Author: Jarmo Hyvakko
Date: 2019-06-01 11:45
Sad, isn't it? I remember that i had fun trying to imitate different styles as a young boy. I believe it was very useful in developing flexibility to your embouchure!
Still, i find there are some different style directions: europeans seem to prefer more open mouthpieces resulting darker, rounder, less focused and more covered sound and americans the opposite as many of them are playing with quite closed mouthpieces.
Another big borderline i find to be in phrasing: there are the players, that are trying to get very imaginative interpretations by doing lots of small details by making quick crescendi and dinuendi often even on single notes. And then the old school with more classical approach, honouring phrases, trying to play long, smooth melodic lines trying to avoid the details to disturb understanding the musical form.
I must say, that, so pleasing the dark and mellow clarinet sound is, i sometimes miss the old bright sound with sparkling overtones. But it's so difficult to make a beautiful one! Much easier to kill most of the overtones with your mouthpiece and ligature and find more useable reeds.
Jarmo Hyvakko, Principal Clarinet, Tampere Philharmonic, Finland
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The Clarinet BBoard
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