 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-11 14:52
The criticism of Mr. Stolzman is interesting. People say that his tone and style is not classical nor ideal, yet many people recognize his vibrato, emotionally influenced tone color, and unorthodox style and still find him enjoyable and moving. I'm in the later camp. I'm willing to compare him to the highly emotional dancing of Rudolph Nureyev whose flamboyant style is currently not in fashion. There is also the rise of Andrea Boccelli in the field of opera. He is not really an opera singer, more like a highly trained popular singer with opera sensibilities. Mr. Boccelli is another artist who I find highly moving and very enjoyable even though his approach to singing is definitely less classical than so many others less well known.
I just finished listening to Mr. Stolzman's CD, Aria. I think it is trully lovely and I don't mind a bit that the mojority of the un-washed masses would tend to agree with me. On some issues of culture, I'm still a snob, but when it comes to Mr. Stolzman, I can't afford to be and still be true to myself.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-09-11 15:37
In my heyday, same arguments. According to the opera critics Mario Lanza couldn't sing. One went as far to say it was "shouting to music". It seems to me that there are 2 taboos for an artiste...Don't become popular, or even worse, Don't become popular with the masses. Breaking these 2 taboos will ensure that you won't get critical acclaim.
Fortunately Luciano Pavarotti was recognised as a top singer before the adoption of Nessum Dorma as the anthem for a world cup football (soccer)tournament. He was thus able to survive the stigma of being adored by other than the cognoscentii.
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-11 16:20
Oh yes, I forgot Mario Lanza completely. When I was a boy I listened to him singing "Guardian Angels around my bed. There he stays till I rise. There's one with shining wings who holds my hand - and shows me Par-a- dise." If a 10 year old boy from NYC can instantly be transformed from a Beatles fan and learn to love the trained operatic voice, I would think it was a cultural victory. However, the cogniscenti agree ... Lanza couldn't sing.
My oldest friend was a soloist tenor in the New York City Opera for 30 years. I confessed one day to him, (John Lankston), that I loved the record of Johnny Mathis singing in one of the early albums, "Open Fire, two guitars". He recoiled in horror as he grasped his throat, illustrating to me that Mathis sang with a constricted throat. A few years later, Mr. Lankston admited to me that he liked Janis Joplin (who also sang with a constricted throat). I pointed out that he had earlier condemned my love Mathis. He replied ... "Yes, but Joplin is able to convey so much emotion." That emotional expression is what I love about Stolzman. No appologies.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-09-11 23:45
Everyone's got their opinions. Needless to say, he's making a living so at least ENOUGH of the opinions have swung in a direction favorable to him.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-09-12 11:08
Garth, I've written about Stoltzman before, and I'm happy to do it again. I've seen him in live performances (although it has been many years), and he really seems to enjoy what he's doing. He has a lot of stage presence, and he knows how to communicate with his audiences. Stoltzman may do some things that are a bit unorthodox, but as you said, I also find his playing to be enjoyable and moving.
If there's one "serious" clarinet player out there who has been able to popularize the clarinet with the general public, it's been Stoltzman. This might not be the best example, but how many other clarinet players have appeared
on Sesame Street?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjenWHXLr-M
There's also his appearance with the Orange County Public School's All-County Orchestra that's worth watching:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb8WWtm3Ank
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-12 13:28
There are quite a few great jazz saxophone players who played in the great big bands, such as Ellington, Lunceford, Kenton, Miller etc. whose technical abilities and tone on clarinet don't even approach Stolzman's. They're doublers, true, but people do enjoy their clarinet playing none-the-less. Even Goodman's technical skills, I believe, fall short of Stolzman's. I believe that Stoltzman's jazz skills fall well short of the highest standard even though he has quite remarkable ability to change his tone color when required. The issue seems to be that Stoltzman's "legitimate" orchestral style falls short of the high standard set by a few super human classical clarinetists. That said, Stoltzman still has an extraordinary technical proficiency and a remarkable expressive quality. The problem seems to be that as a jazz performer he is not remarkable, and as a classical performer there are others, less well known, who without any argument surpass Stoltzman. It's an issue of inequality and "unfairness" when greater classical talents receive less adulation, but if we put Stoltzman in a class of his own as a great entertainer and musician, it might sit better with people on this board who admire near perfection in clarinet playing.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2012-09-12 21:51
It is easy to criticize. Better to admire for making a living playing music on the clarinet for decades.
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Author: Buster
Date: 2012-09-12 22:53
Why are striving for "near perfection" and "proper expressive musicality" (my quotation marks) disparate practices?
-------------------------------------------------------
When any "controversial" artist is discussed, several camps arise:
1. They are perverting music as it needs to be played and thus should be an object of scorn.
2. They have merely found their own voice and should be admired for that; even in lieu of any deficiencies.
(2.5. They are making money and have exposure so we must hate them!)
3. What do I tell my students that may emulate that artist?; how do we place their work in the proper context for our pupils?
Discussing #1, #2 and #2.5 will likely prompt discussion here that I really don't want to take part in. I guess I have my own thoughts about Stoltzman, but I'll keep them to myself as most likely aren't interested in what I think.
#3 is the trickier matter. Placing the recordings of any artist into the proper context for one's students (if you have them) is a delicate matter; and requires knowledge beyond that of the clarinet itself on the teachers part.
Telling a pupil "do this" because it is what I do/learned, or don't do what 'Player X' did because it is suspect, are both a bit short-sighted.
Obtaining knowledge to actually discuss matters with a student, even when it comes to analyzing what 'so-and-so' did, are key. Providing them knowledge so they can make up their own minds, even if they end up with the same conclusion, is the correct path I'd say.
And I guess that would leave a teacher open to having a student disagree with them on some level; at least it would be coming from a more educated place.
Maybe Richard Stoltzman has little to do with what I've just written; I have been known to ramble from time to time.
But just so you don't think I'm too stuffy, one of my favorite singers is Robert Plant from the heyday of Led Zeppelin. Too bad I wasn't around to have heard him live....
-Jason
Post Edited (2012-09-12 23:10)
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2012-09-13 02:31
Count me as a fan of Stolzman.
He took off on his own path and did not pay attention to the clarinet community.
He has broken boundaries in his choice of literature while marching to his own drummer as a musician.
There is much to admire.
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Author: Buster
Date: 2012-09-13 02:48
Regardless of all the opinions we have here, can we at
least all concur on one fact. It is Stoltzman, not Stolzman.
-Jason
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Author: Bill
Date: 2012-09-13 14:13
In my liner notes for a 1950s (?) recording of the Mozart Concerto it describes Reginald Kell's performance as "wayward." I'll always remember that description and how it makes me feel about classical clarinet interpretation and pedagogy.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-09-13 15:31
True story:
One of my college teachers was an ardent anti-Stoltzmanian. If you even so much as mentioned his name, you'd have to be prepared for an angry lecture. Well, one day I decided to do an experiment. I brought in Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto to his studio. To the best of my ability, I copied Stoltzman's phrasing, articulation, sound, etc., exactly (not an easy task, as my approach to the horn is very different from Stoltzman's).
His reaction? For the only time in my college career, he listened all the way through without stopping me and after the last note said "Yeah. Sounds great. Nothing more to say."
I don't play like Stoltzman, but I respect his approach and am glad he's done what he's done. Some of his albums are very interesting. "New York Counterpoint" was an interesting mix of Steve Reich, Bill Douglas's music, transcriptions of Ives and early music. Well worth a listen for ideas on how to expose the public to good music of various eras. His Ebony Concerto is excellent. His concept really gelled with the Thundering Herd, for whom the piece was originally written. In many ways, I consider his recording the fruition of what it was supposed to be.
Of his other, "classical" recordings, I remain impressed by his dedication to contemporary composers--he has a few interesting discs out there of their music. And though his approach to the horn has little to do with anything we'd call typically English, I've always liked his recording of the Finzi concerto.
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
Post Edited (2012-09-13 19:31)
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2012-09-13 15:34
After a few drinks with Richard he confessed to me that there have been times he has slipped with his signature. On one occasion it looked like Karl Leister's signature. Mr Stoltzman is a great clarinetist ...a mere 100 times better than I. Add to that talent the drive to have a career like his and you have a clarinet icon. (excuse the hyperbole)
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2012-09-13 19:38
I expect he could do whatever he wanted and copy who-ever he wanted as he has that degree of talent,.......... but he chose to be himself!!!! He was fantastic with the Muppets too, who I adore ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif) . What a fantastic inspiration for kids and beginners in that sketch and he was humble and generous enough to teach people the seemingly simple task of how to put the clarinet together. He also demonstrated some of the 'modern' and more 'controversial' techniques way before many others.
Kudos all round!
Post Edited (2012-09-13 19:41)
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2012-09-14 04:23
@ Buster
It's Stolzman on my computer late at night after a few drinks.
In the morning, my keyboard contains the letter "t".
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-14 07:44
I'm taking Pimsleur German audio classes. As a result, I can speak some German, understand some German, but I know how to spell nothing of German.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-09-15 03:53
I won't comment on what I think of Richards playing because we're both professionals but I'll tell you an interesting story. I had a DMA student at Peabody several years ago doing one of her requriment tests which included having a recording played and asking her to identify the piece, the composer and the performer and explain why you think that person was performing. So the easy part was that it was the Brahms First Sonata so she had that down in the first measure and within two bars of hearing the clarinetists she looked at me with a great big smile on her face. I knew she knew who the player was.
When the recording of the first mov't ended the committee asked her to comment. When she told them the name of the piece and composer, pretty easy for any clarinet player I would think, she also named the player. She commented that it was Richard Stolzman because no one else plays it the way he does. When asked what she meant she looked at me and said the vibrato, the tone and the phrasing gave it away. I won't comment on what she said about the phrasing but I agreed with her. If they had played any of the other dozen or so recordings she probably would have had no idea who it was and would have had to make a educated guess. Of course there were many other more difficult questions on the oral exam dealing with many other musical topices. She passed and graduated and is now teaching at a small college in PA.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-09-15 10:44
Richard Stoltzman is an American as far as I know. What does spelling in German have to do with getting his name right?
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-15 16:37
Stoltz Mann or stolz Mann means "proud man" in German. (I still don't know the correct German spelling). He's free to spell his name however he wants, but it makes it confusing for me at least. I guess, if he doesn't spell his name with two n's at the end, it's a translated spelling anyway.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-09-15 19:08
He was given the name at birth. If i spell someones name incorrectly, or call them the wrong name, i don't turn around and blame them for the mistake. I apologise, make the correction, and make sure i don't do it again.
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