 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jack Stewart
Date: 2012-12-24 02:30
Hello all, hope everyone's holiday is going well. It's been some time since I've posted here. I am a senior in high school preparing for college auditions in the spring. One of the orchestral excerpts I must prepare is Mendelssohn's Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream. In addition to preparing it for college, I have had to play it for several past auditions, and I am sure that I'll have to play it for many in the future. I have always had trouble playing this excerpt, and everyone seems to have a different view on how to play/prepare it (though of course the end results are similar enough). Some suggest "stop-tonguing" all the notes, other some of the notes (8ths vs 16ths), and some none of the notes. I have been working on this excerpt for several years and have never felt comfortable with it, both in terms of style and in my ability to play it. I find it difficult to be "steady" (not exactly sure what word I'm looking for) enough with my tongue while keeping the style light. I feel that in the past this excerpt is what has held me back in auditions, in comparison to the other parts of the audition, and I want to do my best to change this for my college auditions. I'm not quite sure what I'm asking...but please share your thoughts.
Jack
Edit: Just recorded this; not perfect but fairly representative of where I'm at.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJqlm0hjaC8
Post Edited (2012-12-24 17:36)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-12-24 15:12
The "trick" here is tonging. If you have not already tried the technique of double tonging, I would strongly suggest you give it a whirl.
Start in the chalameau first where this is easiest and try a succession of notes in a row where you alternate from the "TEE" sound (removing a spot close to the tip of the tongue from the reed) with the "KEE" sound (removing a spot further back on the tongue from the roof of your mouth).
A key point to keep in mind is that the "KEEs" will NEVER sound exactly like the "TEEs" but that will never really be an issue once you have this at a good speed. Also, it may take some doing to work this up to speed particularly in the clarion but it's well worth the work.........speed will never haunt you again !!!
Now your excerpt will sound like this looks:
TEE......... TEE-KEE, TEE-KEE, TEE.......
TEE-KEE, TEE-KEE, TEE.......
TEE-KEE, TEE-KEE, TEE.......
etc.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-12-24 15:17
"Stop tonguing," no. For rapid articulation, think long notes, keep the air moving. The idea is to start each note cleanly with the air as the tongue leaves the reed, so you get
too too too too
not
hut hut hut hut
I have all my students try double tonguing, too -- I find that even if they can't do it, the effort is very educational for airstream and tongue position.
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Author: William
Date: 2012-12-24 17:50
Yes, work at you double AND triple tongue techniques. They will save you more often than not. btw, I dbl tng the excerpt you mention.....
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Author: elmo lewis
Date: 2012-12-24 23:24
Stop tongue the quarter notes, play the sixteenths as long and as connected as possible. Double tonguing should not be necessary for this piece unless the conductor takes an insanely fast tempo. (There was no double tonguing in Mendelssohn 's time, not even for brass players.)
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