 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2021-06-22 02:38
.....so I'm enjoying playing from Opperman's Virtuoso Velocity Studies for Clarinet.
e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Virtuoso-Velocity-Studies-Clarinet-Opperman/dp/0825833329
I take it that some of you are familiar with this.
I'm neither virtuosic, nor much playing these exercises right now with anything that could be described as velocity: accuracy and evenness are far more the goal currently. That more than fills my plate....
as does the following.....
Kal had no problem writing legato phrases where in the middle of playing some already pretty high notes (that he'd want you to play accurately with much speed) he'd throw in a C7 to B6 to C7 combination.
While I can hit these notes I can't do so quickly coming from, say, a G6. Maybe its my poor choice of fingerings but can anyone offer guidance here on how I can become proficient it hitting such notes as I might an A6 or lower note?
Are there some exercises one could recommend to target this?
Thank you.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-06-22 06:23
this is why i used to transpose the first clarinet german band parts which were frequently in the stratosphere to the eb clarinet.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2021-06-22 07:06
The basic plan is to include the highest notes you have into your regular practice material, and then keep trying to go higher. Extend your scales and scale patterns to those notes. Practice wide legato leaps. Noodle up, play tunes up there. Incorporate those notes into cadenzas. Vary articulations and dynamics, just like you do practicing other parts of your range. Strive for full, sweet, expressive sound and good intonation. Though very little music uses the high altissimo, there is good expressive potential in it.
It takes time. Register breaks are closer together. Fingering is more complex. The technique developed is one that applies to all registers with only the slightest variation. I'm currently working to A7. Note, some mouthpiece designs support higher notes than other designs do.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-06-22 08:02
Yes that is great advice from Philip. I think I know the particular etude you're probably referring to. It is a quite interesting one.
One thing I do for those notes is play scales, starting off easy, from G above the staff to G 4 lines above (I don't know this G7 thing--something to do with piano I think). Then up a half step (G# to G#, etc.). Keep going up as far as you can. After a while, scales like C to C become easier, one reason being you are so familiar with the fingerings now. B to B would be harder, etc.
I'm pretty good with D to D now and can get up to Eb, but haven't worked on that scale. Of course increase speed and vary articulations.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2021-06-22 08:31
Philip Caron wrote:
> I'm currently working to A7. Note, some mouthpiece designs support higher
> notes than other designs do.
A7, really? A full ninth above the standard (4 ledger lines) high G?
Anders
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-06-22 21:43
Yeah, I've got fingering charts for way up there, but with my Vandoren 2.5 reeds I doubt that'll ever happen.....
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2021-06-23 00:22
Philip Caron wrote:
> Hi nellsonic. Yes.
Cool. I've found C7 sufficient for my needs. I'm not sure anything higher would be worth the time for me.
Do you use that range for anything other than exploration? I'm a big believer in using the altissimo to improve playing over the whole instrument but I wonder if there a point of diminishing returns in continuing work ever higher. I know you wrote a bit about it above, and I agree with your overall philosophy. I do wonder about how far might be too far and if you see any drawbacks to working that high?
Anders
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-06-23 01:09
Tom H
>>but with my Vandoren 2.5 reeds I doubt that'll ever happen.....
Reed strength has little to do with high altissimo. The reed keeps vibrating faster only on less of the tip end, so other elements contribute or detract to high altissimo success. I can play C7 and above on the lightest reeds that I am comfortable with anywhere else on the clarinet. It is a good way to check your setup.
And BTW - Here is that infamous solo starting at 4:47. Check Bar 24 at 5:57. This score is in C, so the Bb clarinet would be a second higher, C#7, or a minor 3rd higher, D7, if played on an 'A' clarinet as Marcellus does, because the fingerings are easier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6s9gX0_WZI
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2021-06-23 03:16
This score is in C, so the Bb clarinet would be a second higher, C#7, or a minor 3rd higher, D7, if played on an 'A' clarinet as Marcellus does, because the fingerings are easier.
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Except this is not Marcellus playing; it is the WDR Funkhausorchester.
There is a broadcast recording of this with the Cleveland Orchestra somewhere on the web, but Marcellus takes this run down an octave. Oftentimes the run is played by the second player on E-flat Clarinet.
If you want to hear some altississimo clarinet playing, listen to this around 2:28:
https://youtu.be/GIl0UyXZcUs
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-06-23 03:53
dont blame them for using eb for this cheat. this is the only reason for the black wand of satan to exist
Post Edited (2021-06-23 03:58)
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-06-23 04:56
rmk54 - just sharing a bit of info about Marcellus.
Wright had Pete Hadcock, the BSO Eb player play the upper notes.
I have more stories about this excerpt too.
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2021-06-23 08:19
The latest young generation of orchestral clarinetists do not view the Ginastera with the same dread. Many dozens of them can toss off the high passages in the Variaciones Concertantes without batting an eye:
Here are just two, Javier Martinez: (top hit on page)
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=javier+martinez+ginastera+variaciones+concertantes.
and the clarinetist in the S.O.N.G Symphony for the Next Generation (Korea):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzpPEM1QrQ (starting just after 5:00).
All in a day's work for them.
What's the secret? They spend time to find the best fingerings on their clarinets, make any necessary adjustment in their set ups, and they practice the passages like crazy for as many weeks, month, years as it takes. They normalize what was formerly considered beyond reach. They grab it and put it inside their bell curve.
Post Edited (2021-06-23 08:28)
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-06-23 17:22
How about this young lady? early 20's?
5:18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSOICOhBXIk
or this one after 6:30?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWm3U_kPneg
He does play 'B's' instead of the written 'G#'s' in the last measures though. Neat trick. Maybe I will use it if I am having a bad day.
Post Edited (2021-06-23 17:46)
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2021-06-23 19:28
That young lady, probably younger than early 20s, must take the prize for apparent ease of execution and apparent enjoyment in playing it. She certainly deserves so much better than that conductor though.
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The Clarinet Pages
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