 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2008-09-16 20:42
On page 12 of the latest The Clarinet magazine, in the photos of the winners of the Prague Spring Competition, and on page 15 in the ad, the players are holding their instruments at a very high angle compared to what is traditional in the world of Western "serious" music.
I have no problem believing that this angle can work with proper breath support and embouchure formation and development, but I'm at a loss to think of a reason this position would be taught other than maybe that the consequent position of the mouthpiece is advantageous for articulation sound, speed, etc.
Not swimming in the same pedagogical lake as many of you (or any pedagogical lake at all, in fact), can anyone tell me if this is a trend or a revival, and if so, from when and where did it arise, ...and what is the explicit purpose of this?
(Not asking for an evaluation, just information!)
Danke.
B.
Post Edited (2008-09-16 20:46)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-09-16 20:57
Maybe they were playing Mahler's 1st.
"Schalltrichter in die Höhe"
...GBK
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Author: FDF
Date: 2008-09-17 00:06
Maybe they were making an "AD!"
You're welcome.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2008-09-17 01:23
Suddenly, I hear rim shots.
Post Edited (2008-09-17 01:23)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-09-17 14:44
Anatomy is destiny.
Many important clarinetists have had receding chins and therefore played with the instrument almost vertical: Daniel Bonade, Ralph McLane, Robert Marcellus and Bernard Portnoy.
Others have had protruding chins and played with the clarinet held well out from the body: Alan Balter, David Weber, Artie Shaw.
Steve Girko has a receding chin and angled teeth. He plays with the instrument nearly vertical and the mouthpiece turned well to the side.
Certainly some players hold the instrument out for show: Benny Goodman.
Ken Shaw
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2008-09-17 21:14
Sooooooooooooo.
"Bite" characteristics not withstanding, does anyone know of anyone explicitly teaching this posture for explicit reasons?
I've seen too many examples of this, especially among E. European players, to chalk it up to individual differences.
I think it's being taught, but have no good evidence to support that.
Or is my imagination at work?
B.
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Author: Ryan25
Date: 2008-09-17 21:58
Does it matter if it is being taught?
I'm not seeing what angle a player is holding their instrument at being important. All that matters is what you sound like.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-09-17 22:21
Actually, a picture would be neat...however: I was taught to hold the clarinet at a ~45° angle away from the body. Neither near vertical nor near horizontal. Because of "proper" (whatever that means) posture, because of projection, because, because.
In contrast, I was never taught that flat-chin-and-smile thing re the embouchure.
It might indeed be a different school. Who cares if that is working for them?
--
Ben
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2008-09-18 00:47
Ryan, I didn't say that it mattered what angle the clarinets were being held. I didn't even intimate that it does matter, nor am I interested in the affects of it on sound or anything else.
Ben, I don't care, either, how anyone prefers to hold their clarinets.
I just said that I saw a trend away from the "traditional," and wondered what the origin of it was.
See the first sentence of the second paragraph of my original post, please.
B. (Crabby old man in Virginia.)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-09-18 07:21
> I just said that I saw a trend away from the "traditional," and wondered
> what the origin of it was.
What is "traditional" in one part of the world may be "new school" in others.
(E.g. when counting with fingers, some countries start with the index, others with the thumb, and some with the pinky, especially when gesturing along speaking. So...which one is "traditional"?)
--
Ben
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-09-18 14:58
Ben,
"...which one is "traditional"?"
I'm American. That means that what I do is original and what the rest of you do is clearly weird.
James
I mean which country came first anyway? Duh!
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-09-19 02:46
...Ok, everyone knows I was joking, right?
Gnothi Seauton
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