private students, it does little good for other talented players who don't study privately.
This becomes increasingly painful in light of calls from parents who want to start a 10 year old on soprano sax because of Kenny G., and those who ask, "have you heard of James Galway? He plays with the CHIEFTANS sometimes." It seems to me that we're entitled to at least one big star--but when the clarinet is mentioned, more folks seem to think of Woody Allen than of Benny Goodman.
END OF TIRADE
So, I look to the readers of this BB for a couple of things.
1)Celebrity clarinetists that I might not have thought of--or other professional clarinetists who might combine the skill and accessibility to become an equivalent of Kenny G. or Galway.
2)Educational materials that might feature the clarinet in action. The instrument has such a rich and varied heritage, that a terrific documentary could be produced with action footage in classical, jazz, klezmer and other folk settings. Include cameos by celebrity players, and playing celebrities. Ideally, we need A&E to do a Biography episode on the instrument.
Does something on this order exist? If not, would the ICS find it worthwhile? Whaddaya think?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-06-25 22:39
Very thoughtful "tirade" Allen, I agree we should awaken from a comfortable lull with the dozen or so fine clar concertos, flawlessly performed by cl'ists known to us, but little known widely. Being senior, I can recall the excitement generated by B G, Glenn Miller, the Dorseys, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, the Dixielanders and many others where the clarinet was a "headliner". From what I have experienced, I do applaud the efforts of Eddie, Richard and others to "cross-over" into the field of "popular" music, but "how" to repeat? Will ponder it. Don
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2000-06-26 00:31
"Sweet and Lowdown", which followed "Wild Man Blues", had much better acting, story, and music. Not a clarinet movie, alas, but the sound of Ken Peplowski was credited for Sean Penn's clarinet sideman (Howard Alden did the guitar stuff).
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Author: Kim L
Date: 2000-06-26 03:07
Tell me about it! My university music department only has three undergrad clarinet majors this year! That is sad. :( We usually have so many more, but for some reason, there are three. Every other section is huge. It leads me to wonder.
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Author: Michael Kincaid
Date: 2000-06-26 03:13
Allen, I have wondered some of the same things myself. {why the clarinet isn't more visible in popular culture.}
I think the more visible clarinetists in the US such as
Richard Stoltzman and Eddie Daniels have made as big an
attempt at "reviving" the instrument as anyone can. I listen to Eddie Daniel's CD THIS IS NOW and I just can't understand why it isn't on the jazz or pop charts like
Kenny G.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-26 06:34
At this point, a pop music resurgence is probably close to hopeless. I think that the last big hit that I heard a prominent clarinet in was Hank Williams Jr's "Women I've Never Had" (1980 or 1981, I think)...a tune that a number of mothers might not like me exposing their kids to. As a kid, I was greatly inspired by a clarinet solo on a record of 'Snowbird', possibly by Lynn Anderson, and by the solo in Waltz of the Flowers, from the Nutcracker.
Thanks for the tip on Ken Peplowski and Howard Alden in Sweet and Lowdown. (is this a remake of the old flick that had a cameo by Benny Goodman?) That's definitely a move in the right direction. Ken Peplowski is a terrific player and very accessible. He also did the demo tracks for the new Jim Snidero book on Jazz Conception (i.e. swing feel).
Even so, it would be great to have some videos done on the individual instruments with a similar impact as the 'Marsalis on Music' shows. I wonder if A&E or the Learning Channel could be talked into producing something of this kind. Cover the horn, the masterworks, the styles, the players and throw in some celebrity adherents. I think that the clarinet would really stand out in such a series.
I am very concerned about things in the schools. I get a fair amount of calls from parents wanting to get their kids an early start on saxophone, so that the band director can't 'hoodwink' them into playing clarinet, french horn, or something else that's actually in demand. In many cases kids are not choosing the clarinet, and many clarinet players are switching to sax before they gain clarinet skills that are worth retaining. I've had a number of clarinet students quit this year because they don't want to work on exercises that the saxophones eat up. Add to this the current culture of kids doing a million different activities and having little or no time to excel in something like playing an instrument.
Maybe we could get it placed somehow in a Southpark episode...
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Author: Lynne
Date: 2000-06-26 07:18
I've been reading your article with interest. I thought with the number of people taking part in this forum & joining the chat room on a Sunday, that the clarinet was very popular. I'm a performer/teacher in England and the clarinet is one of the most popular instruments here. We have a couple of clarinet societies that organise events such as workshops, masterclasses, concerts etc., & I'm sure this helps to promote the clarinet. Doesn't the ICA do the same in the USA? Most of my pupils that start on clarinet, stay on clarinet. My saxophone pupils start on saxophone, so there's little crossing over.
We also have a televised music competition for youngsters under 21 years. This is hugely popular & helps all instruments gain popularity. Each family of instruments have their own competition & then meet for a final concerto finale, the overall winner usually going onto an international career.
I sometimes have more pupils than I can cope with. My colleagues teaching clarinet have the same trouble. Perhaps we send them over to you in America!
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Author: Dave Lee Ennis
Date: 2000-06-26 09:11
Yes! Lynne has said it all for me. I don't know what's going on in America, but here in the UK the clarinet is still a VERY popular instrument and the competitve level is at its highest. There are plenty of well known clarinetists in this country (Though I can't name them now - Have some sympathy, I'm not well!). As far as famous clarinet celebraties, again I'm sure there are a few over here in the public visibility which I couldn't name, spell or pronounce at this very moment. [SNEEZE] - Sorry.
I'm sorry Kim, but maybe you should come over here, and I should go to America, 'cause where you are with no competition sounds like paradise.
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Author: Cara
Date: 2000-06-26 10:33
It is NOT all good news here in the UK!I play in ESJO2( the edinburgh schools jazz orchestra 2)and will NOT be able to progress to the main jazz band,which has a very high standard,unless I pick up tenor sax,as 'the clarinet just does not fit the sound they want'
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-06-26 14:05
Alan Greenspan has two hobbies: tennis and the clarinet.
How much more powerful can you get? Now, if only he could influence clarinet playing as much as he does the entire world's economy...
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Author: steve
Date: 2000-06-26 14:09
I think we're all falling into a trap, spoken overtly or implied, of believing that "visibility", "coolness", "popularity", "validity" for the clarinet is a function of it's incorporation into today's "popular culture".
Look, today's popular culture is determined by a technological-industrial complex (the entertainment industry) that has three goals: make money for investors,
grow, and perpetuate itself. It has nothing to do with the product it sells, which happens to include music. The entertainment industry does psychological-based market research, determines what products it can make money off of, then mounts huge,liminal and subliminal publicity campaigns to brainwash the part of the public with money (Frank Zappa's "relatively inoffensive smelling consumer amoeba")that 1. they could be "cool" (read sexy, macho, have a lot of casual sex, be powerful, feared, respected, rebellious, an "individual" etc, all pure bs) if they 2. consume this product. The fact that the product is manufactured by musicians of varying skill levels is immamaterial. The entertainment industry has determined that the clarinet and clarinet musicians could be at best pitched to a niche market with minimal commercial potential. This product could be used to generate good will (planned losses to allow profits in another area).
in short, nokia made rubber boots before they made cell phones and became high tech
another way to say it is spice girls/tits/profit,
larry combs/brahms/loss:where do the pension funds want their money invested? What does this have to do with music, or life, for that matter?
we do not have to participate in this orgy of consumerism determining how we think and react to art. If it means that the second coming of benny goodman will not happen, and a clarinet is not played by every kid instead of the guitar or sax, then so be it.
We can exchange information and expose artistry to more people to an extent that was unheard of when I first was brought to severance hall as a 9 year old kid(this is the key, but that's a whole nother rant).
Let's re define cool and remove it from the concept of commercial viability.
s.
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Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2000-06-26 14:18
And while we're talking about visibility, has anyone else noted that all the "visible" clarinetists mentioned in this thread are men? How about a visible role model for female clarinetists? In the band room where my community band meets, the walls are plastered with posters of professional musicians ... and every one is male. Is the not-so-subtle message that only men can make it professionally in music?
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Author: Mario
Date: 2000-06-26 14:28
What is precious is rate. The fact that the clarinet is not that visible is actually a value for those who try to get off the beaten tracks a bit. But I digress.
Few instruments are visible, meaning that they are present in the populace culture to such an extent that the general public can name a couple of musicians/tune associated with eh isntrument.
The instrument of the rock/country bands (guitar, bass, drums, piano) are the most visible. Some other brass instruments almost make it to this level (the Kenny G syndrome). Nothing else makes the cut in terms of "visibility".
Clarinetists are not alone feeling ignored. It is true for most instruments not a found routinely in popular music.
That being said, even the most popular pop instrument (the guitar) is absolutely nothing compared to the singers. In fact, the cool instrument out there is the voice - preferably female, with everybody else far, far, far in the background.
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-06-26 15:31
I have to admit, the clarinet is publicly invisible here in the US. However, it seems to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Carefully listen (without actively watching) US television and other US mass media. Clarinet solos (soprano and bass) abound in ads, movies, sitcoms, all kinds of shows. However, the public simply doesn't hear the music. They feel the mood, but they don't hear the music. The subliminal message through music is very strong and IS there. You just have to actively listen for it. When you are actively listening for the clarinet music, the subliminal mood making message has much less of a chance of getting through. I've tuned my wife into the clarinet music. Now even she can pick out a sweet sounding clarinet solo embedded in the shows and ads.
If I could only get her to actively listen to my "solos" during my practice sessions at home. Somehow squeaks and squawks like a tortured duck don't set a very good mood. Well, I guess you can't have everything. 
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Author: Graham Elliott
Date: 2000-06-26 16:15
I have to agree with the UK people here. There are just too many of us. We need to export, or have a cull! That goes for all woodwind instruments, but not strings. Do you have a glut of strings in the US?
I thought this would be no problem in the US because of your high school band system, but perhaps that is the root of your difficulty. Perhaps the clarinet seems too mainstream.
The women are the most visible players, but now I come to think of it, where are the US women? In "Europe" we have Emma Johnson, Sabine Meyer, Sharon Kam, just to mention the glamorous ones. The marketing people seem to be able to do great things with these players, and I would not be surprised if one of them were not putting a cross over album in the can right now.
Get rid of that macho "look how fast my fingers move" type attitude and the US could enjoy the enormous over supply of players that we have here.
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Author: Kim L
Date: 2000-06-26 16:55
Well, I think I am going to be first chair first clarinet in everything. I have to play up to that. I have hard professors all around, and in everybody's opinion, a rotten clarinet teacher! There is more pressure than you think-pressure to be an awesome player! I am a music major, which is tough to begin with. Excuse my modesty, I don't want to get hot-headed.
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Author: Amber
Date: 2000-06-26 23:16
BENNY GOODMAN IS GOD!!!!!! All the clarinets at my high school agree (and there are 30 of us!) We love good old Benny! We always play his music on bus trips before comps. now other instruments think he is cool. We have a huge picture of him over our cubbies. And we agree with the where are the women clarinets (partly because there has never been more than 2 clarinet guys in the top ensemble, the majority of the dedicated players have been female for some reason) So we created "BENNITA GOODWOMEN" and it has been a huge sucess.
I don't know about you guys, but here in SoCal, clarinet is very popular!! I have no idea why (well other then the fact that it is the coolest instrument!).
One of the reasons (I THINK) is our teachers. Ours was always ready to talk about music figures and lending out recordings. He definately helped to start it. Another facter is that about 6 years back,the head clarinet player was a goodman fantic and of course, everyone wanted to be like her. So Benny was the "in thing"! And it stuck. Of course we love pete Fountain and the others, but Benny is cool. So don't give up hope, Benny and the others are going to stick around...we will make sure of that.
Another reason why we keep our #'s up is to have fun! We are one of the coolest sections in the band. We go recruiting to the elementry schools to lure in new people. And we hang out with the Jr. high people to encourage them to keep at it. Everyone wants a part of the fun and they end up loving the clarinet along the way. Other Clarinet sections are starting to mimic us and more and more players are coming every year!
So what I guess I what I was trying to say in that huge rambling above is that the clarinet is soo not dead. Benny and the others will still be here.
Part of the reason for the lack of players is ignorance. We don't get as many solos as say a sax player, so people will tend to think it is a sax playing that amazing solo in BLUE SHADES. So the way to solve this problem is
A) the teachers need to keep talking and playing the old tapes and really means what he lectures. The kids are listening and it does make a difference! Educational stuff is Ok and well, but if the teacher really appreciates good music, it will affect the kids more.
B) Have great clarinet pride and show it off. Get the little kids involved and show them the light, they love to be like the big kids. Support your players!
C)Get out there and play! We have a clarinet choir that goes out and plays at Christmas. We influence and educate a lot of people that way. When you hear a cool Clarinet solo, make sure your kids, friends, students know it is a clarinet, NOT A SAXOPHONE!
I guess I am done with my speech(Ididn't mean for it to be this long) These are just my ideas on how to bring public interest back to the clarinet..it worked here.
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-06-26 23:36
Much as I'd like to see the public grow more enthusiastic about the clarinet, I'm not sure I'd like to see a clarinetist become the next Kenny G. It bothers me a bit to see Galway lumped into that "easy listening" pop category. For all that Galway has played some lighter music, IMHO he's a completely legitimate virtuoso flute player and worthy of respect. For that matter, I think highly of The Chieftains, too.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-27 00:31
I don't think there is a shortage of clarinet players. Check any school band and you'll find that the clarinet section is generally relatively large. Even in the community bands to which I have belonged, there have been a reasonable number of clarinettists relative to the size of the band as a whole.
There also seem to be sufficient numbers of clarinet students looking to pursue performance majors in college, well in excess of the performance jobs/careers available.
Yet this does not mean to stop recruiting players. Students should be recruited to play clarinets and other instruments too so that they may have a chance to develop a personal joy of playing that they can carry into their adult lives. And of course this is a route to develop music teachers.
What the clarinet lacks is recognition. Outside of musicians (and I include all levels of players here), people simply don't recognize or think of clarinets unless they are either old enough to remember the Big Band era or hear their parents play these records. They do not recognize either its appearance or its sound.
Some of this may stem from the approach to general music instruction in the schools. How many elementary music classes do more than just sing a few tunes? What percentage goes through "Peter and the Wolf," a composition *designed* to teach children what the different instruments sound like? I know that in my daughters' general music classes, they did not teach the staff or music notation.
As one of the other posters has indicated, to bring the clarinet into the pop culture, the clarinet requires both a suitable player and a promoter who is interested in investing (and risking) the time and money.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-27 07:23
Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm glad to see that things are doing well for the horn in England. I was in Europe last year, and much of the student clarinet music that I saw was published in England. (I even bought an English CD play-along set of tunes from the Blues Brothers movie)
I agree that female performers are all too seldom seen, but I also think that this is a problem on most instruments. Sabine Meyer, Sharon Kam and Emma Johnson probably have good notoriety among anyone who knows of clarinet players other then Stoltzman or Daniels. One possible boost on the female side might be the movie Beyond Silence. Has anyone seen it? I'm going to rent it ASAP.
I disagree with the thought that we are lucky not to have an accessible icon like Kenny G. or James Galway. I don't care for some of these guys' recordings, but they are fabulous players, and they do reach audiences. Benny Goodman was one of the most intellectually accessible musicians of all time, and this is why he could fill a stadium where many more sophisticated players couldn't fill a nightclub. After over 25 years of listening to Benny, I still get tremendous excitement from his playing. Nonetheless, even my best students are so caught up in the Backstreet Boys and Brittany Spears that they have no time for Benny--let alone for masterpieces like the Mozart Concerto or the Brahms Quintet.
After seeing "Sweet and Lowdown" I remembered about Ken Peplowski. He's extremely accessible and and his partnership with Howard Alden has produced some very tasty sounds. I think that I need to push him a little more. One of his live albums is also available on video, I believe.
I also disagree with the assertion that things are really okay because there are plenty of clarinets around. In my area, there are a lot of unmotivated, marginal-quality school players. Students who barely play their scales together are placing in the top 5 or 6 in the district. There is a gross disparity in quality between them and flutists and saxophonists with similar ranking. Many potentially serious students are simply having no attraction for--or developing no attachment to--the instrument.
Here are causes that I know apply to my area:
1. Superficiality on the part of both students and parents. "My child wants to play saxophone and wont be inspired to play on anything else." (I wanted to play trumpet and was devastated when they handed me a clarinet--but once I learned how to play it, I never asked my parents for a sax)
2. Too many extracurricular activities coupled with too many instant-gratification spare time activities. In my area, academic requirements are causing a number of students to have to skip a year of band. Many don't return.
3. A profound lack of top quality first chair players in the schools. No one is setting an example. To me, this is more important than lessons, and without that stimulation very few players even SEEK lessons. (it also means that there's no competition to speak of)
There is a prevailing attitude not of wanting to be the best player, but just sucking less than everyone else.
Please keep the ideas and information coming. I was pleased to add Greenspan to the list of celebrity players.
Allen
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-27 16:58
I think people were not saying that things are ok. At least in my case, I was attempting to illustrate that the numbers of players is high enough. Increasing the numbers will not improve the visibility of the clarinet or the quality of young players or the motivation of young players. It is these last three issues that need addressed not getting more people.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-28 06:02
Numbers are still important. One of the reasons that flute and sax players can pretty much stomp the clarinet players around here is the fact of their relative overpopulation. If a top school group only takes 7 saxes total and 10 flutes, those instruments are going to be very competitive. If the same group takes 24 clarinets, then the clarinet situation is considerably less competitive. This is not a consideration as dear to my heart as the three other issues, but it is an important issue.
One bit of good news on visibility. Tonight, I picked up a copy of a German movie called "Beyond Silence." It's a fabulous film, family viewable, and definitely gives the instrument a boost. An appearance by Giora Feidman doesn't hurt, either. I'd recommend it to anyone. It won quite a few awards, and appears to be available in most of the larger video stores.
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Author: Chloe
Date: 2000-07-01 23:32
Our clarinet situation at my school in the UK is very interesting. There are loads of kids in the first year (6/7th grade, age11) who want to take up the clarinet and not all of them can so some don't get to play. Then suddenly at around grade 3 or 4 standard which is the standard for our senior band there are no players. We have 4 clarinets competing with 9 alto saxes- insane! Then at county/regional standard there are suddenly too many players again.
I think the problem is that too many of the kids lose interest when they hit 12 or 13 as peer pressure urges people to hang around, instead of giving up their lunchtimes for band or orchestra(band is not a class over here). Also, in the junior band they don't get much help and I think this can be discouraging. I am trying to help the situation at my school by organising a junior clarinet group. They play trio music with a couple on each part and we rehearse one lunchtime a week. I break the parts down to help sort out thr rhythms, give them photocopies to practice from and drum out any problem parts on the piano. I also let them help me to choose which pieces to play in concerts. And compliment them on progress. I am really proud of them because when I started the group in January none of them could play in time or count rests or play offbeats and they ignored the dynamic markings. Now they are sounding good and pick music up quickly and all seem to enjoy it. I think what was to me the greatest success was when one girl said she had a friend who had said she didn't want to be involved in music at school when she joined in September but this girl had said she would like to join my group. She has been coming since March and says she "like playing again now". I think if more older pupils or teachers could find time to run small ensembles less people would feel inclined to give up as they become an integral part of the group and can enjoy the music.
Just my 2c
p.s. Emma Johnson is great, I saw her perform the Mozart Concerto live and it was amazing!!!
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Author: GKF
Date: 2000-07-03 07:54
IT's easy to see what Lelia means... Do we really WANT to be in the "pop" category?
There are so many people who say that Kenny G "sold out", etc. I personally don't believe that's true -- he's taken an opportunity and run with it, and should be applauded. But there are many who disagree with me.
I guess what I'm saying is that we (as musicians) are working against each other at times. We want publicity, but also want to be respected for playing "legit" music, without having to "sell out"...
Something to ponder..
This has been a fascinating topic -- thanks to all for sharing
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-07-04 07:31
I strongly agree. One of the chief problems of band students is that they seldom learn to play independently. I think that your group idea is a great one. In fact, it is a longtime dream of mine.
This summer is my first in-school lesson program and each day carries four private lessons plus an ensemble in which all four students participate. Unfortunately, I don't have enough clarinet students of similar ability levels to even do a trio. I do have two very nice sax quartets going, though. The students respond really well to a one-on-a-part setting. After all, no one is superfluous in such a group!
I'm thinking of forming an adult clarinet quartet later this summer and try to do something to make the clarinet look good to students.
The value of such groups is not limited to the classical side of things. I'm also starting to use quartets to teach 'jamming' skills to some of my more jazz/pop-oriented students. Small groups can be a laboratory for a lot of things, including rudimentary arranging.
Thanks for bringing that up. I know that I will have ensembles for my students every summer from now on.
Allen
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The Clarinet Pages
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