 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2019-11-21 03:06
Many studies or technical exercises end with an extended, held note. For example, today I played through one of Opperman's Modern Daily Studies Vol II, and after a page of nearly all 16th notes full of finger flipping and unexpected stuff, it ends on a bar containing a whole note with a fermata. Paging quickly through the book reveals that almost all the other studies end in a similar way. Ditto most of Vol. I. Ditto many other technical studies in other books by many authors.
A whole note with a fermata is, what, 6 beats or so? Or maybe it's whatever duration matches the preceding music - except to my ears, that often would be about a quarter note with no fermata. The pieces I'm talking about are probably only used in the practice room, as evidenced by the technical, often formulaic writing. What then is the point of holding the last note for an extended period of time? Does anyone **do** it? In Opperman's case I hesitate to ignore it, and indeed of late I have experimentally been holding these final notes for the "full" value. However, I remain unenlightened by doing so.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2019-11-21 05:24
If you consider those held long notes from a completely technical point of view, they should last longer than the same note without the fermata - somewhere past 5 for a four beat note, past 4 for a three beat note, etc.
You can certainly use them as way to practice controlling the end of a long tone in a musical way. Some may appropriately fade to nothing, some may want to be sustained at full volume but without a rough or mechanical ending. Depending on context, it may be a way to check on your breath control to pace your air so that you have enough to control the last note.
But they're etudes - study pieces - not meant for performance, so not really meant for anyone else to hear. In the end (no pun intended), it really doesn't matter. If you can get some musical or technical benefit out of holding it, all to the good. If not, no one else will care. :-)
Karl
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2019-11-21 21:47
I always worked on circular breathing.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2019-11-22 03:23
In looking through my many study books and solos, sometimes a fermata at the end, sometimes not. Only matters if it's something to be performed.
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2019-11-29 04:22
To me it's an opportunity to make sure you've kept your fundamentals intact during whatever gymnastics you've just been through. If you can get a beautiful in-tune sound with as much relaxation, beauty, and focus as you could were it the first note, you've done well. If not, there's probably some room for improvement in what came before. Playing with and being able to maintain ease is key to getting maximum benefit from most studies.
A similar opportunity arises when the etude ends with extended tonic arpeggios or scales that are simpler than most of what came before, as is #19 from Opperman's Master Studies, JeanJean's Vade Mecum etudes 2 and 3, and so many more.
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Author: Juanzen
Date: 2019-11-29 07:58
just think about it like this, not only studies but most classical music ends with a long held note, so being able to end masterfully in this way is very important to a clarinet player.
treat long notes with great care and respect, it will show in your playing.
Post Edited (2019-11-29 08:01)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2019-11-30 18:01
In etudes it's really usless. If you do it to practice long tones than practice long tones. In a solo or ensemble piece I'd say about one and a half times to twice as long al the duration but that's a personal.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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