The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

RE: Robert Marcellus

Author: Greg
Date: 1999-08-03 04:03

Ken Shaw wrote:
-------------------------------
Greg wrote:
-------------------------------
Ken Shaw wrote:
-------------------------------
According to a series of postings on the Klarinet board, he was viciously contemptuous of even slight ornamentation in Mozart and would leave a student who tried it in tears.
------------------------------------------------------------
I would have to partly disagree with some of Ken's assessment of a truly complex personality such as that of Robert Marcellus.

Greg -

I was summarizing what was said on the Klarinet board, not giving my own opinion. The thread on Marcellus has many stories from well known teachers who felt it necessary to warn their students headed for his master class not to deviate even slightly from his recording of the Mozart concerto, at the risk of being steamrollered.

This is nothing against Marcellus the player, or Marcellus the teacher. I heard him live with the Cleveland Orchestra many times, and I never heard anyone better. Everyone I have spoken to who studied with him had nothing but the highest praise for his teaching.

I attended Marcellus master classes, and I never say anyone in tears, but it was always clear that Marcellus was there to do what he came to do, and not what a student asked for. This was partly due to his incredible talent and depth of experience, which let him got to the essential point even if the student didn't realize it.

For someone that good, you take the riches that are offered and don't complain that other things are not there. I'm in the process of collecting every record available with RM on it. He was never less than excellent, and mostly he was head and shoulders above the rest. That's more than more than enough.

Ken Shaw

_________________________________________________________

Many thanks Ken for your clarifiying comments. I found myself rhapsodizing late into the night when I wrote my post and meant it in no way a sharp criticism of yours.
My main thrust was that many that have criticised to the point of exaggeration or by way of 2nd or 3rd hand stories are done out of jealousy or self - aggrandisement. Obviously that was not your intention. He is not beyond criticism of course...but perhaps we recognise that he was an artist to be treasured above all. Sorry about the British spellings using the letter "s" instead of "z" - just a personal preference.

Greg Smith

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Robert Marcellus new

Kathy Handyside

1999-07-30 15:45