Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-09-12 05:00
In my search for the perfect recording of the Brahms (so far I have Stoltzman, Wright, Leister, and Klocker... I have Shifrin and Soames on the way...), I'm starting to feel that the clarinet may be an instrument that is far less capable of passionate expression than my other two favorite instruments, piano and violin (both of which can be notoriously passionate). I've noticed this is many other pieces, but I'm thinking about the Brahms now, so that's what got me started.
Compared to some of the best of the piano/violin world, the best clarinet players seem to be lacking in passion in their playing. Two examples of very passionate players on piano and violin that come to mind are V. Horowitz and J. Heifetz. When listening to recordings by these two masters, I find their playing to be explosively passionate. Comparatively, many masters of the clarinet seem to play in a style that, while nearing technical perfection, is much less engaging. Some players (most notably Stoltzman) are capable of achieving passionate extremes, but often at the cost of tonely purity and control. Another good example (if you are curious what is motivating my questions) is the Prokofiev Sonata, Op. 94. When played on violin the piece sizzles with excitement (particularly the 2nd and 4th movements). When played on clarinet (by Larry Combs in my case), the piece is very well done (and quite passionate by clarinet standards), but still doesn't come close to the passion felt in the violin version.
This makes me wonder if the clarinet is physically more difficult to draw such passionate extremes from (because doing so is detrimental to tonal control, etc). Or is it just a matter of "clarinet philosophy" (or pedagogy, whatever you call it) that encourages more reserved style as opposed to the explosive vitality often found in the best of violin/piano music (for example, vibrato is a very effective expressive tool in violin and many other wind instruments, though it is traditionally frowned on for clarinets).
I'm certainly capable of appreciating the clarinet's better qualities (like it's voice-like fluidity and ability to create nuances in color and dynamics, and it's place as probably the most passionate woodwind instrument...) so I'm not making overly strict comparisons, and I realize that technical aspects of the instruments make it impossible to compare them exactly. However, I'd like to think that the power to play with such excitement and passion can (at least in theory) be achieved by any player no matter what instrument they play. Am I expecting too much, or do I need to redefine my concept of passionate playing when it comes to clarinets??
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