 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-12-31 15:26
A couple of months ago, I had an epiphany while studying the wonderful Gunlogson treatise on Stanley Hasty http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11132006-155903/unrestricted/EG_Treatise.pdf. I was won over by Hasty's ideas on legato finger motion, which I had let pass by when I read about them from Bonade, Marcellus and Portnoy.
At treatise pp. 124-127, Hasty describes how open holes on the clarinet make a true legato possible, in a way that it's not possible on the oboe with plateau keys. You close or open a hole slowly, without a "pop." You do this by balancing muscle tension in your fingers. You feel as if your finger motion continues down into the wood. When you raises a finger, it feels as if it comes out of the wood and continues up, binding consecutive notes together as if you were singing. You "squash" into it, as if your fingers were "moving in heavy oil."
Hasty said that Ralph McLane did this "to the nth degree," making a legato "like liquid." When I listen to Larry Guy's fabulous McLane and Bonade excerpt CDs, I now hear their wonderful legato as well as their perfect technique, tone and phrasing.
Contrast this with the otherwise amazing playing by Venancio Rius-Martà in his performance of the Lovreglio Fantasia da Concerto. Go to http://www.clarinetus.com/eng/index.htm and click on Recordings and then on the Lovreglio. I hear (and am bothered by) the constant clicks and pops as his fingers slap down.
Listen again to Marcellus's Mozart Concerto. There's not a single finger pop as he moves from note to note.
I also hear this in the performances by the great violinists. Heifetz, Stern, Kreisler -- they all bind their legato from note to note. In fact, they often slide from one note to the next with the same finger, and when they put down a different finger, they make, not a smear, but a liaison.
I now think that this is one of the differences between clarinet players I like and don't like. I'm working on my scales in thirds all over again, to make the intervals "liquid" as well as clean.
Who else has thought about this or is working on it?
Ken Shaw
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Author: Tara
Date: 2007-12-31 15:37
I have studied/worked on legato finger technique when revisiting the Rose etudes a few years back with a teacher here in Oklahoma City. Now I'll have to ask him where he first learned the technique.
Interesting... Happy New Year!
Tara
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Author: Cass Tech
Date: 2007-12-31 16:17
Ken:
An insightful contribution, very well put. Having returned to the clarinet about five months ago (after a twenty-year hiatus), I've been rethinking and rebuilding my playing. It's a struggle, but a joyful one. And I'm coming to the conclusion that the art of the clarinet can be reduced to a small number of principles. The Marcellus interview includes at least two of them: (1) "down and out" diaphragmatic support; and (2) the "rubber band" idea of the embouchure. The Bonade article on "The Art of Slurring" contains a third basic principle about (3) legato phrasing and also mentions the (4)finger motion principle that you've so aptly described. (My favorite violinist of the singing finger/bow phrasing is Oistrakh.) Maybe some of you can think of others I've failed to mention.
Beyond the art of the clarinet itself, there's the systematic repetition and ruthless self-criticism of daily practice. Finally, there's listening to great music and musicians and learning from their examples.
Cass Tech (aka leatherlip)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2007-12-31 17:16
Hi Ken and Tara,
I first learned this technique (and never really did it very well) from Fred Cohen at Kent State University over 40 years ago. Fred, a very fine player and a real character, learned it from Bonade.
Page 1 of Rose in C major was the vehicle and the careful lifting of the fingers was perhaps more important than the lowering. I practiced weeks on this before I was allowed to move from page 1. As expected, I need to return to that page again. So simple, so complex.
HRL
PS Thanks Fred!
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Author: William
Date: 2007-12-31 17:29
I was fortunate to have been introduced to the concept of legato fingering while a student of Professor Bill Dominik at the University of Wisconsin and has remained at part of my technique ever since. He always said it was a "Bonade thing" that he wished he had "invented". I remember having to play this at least a portion of this one Rose study using "legato fingering" for my entire freshman year at almost every lesson thinking--at that time--"HOW BORING". But now, years later, I think "how lucky" to have been made to develope (and make habitual) such a fundament part of clarinet technique at a relative early age. (Thanks, Bill)
BTW, did any of you ever study with Bill (William) Dominik and, if so, where? I lost track of him since he left Wisconsin.
Post Edited (2007-12-31 20:32)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2007-12-31 17:45
Hi William,
So, I should consider myself lucky that I was on page 1 for only a month (but it was just a summer series of lessons). At the time, I may have even said "who's Bonade?" OK, not really but I was pretty green on clarinet in my mid 20s.
HRL
PS We were very lucky to have had such wise professors.
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Author: brycon
Date: 2007-12-31 21:17
I've also had this concept drilled into my brain by a former Bonade student. The only problem I have with Bonade's idea is that he thought the fingers should stay close to the keys for fast passages and farther away from the keys for slower passages where legatissimo was needed. I could never find any reason why the fingers couldn't be legato and remain close to the clarinet at the same time.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-12-31 21:35
Brycon,
As the discipline has been instructed to me, the legato finger connection has two parts: a pre-motion and then the final motion.
When adding fingers, the finger(s) in question first lift and then descend. In subtracting, the fingers first squeeze and then lift.
In fast passages there is not time for the premotion...but I believe that those who practice the "legatissimo" religously do experience a benefit throughout their playing.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2007-12-31 23:36
Interestingly, the discussion of Ken's post has gone quite differently on the Klarinet list.
Tony
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2008-01-01 13:35
http://www.osbornmusic.com/legato.html
with videos!
There is a discussion on the klarinet list on whether using legato finger is really the source of being able to remove the "pop".
I am not sure, however the couple sound bytes of the Rachmaninov at the beginning of Sean Osborn's page make a good argument for learning the technique.
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
Post Edited (2008-01-01 13:44)
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Author: Old Geezer
Date: 2008-01-01 17:07
Stanley Hasty, himself, demonstrates this legato finger technique on video in the super DVD "The Hasty Legacy". He also talks of other clarinet problems, the register key, intonation, etc.
It's a double DVD with sections by Mike Webster and Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr teaching and talking clarinet. It's a must have for anyone who loves the clarinet. It's a little pricey but more than worth it!
www.bsu.edu/music
www.cfa-artists.com
Clarinet Redux
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2008-01-02 00:13
A related question.... Is this legato technique something that is used world wide?
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2008-01-02 07:19
I was taught this by my teacher (an Italian). Now that I teach and attend exams around Europe I'm shocked how very few students are taught to play legato. When I mention finger legato, most students here don't know what I'm talking about! This is really a shame. Sitting on audition or competition panels, I've also noticed that judges who play other instruments are aware of this on their own instruments. I've played with other musicians who say things like "I thought it wasn't possible to play a smooth legato on the clarinet"! So, I'm glad this has been brought up because I think it's an element of artistry in clarinet playing which is sadly overlooked by many.
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