 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2001-05-28 22:32
Hello, I'm in kind of a dilemma. I'm going to send in an audition tape for next years IMEA (Indiana) All-State High School Orchestra. Part of the audition requires me to play three given excerpts. The first two are fine, but I don't have enough time to develop the technical ability to play the third one at the given tempo. I'm about 18 beats shy of playing it up to tempo, unfortunately. The excerpts were really hard this year compared to last year, where they were relatively easy (let's not go into the musical discussion of "easy," I'm talking purely about technique). Anyways, so do I play it at the given tempo, and take out excess tonguing and trills, or play it at 120 (138 is the given tempo) with everything in it? It's a solo line from Cappriccio Espagnol by Rimsky-Korsakav (forgive spelling please) if anybody has an excerpt book. I know it's a long shot for me, since only four clarinets at the most will make it in from the entire state, but I'd like to at least give it my all. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Nick Conner
cpmbnick@hotmail.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kim
Date: 2001-05-28 22:58
I am a college student, and would rather go into a performance/jury/audition playing something slower than it should be than too fast and frantic because its too fast. I think accuracy is more important to the judges than tempo.
Good luck,
Kim
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Meri
Date: 2001-05-28 23:34
Nick:
Is it by any chance an excerpt from the first movement of the Capriccio Espangol? You might want to get a recording and score of the piece. There's quite a good one with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra, which also has the Scheherzade.
You could also work it up to the desired tempo with a metronome, 2-4 notches at a time. Better yet, if you can, learn to play it faster than you intend to perform it. You can probably work it up to the desired tempo in 1-2 days.
Ultimately, getting the feeling and the accuracy of the excerpt is more important than the speed. I usually ignore metronome markings printed in music, as I often find they are little more than an editor's afterthought. The Hite Melodius and Progressive Studies are a good example of where I think several of the metronome markings do not work.
Meri
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-05-29 00:01
I agree with Kim-it's better to play something slower and cleaner and more controlled than to play it fast, sloppy, and with no control. I think showing that you have more control is impressive, but then what do I know, I'm just a college musician! Have fun playing the Capriccio (sp?)-give it a lot of fire and flair!  Oh yeah-have fun in the audition too-don't worry about how fast you can or cannot play-DON'T listen to other people auditioning-I know that makes me even more nervous! Go in there with confidence in yourself, and again, have fun! Best wishes to you!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2001-05-29 04:25
Thanks all. I'd love to work up to the tempo, but I don't have enough time. I was given the piece on Friday, and I need to have it worked up by next week. I honestly don't have the physical prowess to play it at the given tempo. I've been working it all day, fast, slow, medium (I am JUST a high school student, unfortunately, and am not gifted enough to stand out among the "usual" talented high school musicians *sigh*). It's clean at 120-122 aside from breathing problems (anybody have some advice on that?), but if I go any faster, my tongue and fingers can't keep up during the trills. If I had a couple weeks, I'm sure I could at least get closer, if not all the way to 138, but it's not possible right now. Unfortunately, in the audition directions, it says to adhere as close as possible to the tempo markings, articulation, and ornamentation (trills). So, I guess I'll just do it at 120, and cross my fingers. I don't really have my hopes up, but I'm giving it my all anyways. Thanks everybody.
Nick Conner
cpmbnick@hotmail.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-05-29 18:12
Nick -
As you've found, if you simply practice a difficult passage over and over, you reach a limit on how fast you can play it.
However, there is a method of working out difficult passages that helps get you past this plateau. It involves breaking the passage down into alternate pairs of notes and working on one pair at a time. I've described this a couple of times. Please read http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=24907&t=24731 and http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=14529&t=14450 .
Working out the audition passage this way will probably take you an hour of serious woodshedding. Work it out today, and do the same thing tomorrow and the next day. Each time, you'll be able to do it smoother and faster. Then, record it only at the fastest tempo you can play it under control.
No guarantees, but this method should help you play your best.
Let us know how you do.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
