Author: sömeone
Date: 2005-10-15 12:52
I can tune a note on A=440, but it doesnt necessarily have the tone i want, i can also adjust a reed and make it sound good, but the intonation wont necessarily be balanced, as in not in tune through out, a good A but not necessarily a perfect G, something like that, anyways:
http://idrs.colorado.edu/Publications/Journal/JNL4/oboe.html
This article helped me a lot on pitch. I guess again it depends on so many factors. But ultimately of course good intonation does equal to a good tone, somehow. You won't go wrong on tone once you start to follow the path of being sensitive to good intonation, but again, there must be quite an extensive understanding to what intonation represents.
Well you are right there Blank, but seriously, it's not always about 440, i mean, as long as the intonation is balanced, and always in tune (not in contrast) with the ensemble or piano or anything that goes together. The Berlin Philharmonic plays at an incredible 445, and they have the lushes strings ever, not to mention one of the most crazy and beautiful oboe sections in the world. I have recently heard their recording of Rossini's La Scala di Seta, conducted by Karajan, and it was mind boggling, non stop goosebumps. The oboe solo in the beginning and the infamous crazy double toungue solo was all through out amazing! The A is nothing but a tuning standard you know, although i must admit that all the fuss happens to me too, =p. I was completely drowned into hearing the first tuning note of the oboe everytime i attend a concert. Haha... I have heard Herbert Bloomstedt conduct the San Francisco Symphony performing Alpine Symphony, and i won't tell you that all notes were perfectly A=440, but it remains one of my best loved recordings, and oboe solo, with the American player (i assume) still a mystery to me.
oboeblank wrote:
> I used to spend most of my time staring at a tuner while doing
> crescendos and diminuendos: that is very useful if you are
> playing with a piano, however impractical when playing with
> other humans playing instruments where every note has variable
> intonation.
How does this logic? No it's not wrong, i just don't understand the description ,"impractical when playing with other humans playing instruments where every note has variable intonation." I mean i hear almost near perfect (quite perfect to me) intonation with the Chicago
Symphony's brass section everytime. And they play crescendos like no other orchestra in the world, musical wise i don't prefer them to the other giants but they are one of the top on my list.
> Think of this; of all of the most wonderful oboe playing you
> have heard and start to think why is it beautiful. [?] Chances
> are, regardless of what you think of their tone, they are in
> tune, and that is makes it. Take for example two recorded
> performances of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra-or
> three-Tombeau, [or Pulcinella] and Barber Violin Concerto with
> Hilary Hahn. Kathy Greenback, who is a glorious player sounds
> wonderful on the first two recordings; while the Barber sounds
> like garbage. Diagnosis-she is severely out of tune on the
> Barber. A beautiful tone is an in tune tone.
AGREE.
> Close your eyes and play the most gorgeous tone you can produce
> on the oboe. Look at your tuner, I can almost guarantee that it
> will be in tune, bang on 440! Now play the same note sharp,
> now flat, critique the tone. Chances are when you are sharp
> the tone is thin and reedy; flat, you probably sound tubby and
> soggy.
I think this is too subjective, but what i am sure is that your description is a
reasonably good one (cos that happened to me before), i think as long as the tone PROJECTS, it will be a good tone, if it ain't 440, then we adjust that, but it must in the end PROJECT. I can take out one of my bad reeds and play a perfect 440 A, but it will sound thin and will not project.
> As far as crescendos and diminuendos our tone must not
> vacilate, to quote Mack. Easier said than done, but if you
> concentrate on keeping a beautiful tone, in the center and warm
> with ring and crescendo through that tone, or diminuendo
> through that tone, you should find yourself in a good place.
I think Mack's playing is fabulous, but sometimes....i don't know...haha...He is sort of a tradition breaker in the American line of oboists right? From what i heard. His interpretations are new and very unique. Incredible intonation, but a tone which i do not favour..but alas an artist that we should all learn from. I do not prefer the authentic American sound (obviously). But his teachings are fabulous, and your quote above is something valuable that i'll keep in mind. Thanks! Good advice! I love John De Lancie and Alex Klein, but i must say that my exposure to American playing ain't too much to judge precisely.
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