 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: fuzzystradjazz
Date: 2016-03-08 21:51
I have a question for the folks who play "classical" music professionally - or aim(ed) to. ("Classical" - in this case - used as a general term meaning: non-pop, non-jazz music - if the music you like to play is primarily played in pit orchestras or fancy concert stages, or is led by a conductor, then this question is likely for you):
Did exposure to (and love of) "classical" music prompt you to learn to play clarinet, or (was it the other way around), did learning to play clarinet create a love/pursuit of "classical" music?
Fuzzy
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2016-03-09 00:06
Love for classical music.
I did morph though. I started loving big band jazz of the '30s and '40s. Since I listened to one recording session of one particular piece, I loved what I thought was all the notes written in stone. I was SHOCKED when I finally heard (courtesy of RCA/Blubird re-releases of old Goodman recordings) multiple takes of the same piece only to find out "jazz" was improvised and not the same from performance to performance. That shifted me over to the classical medium where notes stay the same. I could forever count on Beethoven's 6th to always have the same notes.
.................Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2016-03-09 16:06)
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2016-03-09 00:47
I grew up in a musical family, whose combination of professional, semi-pro, and amateur musical lineage goes back well into the 19th century (if not further), beginning in northern England and stretching over the various styles in American musical life throughout the last century. Over the course of that time, members of my family have played in brass bands, symphony orchestras, jazz bands, funk bands; they've sung in choruses and as soloists. I grew up surrounded by music--not any particular kind of music. Just music. The idea was to play as much of it as you could. Some of it was what you've called classical.
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2016-03-09 02:49
My family enjoyed listening and playing or singing music, though growing up I heard little classical. Our school system had a band program, and I joined that. The classical stuff we tackled I dismissed as "church music" and thought it dull. Somewhere around age 16, in an American Studies class, I heard a good recording of Dvorak's New World Symphony, and it flabbergasted me. I bought an lp and wore it out, and never looked back - classical just does something for me that I fail to get from other genres.
I WISH I could share the appeal of jazz, for example, but most of the time it just goes by me with little effect. Playing a jazz or pop piece with the band, I can sort of mimic the style and it seems to go over ok with our undemanding audience, but I don't feel a natural part of it as I seem to playing classical.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2016-03-09 15:10
For me it was the other way around: Only after a few years of classical music influence during the clarinet lessons, I started to love classical music. Somewhere around age 16.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-03-09 15:21
Oops! I initially read that last bit as 'Somewhere around page 16'!
I was a bit mislead by the title to be honest - I assumed this thread was about 'Why do we start playing "Classical" music' in that when we're learning, most tutor books for most instruments as well as exam syllabus music is largely based on the 'Classical' repertoire (although a lot of popular and folk tunes are used in beginner tutor books).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-03-09 19:13
Instrument first, classical music second.
On one Friday in 1st grade, as promised, our music teacher handed out brand new recorders for us each to play and own. This $.50 Chinese produced piece of shiny plastic junk, with faux wood grain finish and cordoroy case might have, for me, been made of platinum for all the joy it brought me. The ability to control musical sounds--I was hooked like it was crack.
3rd grade brought "real" instruments. Utterly amazed, having seen a H.S. Jazz band concert with the saxophone, confusing at the time all the rods that allowed pads to be distanced from finger span with instrument complexity, I had to try this thing. Early I'd arrive to school lessons, finishing the 1st book, which I thought ridiculously simple, in 2 weeks, even though it was supposed to be used all year. My teacher new I was serious and knew, if I ever wanted to do this for a living (which I did not end up doing) that "doubling" would likely be necessary.
Clarinet was next. It was more like the recorder I loved. Fingers didn't (and shouldn't) be pressed hard, something I had to do for that lousy rental sax.
Loving a challenge, classical music was considered hardest for the instrument (clarinet.) I took it on, and fell in love with it thereafter.
Post Edited (2016-03-09 19:13)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-03-09 20:13
With clarinet, I did all my grades on that instrument as the exam syllabus music was more geared to actual clarinet specific music as opposed to sax (my main instrument) which was mostly transcriptions of Baroque flute sonatas and I didn't intend to ever go down the Classical sax route at all. I needed to double on clarinet (and flute) to play Big band music, so considered clarinet the instrument to do serious study on to get the bits of paper.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-03-11 09:21
I had an amazing experience last year watching the live action version of"Nodame Cantabile". It's a Japanese drama based on a Manga. Lang Lang does the soundtrack, and the orchestra(s) are great.
It takes place at a conservatory in Japan. It's about a brilliant young pianist, Chiaki (Shinichi) who wants to be a conductor and go to Europe, only he's afraid of flying. His romantic interest is Nodame, a prodigy who is essentially a genius, but doesn't want to take playing seriously because of a bad teacher she had when she was young. She wants to be a kindergarten teacher.
It's silly, but it's the only thing I have ever seen that shows music from the perspective of music students, and the only thing I've ever seen that shows or expresses what it's like to be a musician. Chiaki is always in awe of some composer, composition, or conductor. He's always studying scores. Nodame is kind of a mess, emotional, passionate, and happy-go-lucky. She plays famous works by ear, and always makes things up when she's playing. A lot of it is about the love of music, dedication, hard work, and the fun and joy of playing great music together. There is a lot in it about this or that great composer or composition.
I never loved classical music until I saw it. I loved music, but that's not the same thing. I played it, my friends played it, I studied it and went to concerts, but Nodame Cantabile gave me a whole new perspective. I'm not sure that I ever knew anyone who was really passionate about classical music in a serious and aspirational way, although I knew lots of musicians.
Watching all the episodes made me realize that classical music has to be a part of your life in a certain way for you to love it, and you need someone to connect you with it. I didn't have that growing up, and my teachers didn't teach it. It really changed me. Before I liked certain things, like Early Music, but it was all sort of detached from me, even when I was playing it. I vicariously participated in the world of the students in the series. In part, I could recognize it and relate to it from having been a music major, but I was never really connected to the classical tradition in the way that Chiaki and Nodame were. Relating to them (even in a silly drama) helped me relate to classical music in a personal way that I had never done before. It wasn't complicated, but I listen to music differently now.
- Matthew Simington
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Author: avins
Date: 2016-03-13 10:39
My parents were lovers of classical music , and my mother played the violin for some time. so I heard lots of classical music at home.
I later played the bassoon and flute but also tried out the clarinet for some time , but to be honest didint like jazz and other folk music which the clarinet is especially used . over the years I started liking jazz, blues etc in addition to Latin american music spanish greek etc, but still classical is my favourite , classical music is so intricate and complete , I think the more you go into it the more you realise its greatness. I came back to the clarinet and have been playing it for the last 5 years , but play only classical stuff.
Avins
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