Author: cjwright
Date: 2007-01-10 02:09
Okay, this is my own description, and nobody else's. I realize my descriptions are highly subjective. That in mind, I might get in big trouble for describing tones as this way. So, if you hate me, go ahead and send me hate mail.
When you listen to de Lancie's sound it's probably the single most distinctive American sound out there. The best way I can describe it is the core sound is like a pencil: small, dense, pointed at the end, and sharp (not pitchwise, piercing). I would describe James Caldwell's sound like this as well. But de Lancie's tone had a certain aura around it. It had a ring (as in Lord of the RINGS, not a telephone goes "ring ring") around the core, but the ring isn't a defined, kind of ring. It's more of an overtone-ish kind of ring. You can particularly hear this "ring sound" on high tones. When I gave this description to Mr. Weber, he agreed.
If I were to describe Mack's tone, particularly toward the end, I'd describe it as a Lead plumbing pipe, with a wide diameter (2 or 3 inches), and 1/2 inch thick, with next to nothing in the middle, and a sharp (cutting sharp), defined edge on the end of the pipe. Strangely enough, as mentioned earlier, Severance Hall seemed to "fill in" the lead pipe. When I gave this description to a former teacher of mine, (70 year old Mack student), he agreed as well.
Robinson, with his "creamy sound", would be a 1 inch in diameter cylinder of buttery/cream. Perhaps somewhere in the middle of that, a core of congealed butter formed, but it is still smooth, and thick.
You can find clips that demonstrate this on the oboe gallery website. The de Lancie oratorio recording best demonstrates his ring sound but the Strauss does too to a decent degree. If you have that de Lancie Strauss CD, it's really clear on the Francaix/Flower Clock. If you want more sound bits which illustrate these ideas, get a gmail account (which can receive mp3s), send me an email, and I'll send you some clips. (all legal, of course.)
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
Post Edited (2007-01-10 10:52)
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