The Clarinet BBoard

Re: YouTube - Broadcast Yourself

Author: DavidBlumberg  Date:   2009-05-26 02:49 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7SqXIkzxDk&feature=channel_page Linked http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com

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Re: YouTube - Broadcast Yourself

Author: mrn  Date:   2009-05-26 22:53 William wrote: <<As demostrated by your fine posting, the change (if any) of tambre between the A & the Bb clarinet is not remarkable (nor necessary) and only someone with perfect pitch and the score in front of them would be bothered by a change of pitch in the 3 mvt--if even then.>> I disagree. Just because someone can't put a name to any given random pitch doesn't mean they won't know the difference. If nothing else, the relative pitch between the 2nd and 3rd movements will be different if you don't switch instruments. Also, while I don't claim to have perfect pitch, I have a decent enough memory for pitch that with a piece like this that I've heard enough times, I can generally hear the first note in my mind before they play it--I'm sure there are plenty of other people out there who can do that, too, and they most definitely can tell the difference. But be that as it may, is the important question here really whether the audience is *bothered* by what you do? Isn't it more important to try to present to the audience the notes the composer heard in his head? Stravinsky did not possess perfect pitch (or "absolute pitch"), but it seems he did care (at least to some degree) about the absolute pitches of his musical ideas even if he was unable to put names to notes in his head. Here's a Stravinsky quote from "Conversations with Stravinsky" (by I.S. and Robert Craft): "I am always disturbed if [musical ideas] come to my ear when my pencil is missing and I am obliged to keep them in my memory by repeating to myself their intervals and rhythm. It is very important to me to remember the pitch of the music at its first appearance: if I transpose it for some reason I am in danger of losing the freshness of first contact and I will have difficulty in recapturing its attractiveness." So I wouldn't criticize Neal (or anyone else) for following Stravinsky's instructions and making the switch. If it's really that awkward, you can always use a second mouthpiece. It really didn't bother me. I thought Neal's performance was superb. My only nitpick (as a member of the Stravinsky police) is that piece #3 sounded a bit fast compared to the marked tempo. I know there are some pros who take it that fast or even faster (e.g., Neidich), and Kell took it (IMHO, grossly) under tempo, but I think Stravinsky's marked tempo of M.M. 160 is just right. Any faster than that, and I think it starts to sound rushed/forced--any slower, and it loses "the flow." I've always thought of piece #3 as calling for an almost jazz-like "relaxed noodling" (albeit with Stravinsky's trademark angular rhythms), as opposed to a virtuosic treatment. I am nitpicking here, though--the performance was very good. (in fact, I added it to my favorites list)

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