 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-09-22 21:57
Steven Williamson demonstrates a disciplined approach to how to practice making soft, non-intrusive entrances--so important to orchestral playing--in this Video. I like his observation that even on finely tuned and dynamically well-balanced clarinets, each note has its own resistance level that a player must recognize to achieve high levels of control.
Williamson is adding something of value to the usual advice to practice long tones (often accompanied with crescendos and diminuendos) and listen for evenness. The big challenge is not holding the note steadily for an extended period but rather how the note speaks at the outset of the sound--getting it to begin unobtrusively with a non-jarring timbre, at exactly the right dynamic level.
Adding his beginning-the-tone exercise to warm up routines might be a great idea. It certainly answers the question "Why are you bothering to do this exercise?"
Does anyone know what Williamson is doing with his right hand index finger at 31 seconds into the video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4teoC3OnEg.
Post Edited (2017-09-22 23:40)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2017-09-22 22:16
seabreeze wrote:
> Does anyone know what Williamson is doing with his right hand
> index finger at 31 seconds into the video?
He's using his right hand middle finger to trill G to Ab.
...GBK
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2017-09-23 03:25
Oboe and bassoon players work on this as a matter of routine, as it is more difficult for them to control attacks than it is for clarinetists. An even more disciplined method involves Mr Williamson's exercise, but incorporating a tuning machine and a metronome. Play the first quarter in a 4/4 bar at quarter=60. Wait 3 beats and then play the next next- exactly in time and exactly in tune. Far more difficult than it sounds...
I must say: watching Mr Williamson's video, it really looks like he puts an extreme amount of physical effort into playing the clarinet. He's completely exhausted by the end of his exercise. Is this really necessary??
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Author: Ed
Date: 2017-09-23 03:33
I think that there is also benefit to continuing the tone a bit longer and also incorporating some dynamic work. Sometimes it is possible to get the note to speak, but it takes a bit more effort to sustain it.
Regarding Williamson's effort, he does mention that he uses Vandoren Traditional #5 reeds. Those are pretty stiff, although the actual resistance will depend on what mouthpiece and facing he uses. A few years ago a colleague of mine went to a workshop that he was giving and she relayed to me that Williamson expressed that most people use reeds that are too soft. She said it seemed that his set up was a bit resistant and that he seemed to be working pretty hard.
He sounds great, but I thought the same thing when I watched the video.
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-09-23 04:04
The mouthpiece model he plays, designed for him by Jim Pyne, and now commercially available, is open and resistant. I tried one at the recent ICA and had to blow pretty hard on a #3 reed to get any vibrancy in the sound; I'm sure I'd be totally muted and breathless on a #5. Williamson combines the resistant Selmer Signature clarinet, with a resistant mouthpiece, and a hard reed as his regular orchestral setup. A player of great ability and experience, that must be what he wants, and it works for him to produce a covered, dark sound that still projects. Certainly wouldn't work for me.
I started doing the soft entrance routine today, though. Great idea especially adding Liquorice's timed pulsations.
Post Edited (2017-09-23 04:06)
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2017-09-23 13:12
I also noticed how much pressure he uses. There is a deflation noice when he opens his mouth to breathe.
His tone is not "airy" though, at least not on the recording. Otherwise, that's one problem I have noticed with players that use strong reeds. They have a constant hiss in their sound that is audible if you sit close.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2017-09-25 19:01
Great video and great player, thanks! Not sure about actual air pressure, but there sure is a lot of opposing strength leading to very precise control. Heard that from several teachers, but can't really pull it off personally. Don't sit in the Chicago Symphony, either. He's sure right about the importance of coming in softly on the beat after sitting there for umpteen measures.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-09-25 23:03
I'm sorry - I should know because the solo is famous and I actually know and can play it from memory, but I'm blocking which opera the last excerpt on this video is from. Would someone un-muddle me?
Karl
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-09-25 23:35
Act III, Puccini's Tosca. Also same tune as "Avalon" by Al Jolson and Vincent Rose. In 1921 Puccini's publishers successfully sued Jolson and Rose for $25,000 and reclaimed the tune as Puccini's. Goodman made it famous as a swing piece.
Post Edited (2017-09-25 23:46)
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2017-09-26 00:12
The Chicago Symphony is touring in California next month. Mr. Williams will be featured in most of the concerts playing the Mozart Concerto! I'm so ready to hear some other concerto for a change, but this is still very exciting, especially for my students.
Anders
Post Edited (2017-09-26 00:13)
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-09-26 03:27
Seabreeze - thanks for the reference to Avalon. Yet another thing I hadn't known.
Fuzzy
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2017-09-28 06:51
Not going to say who, but a clarinet maker was talking about a person who had the same ideology as Williamson. The customer basically said if you're not working hard on the clarinet then you're not making music (in other words a very resistant set up.) Don't know what others say, but I just want something that will do what I want without having to put too much effort.
That being said his exercise is somewhat similar in what my teacher taught me today. Imagine the smallest dot on the wall. Almost as if you were to got a pencil and poke the wall with the tip portion of the lead. He said to exhale ALL the air then breathe in slowly. Then blow air so that there is only air. Gradually speed it up and tighten up your emb play from ppppp to ffffff in a span of 16 counts (start to count as soon as your hear the sound.) Then take a pause. Breath out then breath in then start from ffffff then dim. to nothing. After awhile you should be able to play pppppp with absolutely no air in your sound and still project to the back of the hall with only your core. Perhaps some people may say that playing that quietly can't possibly work, but I think it does. I've heard it done live with Martin Frost playing the Quartet for the End of Times. Just my thoughts though.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2017-09-28 17:21
I think his exercise can be done with any setup, and that he doesn't himself advocate working hard; that's something people noticed he seemed to be doing looking at the video. He's certainly intensely engaged with his playing in a physical way, something you notice about lots of great players and orchestras, but that's not the same thing as having a resistant setup or working hard.
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Author: echi85
Date: 2017-09-28 19:23
He does seem to advocate working hard when he plays. He speaks about this around 4:00 and 6:30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyA-rLrGIy0
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