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Re: Yona Ettlinger's top lip

Author: Paul Globus
Date: 2016-03-30 17:32

Tony Pay is correct about Yona Ettlinger. The man was my teacher and friend.

Yona's approach, in lessons with me at least, was much more about proper breathing and blowing than about embouchure. He knew of course that I played double lip but he didn't seem to care about it all that much. But I did hear him in masterclasses talk about using the upper lip in single lip playing as Tony describes. For several of my friends, that little bit of guidance made a big difference.

One of the most amazing things about Yona Ettlinger, apart from his truly outstanding musicianship, was his "lifted" sound (to use his expression). Sitting next to him, his sound was incredibly pure but somewhat small. Yet, the further you moved away, the bigger it got. He could always be heard, even in the softest passages.

I was present in London, staying in Yona's apartment, when he was rehearsing with the Tel Aviv String Quartet for the great RCA recording of the Mozart Quintet. They had performed it hundreds of times, and could play it by memory. Yet they worked and worked and worked, as if they were playing it for the first time. It was a real eye-opener for me. I think I listened to them rehearse the coda in the second movement for a day and half -- until the mood they were searching for was perfectly clear to them all.

I've said it before and will say it again: Yona Ettlinger was one of the greatest musicians ever to play the clarinet.

Post Edited (2016-03-30 19:12)

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Yona Ettlinger's top lip new

Tony Pay

2016-03-30 03:21