 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2001-03-13 02:31
Hello, does anyone have enough experience in either orchestral clarinet or band clarinet to tell me how different they are? I'm a band clarinetist in high school, but I'll hopefully soon be majoring in music at Indiana University (*crosses fingers*), and there will be a few opportunities along the way to be in an orchestra at some point. I fell in love with the clarinet because of it's orchestral sound, and I'm really hoping to get the chance to recreate that myself. So, if anybody can, could someone please describe the orchestral clarinet with a term besides "dark," maybe elaborating on that a little. Also, dynamically, is it louder or softer? I can see arguments for both, and I'm not really sure which one is the right one. Any comments are welcome, and thanks ahead of time for your help.
Nick Conner
cpmbnick@thespark.com
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Author: Mike
Date: 2001-03-13 04:05
My playing nowdays is in the local community band, but a long long time ago I played in the high school band and orchestra and then the college band and orchestra.
I would say first that a good clarinet sound is a good clarinet sound - band or orchestra. However, you will have to project more in the orchestra as there will not be several people playing your part, just you. Not a loud sound, a full sound.
The big challenge for a band player making the switch to orchestra is transposing - playing the C clarinet part on your Bb or A clarinet (sometimes an instrument switch is not practical). This is something you could work on now.
Another challenge is tuning. The orchestra may tune to a higher pitch than the band, which may change how you favor some of your pitches - playing in tune with strings is a little different than playing in tune with your clarinet section. Duets with a string player might be helpful.
This is just one opinion. Best of luck on your studies.
Mike Harrelson
michealharrelson@aol.com
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Author: Daniel Bouwmeester
Date: 2001-03-13 06:53
The big difference between orchestral and band playing, is the number of clarinets you play with, and the importance of your part.
In a band you will be one out of 20 clarinets, and in an orchestra one out of two (and sometimes 4).
It's much more difficult to play in an orchestra because :
- your part is essential and any missed cues or any mistakes will be heard.
- Basically everything has to be perfect, tone, tonghing, phrasing.
- You can't rely on anyone else apart from you and the conductor for cues.
- Orchestral parts can be very difficult (such as in Stravinski's Firebird).
- You may have to transpose from C parts, as well as having sometimes to switch instruments during a piece (ex. from Bb to A )
- You have to adjust your volume and blend with the other musicians apart from when you have a solo.
- solos are very delicate (you cannot fail, sqeak... no it needs to be perfect)
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-03-14 04:23
Don't you know he had been a member of United States Army Band before he became BSO member? Jacque Lancelot plays at Gurde Republicane routinely.
If you play good, you play good anywhere I believe and you could enter Indiana
university that means you play good 'obvoiously'.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-03-14 04:27
Don't you know he had been a member of United States Army Band before he became BSO member? Jacque Lancelot played at Guarde Republicane routinely.
If you play good, you play good anywhere and you could enter Indiana
university that means you play good 'obvoiously'. Maybe you should ask your
Indiana University professor about this. I guess he will laugh off your question.
IMHO. of course.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-03-14 05:13
I played in orchestra in college, and presently in a community band. Daniel's comments are right on, but possibly omit the obvious difference. In a concert band playing arrangements of orchestral music (ie the "masters" Mozart, Beethoven etc.) the clarinet section plays the role of the violins quite often and carry major parts of the melody. (This is a reason bands have so many clarinets I suspect, that and there are so many of us out there.) In my opinion, while orchestral clarinet parts may be more difficult, and certianally are more exposed, over all I found them less interesting than band parts. For that reason, I really prefer to play in bands.
That said, I prefer to listen to orchestras! I find the addition of strings to winds and percussion adds a depth, color and texture to music that bands can't achieve. Taking that a step forward, I really prefer choral works with orchestral accompianant. Great examples are the Beethoven 9th, movement 4 (Ode to Joy) and the Verdi "Requiem".
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Author: Bob Curtis
Date: 2001-03-14 17:11
Nick:
Congratulatioons on wanting to become a professional musician. Whether it be in the area of performance or teaching we need more qood people out there.
As to the difference between orchestral and band playing, it is all a matter of leanring to discipline yourself to the situation at hand. If you are one individual on a part (orchestral for example) you can see where the stress and responsibility can be much greater, not the ability to play. In band work you have several individuals on a part (except for solo instances) so the stress is not quite so critical. All require that you know your instrument and are able to control it well.
I have played in both situations for a long, long time and have enjoyed every moment of it. I am retired from teaching band but do play occasionally with the community band of which I am the principal director. When the assistant director leads the band I get to fill in where ever they need me. That really offers enjoyment, takes the stress off, and offers help to who ever need it.
Good Luck in you studies.
Bob Curtis
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Author: Corey
Date: 2001-03-15 00:28
what i don't get is if the clarinet is supposed to be the "violin"of bands than why in my band do the flutes ,saxes,and trumpets get more "solos" than the clarinet section? personally i hate the sound of saxes the sound is too raspy,trumpets are ok,i like flutes although they play to high for my liking,clarinets...now that is different i love the sound of the clarinet mostly the orchestral clarinet(that is why i chose the clarinet!!)some day i hope to play proffesionally!!
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-03-15 01:54
Corey wrote:
>
> what i don't get is if the clarinet is supposed to be the
> "violin"of bands than why in my band do the flutes ,saxes,and
> trumpets get more "solos" than the clarinet section? personally
> i hate the sound of saxes the sound is too raspy,trumpets are
> ok,i like flutes although they play to high for my
> liking,clarinets...now that is different i love the sound of
> the clarinet mostly the orchestral clarinet(that is why i chose
> the clarinet!!)some day i hope to play proffesionally!!
It may partly be due to who is selecting the music. If the person selecting the music favors flutes, saxes, and trumpets then they will pick music that features those instruments.
Also keep in mind that the violins in orchestras provide the big blocks of sound while other instruments (trumpets, flutes, oboes, and clarinets) get more of the really good solos. So when clarinets are treated as "violins" the composer may give them the blocks of sound and very little in the solo area.
Then there is also the possibility that in a given band, the clarinet section may simply be weak and so the person selecting the music picks pieces that feature stronger sections of the band.
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Author: DrBert
Date: 2001-04-03 17:38
First... I'm in orcehstra but I don't have to transpose from C... so I have no idea what your talking about there. The big difference is the number of clarinets... there is no room for mistakes. In the orchestra I have I play 2nd clarinet, there are only two of us... one on first and one on second. I find the orchestral melody thing to be quite true... as a clarinet I'm usually playing either melody or countermelody, with the occassional color part here.
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