 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2015-03-27 04:39
From another thread, referring to Benny Goodman and Buddy Rich: "The difference between Benny and Buddy was Benny was always practicing, and I never saw Buddy practice, he just sat down and played at a level beyond anyone."
Is it known / supposed / accepted that Buddy Rich didn't practice, or rarely practiced? I would find that amazing. I mean, I already find Rich's playing amazing, but that would be amazing squared.
Perhaps he played so frequently that performance was practice enough? Or was Rich just a *natural*?
Are there other examples of great musicians who practiced unusually little? (I don't mean like Mozart, who when very young reportedly shocked even his father when he sat in on 2nd violin in a quartet, and when questioned about how well he played with no practice on the instrument, replied, "Surely you don't need to practice for SECOND violin?") I'm wondering about musicians in today's world, people I might have heard.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-03-27 14:54
The average person (musician) requires a certain amount of total hours on an instrument to achieve a certain amount of proficiency. Under these ground rules you can achieve a certain baseline and then, given that the musician is gainfully employed in group performance/rehearsals, only a modicum of personal (alone time) practice would really be necessary.
Of course some of us are 'smarter' than others. In a real world example, I have a student who immediately and permanently makes an improvement upon a correction. This student also takes advantage of this ability and does not really practice.
We all know there are individuals with photographic memory, or the ability to speed read with better comprehension than those of us who plod along through a novel. I believe it's the same with music. Some folks are just faster, retain more, and have physiological advantages (faster muscles, better coordination) than the rest.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-03-27 17:07
Paul Aviles wrote:
> The average person (musician) requires a certain amount of
> total hours on an instrument to achieve a certain amount of
> proficiency. Under these ground rules you can achieve a
> certain baseline and then, given that the musician is gainfully
> employed in group performance/rehearsals, only a modicum of
> personal (alone time) practice would really be necessary.
>
Last night I heard the Philadelphia Orchestra's principal timpanist, who I thought was being refreshingly honest, say *exactly* the same thing to a group of student musicians we were chaperoning on a field trip to hear the orchestra. The principal 2nd violinist basically echoed him. Both said that when they were students, learning their instruments and preparing for hoped-for careers, they practiced many hours a day. But Don Liuzzi, the timpanist, said he *tries* to get 45 minutes a day of practice in, and it was clear from the way he answered that he doesn't always succeed in finding that much time. Kim Fisher, the violinist, remarked that, having already played the Mahler 5th and a new tuba concerto in rehearsal that morning, if she had spent any great amount of time practicing in the afternoon she wouldn't have been able to make it through last night's performance of the same pieces.
But they play 8 services a week - generally 4 rehearsals (2-1/2 hours) and 4 performances - and have time on stage before each of those sessions to review important parts. And Liuzzi said that, when he begins to prepare for a concerto performance he's doing next season, he will bump it up considerably in the weeks before the concert.
People who "know" that Buddy Rich "didn't practice" once he was an established and very busy performer may not know what his habits were as a young player not yet started on the career we all saw. Benny Goodman had a reputation as a very nervous, perhaps, obsessive person who may have needed all that practice more for psychological than technical reasons.
Karl
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2015-03-27 22:33
One of the famous violin virtuosos (I think possibly Heifetz) has been quoted as saying that if he didn't practice for one day, he could tell. If he didn't practice for two days, the musicians in the orchestra could tell. If he didn't practice for three days, the audience could tell!
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-03-27 22:38
Yes thanks for that quote !!!!!
That brings us back to the good new in the 'work over time equation.' Us mere mortals have a fighting chance IF we are willing to put in the time (given good instruction and correct practice techniques of course!!!).
................Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-03-28 00:36
I've never seen this story with a reference to how much Heifetz practiced each day. I wonder, even if daily, how much and what he routinely practiced when he was on tour and playing concerts nearly every night.
Then there is the story Ormandy told of a run-out to New York (I forget if they did those on Monday or Tuesday) after a concert series in Philadelphia (ending on Saturday night) by the Philadelphia Orchestra that had included performances by Fritz Kreisler. As the concert time approached, Kreisler had not yet arrived. He came running in at the last minute. Ormandy asked if everything was alright. Kreisler opened his violin case, confirmed that no strings had broken on the fiddle since he had last played it a couple of nights earlier, and assured Ormandy all was well.
Karl
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2015-03-28 02:11
I vaguely recall a Youtube video wherein Ricardo Morales described getting his first clarinet as a youngster. I forget how many hours he played it that first day, but I'm pretty sure it was at least 4 hours. Being able to absorb many hours of practice productively is in itself a gift.
I also recall Morales stating in another video that tonguing needs to be practiced every day. So, I'm assuming that he is a regular practicer.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-03-28 07:44
We should go back to your original post where you set up the contrast between Goodman, who "was always practicing" and Rich, who "never" practiced. There's a huge difference between someone who is "always practicing" and someone who practices a moderate amount each day to keep everything in place. Morales may be an obsessive practicer, or maybe, like Don Liuzzi, he has a routine of an hour or so just to keep technically fresh without overdoing. Heifetz didn't in his fabled comment about daily practice, apparently, say how much time he spent each day. Daily practice is probably more the rule than the exception. "Always practicing" is more likely the rule among students and young players whose careers aren't yet established and who are still learning what older, more established players once had to learn the same way.
Karl
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-03-28 18:47
And maybe we are just saying the same thing. Established, older players are putting in hours and hours of rehearsals and performances a day......practice?
..........Paul Aviles
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2015-03-28 23:30
I just had a discussion with my wife who is principal flute at the Opera. I, myself play clarinet in a philharmonic orchestra and we both agree that we try to use rehearsal time as practice time to economize the day. I usually practice for about 90 minutes in the morning before rehearsal and focus only on basics for the first hour. 30 minutes goes to preparation for next week's program and future projects. We both think it's important to keep up an awareness during the rehearsal hours and focus on things like air flow, articulation and all the things you would be aware of in the practice room to get more practice time during the day. At dress rehearsals and concerts you should allow yourself to let go of the leash and feel more free.
I think "naturals" are a myth. I was a natural up to fifteen when I realized there are more "naturals" around to keep up with. A carreer in music as well as in sports is 10% talant, 10% inspiration and 80% transpiration!
Alphie
Post Edited (2015-03-28 23:31)
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