 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-13 02:02
Haven't posted here in a while but I just played my Jr. recital and wanted to know what people thought. So, I put it on youtube! Let me know what you think if you are interested! (check out my MySpace too... I'd appreciate the feedback!)
Program:
John Cage - In a Landscape
Leonard Bernstein - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (Mvt. 1)
Steve Reich - New York Counterpoint (Mvts. 1, 2, Prerecorded clarinets by me!)
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel Im Spiegel
Olivier Messiaen - Abîme des oiseaux
Leonard Bernstein - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (Mvt. 2)
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0C71EC9192BDFE3E
Sean Perrin
http://www.myspace.com/seanperrin
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Author: redwine
Date: 2008-03-13 11:20
Hello,
You sound great! Congratulations.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-13 15:59
Hmm, arguably they are all standard works.
I've played a lot of the "old" stuff before, it's just not what I'm passionate about. In fact, I'd rather not play than play them. I'm going to do some lesser known older works next year though i think... Different theme perhaps.
Thanks for the comments!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2008-03-13 16:29
But I have to say that it sounded great, though! Especially "New York Counterpoint" was very cool!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-03-13 17:45
Great job, Sean, enjoyed all of them.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2008-03-13 18:32
Enjoyed the recital very much. You play incredibly well in tune and your choices of phrasing "speak" to me. Your dynamic range is very commendable and I am overall impressed.
Now on to the things I liked less. Although you are solo on the Abime des Oiseaux, I would be a little more truthful to the text if I were you. I understand the fast sections are *hard*, but the tempos and rubatos you choose to do sound too remote from what Messian intended. I didn't quite hear the birds. Got play this thing straight from the text, rhythmically secure, and practice to get the fingers moving at "bird" speed.
Finally, I like your sound very much. It's full resonant, but I heard so many squeaks over the entire recital, that they cannot be just coincendental. Reed too soft? Embouchure not firm enough? Not sure what it is, but you should try to fix it.
Anyway, congratulations on a job well done, great programming and a fine performance. I hope you don't mind the criticisms.
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-13 18:54
> but I heard so many squeaks over the entire recital, that they cannot be just coincendental.
Me too... I was not having this problem as much in rehearsals but I think a combination on a few leaky keys (I can't afford to have any real work done on it this year, and haven't for around 5 years now), nerves, and dry-mouth had some undesirable results.
Also, I had to drop a half reed strength out of desperation a month before my recital due to the fact that I have developed (unfortunately) a bad case of palatal air leak... I'm still learning how to be as articulate as needed yet still get the full warm sound that I want (and was used to creating with relative ease)...
It's going to be difficult, I used to live by the resistance of hard reeds, and I'm having to relearn an awful lot of things... we'll see again at this time next year!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-13 18:57
> I understand the fast sections are *hard*, but the tempos and rubatos you choose to do sound too remote from what Messian intended. I didn't quite hear the birds. Got play this thing straight from the text, rhythmically secure, and practice to get the fingers moving at "bird" speed.
Good points (thank you for your thoughts!)... I will rehearse it this way. However, for this particular hall I found the decay a bit too much to go any faster in the fast part. It started to sound muddy when I did.
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2008-03-13 23:06
The recital as a whole is good, especially for a junior, but I would remove any clips from YouTube that contain excessive squeaking. Having the confidence to put them up there with that is fine, but it taints everyone's perception of your playing and simply isn't worth it to keep out in public for people to make judgements about. Not as a young player.
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-03-14 00:16
don't be too hard on yourself. it was a good performance
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-14 07:10
> I would remove any clips from YouTube that contain excessive squeaking. Having the confidence to put them up there with that is fine, but it taints everyone's perception of your playing and simply isn't worth it to keep out in public for people to make judgements about. Not as a young player.
Go ahead and judge... it doesn't bother me! What's to be afraid of? After all, the people in the audience had the chance, why shouldn't others?
Either way, I wouldn't say that 5 or six squeaks in a 45 minute recital excessive... in fact, I think that the lack of noticeable imperfection (to the public) is part of the reason that classical music is not as popular as it could be. It can be like watching a painting... you don't expect something to go awry so it gets a little boring.
That's part of the excitement of live performance.
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-03-14 08:31
"I'd rather not play than play them."
Don't say that! I bet that you, like me, like clarinet so much that if your only option was to play only that you'd still do it. Lucky for me, and hopefully you, that is not a situation that would ever happen!
I don't think Joarkh meant what he said as criticism. Actually, I have no idea what he meant.
But why didn't you play the first piece trapped in a cage?
You didn't play the Leonard Bernstein piece weraing a lion custom, or the Steve Reich piece wearing WWII army closthes.
Hopefully you played the Arvo Part piece with a mouthpiece refaced by David Spiegelthal.
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Author: srattle
Date: 2008-03-14 08:58
Hi Sean,
nice recital, great program. Nice to see someone do a college recital without a brahms piece, or schumann fantasy pieces etc.
You should go for the Berio Sequenza next, if you haven't played it, you'll probably like it.
If I may make a couple of comments. You have a very nice sound, I must say. Try working a little more on your air flow, especially through your legatos, through the instrument into the crowd, and through the notes. This will create a smoother legato (also with jumps down) and allow the lines to flow more aswell.
I would also suggest moving the Bernstein 1st mvt a bit more, and letting the tempo settle rather than changing it so much. Personal preference, but I think it would improve this already quite draggy mvt.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-03-14 09:11
I was kidding. What I meant with my post is thanks for posting this so we can all hear it.
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-03-14 17:23
Hi Sean,
I am listening as we speak...I'm on the Arvo Part right now. I'm enjoying the eclectic program. Maybe the Part is the best one so far...sounds lovely. Well in tune and good phrasing, I agree with that poster. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I also agree with the poster who said there are too many squeaks (but I don't think you need to remove your videos so quickly as they suggest). Hopefully you can address that issue, and don't come to accept 5 or 6 squeaks in a recital as the norm (I heard more than that, and I'm halfway through..) More than likely, the overdue tuneup is one culprit, as you suggest. Definitely get that checked out. Also, the reed may have been warped...with proper humidity storage and adjustments, this effect can be minimized. Bummer about the palatal air leak...there's an article in the newest Clarinet magazine about that.
In the Bernstein 1st movement and the Reich, there is also a bit of a control issue in the upper register, more in articulated sections. In the Reich, I would have liked your live playing to blend a bit better with the recording...the upper register had an "edge" to it, and some scooping into the notes.
Also, the Bernstein I was started too slowly and dragged at various points throughout. The first four notes weren't quite clean, and that sets the tempo.
Listening to the Messiaen now, and you seem to be playing with a lot more control here. Very good dynamics and tone, and intonation. I think the "slow" tempo at the beginning is a little faster than I'm used to hearing it...I've never played it, but I bet it's really hard to go that slow with a lot of control. I'm really impressed. Your vibrato isn't bad, either, but I'm not sure if it was intentional.
Now the Bernstein 2nd. Pretty good here, good expression. Fast parts could be a little zippier. Again, some squeaks and edge in the articulated spots. Maybe you're letting go too much with the embouchure when you articulate? You sound lovely when playing legato sustained stuff. All in all quite good. Congratulations. I hope you'll share more with us soon. Regards and good luck.
Lori
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2008-03-14 17:58
No, it certainly wasn't meant as criticism. I just wondered if there was any reason for not playing one of the more "standard" works. That said, I think what was actually played was played wery well:)
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-16 23:22
Thanks everybody... I have really appreciated the comments!
I am playing a lot of performances in the next 6 weeks, let me know if there is anything else you'd like to see and I'll try to get the concert recorded!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-03-17 05:39
first maybe I should clarify that my jokes were because I didn't want to post another "sounds good" or "too many squeaks" or any other serious criticism since you already got plenty of those, good and bad. Maybe I just wasn't funny....
"let me know if there is anything else you'd like to see and I'll try to get the concert recorded!"
Yes I would definitely like to hear your own compositions (if you have any) or your improvisations, or anything that I haven't heard before or can't buy on a CD played by someone else.
Thanks.
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2008-03-17 06:28
> first maybe I should clarify that my jokes were because I didn't want to post another "sounds good" or "too many squeaks" or any other serious criticism since you already got plenty of those, good and bad. Maybe I just wasn't funny....
I just couldn't figure out what you were talking about.. lol
> Yes I would definitely like to hear your own compositions (if you have any) or your improvisations, or anything that I haven't heard before or can't buy on a CD played by someone else.
See my myspace! Some improv, electroacoustic compositions and a piano arrangement of Radiohead's everything in it's right place...
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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