2008
October 30, Frances Marsden and the Alexander Technique
For the past two years, I've invited Alexander teacher Frances Marsden to do an introduction to Alexander Technique
with clarinetists in my summer workshop. With her gentle, unobtrusive manner and quiet touch, Frances is a magician at helping people relearn how to align their bodies the way nature intended.
The individual changes that took place in tone and support were immediate and quite astonishing. "Longer and wider" torsos release the sound in a fuller and more natural way than I could have imagined.
Last May, I started taking private Alexander lessons myself. I can honestly say that working with Frances has transformed the way that I play the clarinet and think of my body as an instrument.
I have so much more breath. My neck no longer hurts! I can't recommend this practice--and Frances herself, if you are lucky enough to live in Los Angeles-- enough to other musicians, particularly wind players.
I wish I had done this years ago.
You can find more information about Frances and the Alexander technique at: http://www.artofmovement.com/
February 22, the Yamaha CSG
Tried six of the Yamaha CSG clarinets, at the Yamaha New York Artist Atelier-- both the regular silver and Hamilton plated keys, and am very impressed
with their tone, intonation, and consistent quality instruments. This is an excellent professional clarinet and very reaonably priced.
Strongly recommended for value and artisitic flexibility.
2007
Sept. 7 Clarinet Hygiene
I can't stress enough the importance of cleaning out the speaker tube connected to the register key. Make it an annual ritual.
Gunk (see "Schmutz," below...)from your saliva collects in this tube and can make your instrument feel very resistant, or
even prevent the upper clarion from speaking promptly, as I saw with a student yesterday.
Carefully take off the key above the thumb hole and run a pipe cleaner or a defuzzed Q-tip into the tube back and forth a couple of times.
Replace the key. If the Q-tip or cleaner is covered with a black substance, you will feel like you have a different instrument.
July 31 Clark Fobes' E-flat Extension
This is magic. Although it adds very little to the overall length of the E-flat clarinet, it seems to make the tone
(and intonation) sweeter and truer, overall.
July 30 Walter Grabner
Several musicians in the Clarinet choir swear by Walter Grabner's bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet mouthpieces.
I have recently had opportunity to try his "Lawrie Bloom" bass clarinet mouthpiece and it is superb. The E-flat is also excellent.
http://www.clarinetexpress.com
July 15 Vandoren M30 mouthpiece
Inspired by a participant in my summer workshop, Vicente Ortiz, from Spain, who says that this mouthpiece is very popular in Valencia, I have purchased two
M 30 mouthpieces. This is currently my favorite mouthpiece under $100 to recommend, followed by the M15 and Fobes' "Nova." The sound is round and the response
very smooth.
July 10 ICA Clarinets (and Clarinetists) of all types
Back from the Vancouver ClarinetFest, where the members of the Los Angeles Clarinet Choir gave a standing-room-only performance of Ed Cansino's "The Great
Clarinet Circus" and enjoyed relaxing in their 17th floor suite complex at UBC's Gage Towers, with a panoramic view of the mountains and the water looking out to Vancouver Island.
I had a great week, herding cats, greeting friends, and listening to some wonderful performances (among a few that weren't). Especially noteworthy:
Laura de Luca with the Seattle Chamber Players, Mark Nuccio's recital, Lawrie Bloom's bass clarinet performance with string quartet, and a fine concerto night featuring Elsa L-Verdehr, David Shifrin--in great form--, a luscious Finzi Concerto by Michael Rusinek, and
others, too many to detail here, (though I encountered some new music in performance to be mentioned later.)
In the exhibit hall, I was delighted to meet Luis Rossi, and try his exquisite handmade instruments.
Among other clarinet makers, I was very impressed with Yamaha's current offerings (the model G is excellent), the latest Buffet and Selmer Bass clarinets (both spelendid when properly set up),and
the Backun Leblanc "Legacy" which has stunningly beautiful workmanship. It is no secret that I do not care for cocobolo, and have never before liked Leblanc,
but this clarinet is very easy to play and has remarkable staccato response. If you are considering a Buffet Tosca, you might also consider the Leblanc Legacy.
Other amusing details from the exhibit room: Woodwind/Brasswind rep Scott set up a blindfolded--though hardly blind, since it was obvious which one was the Leblanc--trial of five instruments of different manufacture. Too bad that the Yamaha could not be in this list.
While only the Leblanc in his collection was a truly good example, I chose first the R-13 Buffet as better for most student players, and rejected the Selmer St Louis, which I had previously tried
at the dealer's table. Overall, Selmer Paris proved to be a disappointment, which surprised me since I still play on my wonderful old 10M's from the 70's and love their bass clarinets.
2006
September 24 Edirol 9 Portable Digital Recorder
Finally, I am able to recommend a digital home recording device to my students.This is one you can take to your lessons,
and it is easier to use and kinder to clarinet sound than mini-disc recorders.
The Edirol 9 is the size of a large cellphone. It retails for around $400 and contains an internal microphone.
The machine has *no* internal playback: this is good for you only if you already have a decent
stereo playback system, and/or are able to upload and playback from your computer.
The good news is that clarinet recorded on this machine sounds very acceptably like clarinet (no easy task.)
Some other recorders with better specs do not do that.There is a headphone jack. Over headphones the sound recorded with the internal microphone is "ok";
played back over decent speakers the sound is very lifelike--surprisingly good.
Recorded through Coles 4038 ribbon microphones with a custom preamp the sound is excellent. In my opinion, this device will serve most of your home
recording needs admirably, at a reasonable price.
July 30 Gonzalez Reeds
For the past two months I have been using Gonzalez reeds. I find them remarkably
consistent in terms of profile and playability. The reeds are a little stiffer than
blue box Vandoren and many players will find it advisable to buy a quarter size (that's right--they
come in quarter sizes, such as 3 1/4, 3 1/2, 3 3/4) softer than usual. For the environmentalists
among us, the Argentine makers claim their cane is pesticide free. Thanks to Barbara Watts-Robinson for
this useful tip! Check them out--maybe they'll work for you, too. postscript (2008): for a variety of reasons, I have returned to Van Doren.-- mt
March 20 Sharon Kam http://www.sharonkam.com
Back around the big Mozart Birthday, I heard a most exciting Concerto
performance broadcast live from Salzburg. Run out and buy yourself a recording
of the extremely musical Sharon Kam playing this on basset clarinet! would
pick this over a certain more famous female clarinetist from a famous
European country (ahem!)any time. Wonderful video of her performing this
work on her website.
February 5 Joan Tower "Fantasy"
Making it into the "top ten" recent works for clarinet and piano,
Joan Tower's "Fantasy (those Harbor Lights)."
Expertly written for both instruments with a dramatic solo cadenza for
each (the pianist gets more than a touch of jazz.) This is a substantial
one movement work which could be a showstopper. Currently working on this
with my frequent recital partner, the remarkable collaborative pianist,
Twyla Meyer.
January 30 Gary Van Cott "Van Cott Information Service"
http:// www.vcisinc.com
You really should know about Gary Van Cott's online shop offering a wide
selection of clarinet and saxophone music, CD's and wonderful books about
the instrument and its literature. Fast, personal service and an easy,
secure order form on the website.
January 28 Daniel Deitch,"Old Horns"-- Woodwind Repair
and Restoration, San Francisco, California. http://www.danieldeitch.com
In recent months, I have become increasingly frustrated with my pitch
center and my ability to find appropriate reeds. Sure that this was a
fundamental problem with my 30 year old instruments, I visited old friend
Daniel Deitch (who is very familiar with Mazzeo Selmers) and got the verdict:
schmutz in the tone holes! After a good cleanout, EVERYTHING works better,
even reed selection. Daniel has a great little shop not too far from Golden
Gate Park. He's increasingly becoming the technician of choice for the
woodwind section of the San Francisco Symphony. It's easy to see why--he's
a master.
2005
August
8 Jeanne Inc. Music
I have just had a very good experience ordering from this online company
based in Minnesota which specializes in sheet music and accessories for
woodwinds. In addition to standard and new repertoire, including solos
for clarinet alone, their decent selection of methods and studies includes
the remarkable, hard-to-get "Methode" of Eugene Gay.
August 1 The Miklos Rosza Solo Sonata
This is an excellent piece for an advanced-intermediate player looking
for something new and accessible to do.
Not to be confused with the more virtuosic work called "Sonatina"
by the same composer!
July 15 On Re-learning a piece you've played too
often
In the course of selecting the program for my Oct. 2 recital, my pianist
colleague espressed a dislike for the new work I suggested, and I found
myself falling back on a choice from the standard repertoire that I have
played many times before, the Gerald Finzi "Five Bagatelles. "
Now these are wonderful pieces, not technically "difficult"
though they offer lots of room for elegant styling. They have--or can
have--a lot of character; lyrical without being sticky.
My first task in cleaning these up for rehearsal was to see where my conception
of them now stood. I made a home recording of myself playing the clarinet
parts (highly recommended to you as well) and was shocked. What happened
to the articulation? Where was my dynamic range? Why didn't these phrases
have any shape? On a second pass through the work, I wondered about the
tempi and clocked 84 with the metronome. Not enough drive! Now the first
movement is becoming interesting again, and it's not stuck on mf and above.
Those short rests between urgent phrases should make the phrasing more
intense, not less. By mid-morning, I was not so ashamed of what I heard
now heard recorded on the tape.The danger is not in forgetting what you
carefully studied years ago, but in pruning the little mannerisms that
accumulate over time.
When you revisit your repertoire, be vigilant and take advantage of the
technology available to keep you honest: a recorder, and simplisitic though
it sounds, a metronome.
July 12 Ivan Muller arrangement of Beethoven's "Adelaide"
Today came into my hands this fun, extravagant arrangement of the lovely
Beethoven song,
Adelaide, by the famous 19th century clarinet virtuoso, Muller. Except
for an extra cadenza at the end, the song sticks fairly close to the vocal
original, though it is replete with written-in instrumentation. It's worthy
of consideration as the "classical " piece on an informal recital.
Published by Universal Edition, in their "Revue de clarinette"
series.
July 11 Don Byron
Run, don't walk, to hear this amazing, multi-faceted talent. Jazz, classical,
soul, klezmer, reggae, new/crossover/whatever--Byron can apparently play
them all. And don't ask me if "jazz" clarinetists can get away
without classical training again! Oh wow.
July 8 -- Gaston Hamelin on Grenadilla records
Worked today with my colleague, classical clarinetist David Barnett, on
our parts in a classical clarinet/bassoon trio we are putting together--trios
by Pleyel and Devienne, Lefevre and Carulli.
David played his 6 key Baumann original. The Pleyel is a small gem of
a work.
During our coffee break, we listened to the RDG Grenadilla album of historical
recordings of French clarinetists, including the rare recording made in
between 1911-20, of our teacher's teacher, Gustav Hamelin, playing the
Debussy Rhapsodie (the unspecified studio orchestra clearly out of sync
with the soloist) in tempi which are considerably faster than those notated
by Debussy. Speaking of fast, the album also features Prosper Mimart and
soprano Isabel French in a uniquely fast recording of the Schubert "Shepherd"
with major cuts in the clarinet introduction, scaled to fit on two sides
of a 78 rpm recording. Mimart bears up courageously under this insult
to his musicality.
July 7 -- Chadash Clarinet
At the home of George Valley I was able to listen to the Chadash clarinet,
a handmade instrument which exhibits truly superior workmanship. I had
no time to try the instrument myself, but George, an ardent amateur chamber
music player, has promised to play more than just a few notes on another
occasion. More later, on closer inspection.
July 6, 2005 Composer, Carlos Guastavino
Guastavino's “Sonata” for clarinet is getting a lot of press.
In addition to Marina Lopez, it has been recorded by Luis Rossi, played
smoothly and with great dexterity on a recording caled "Fantasia
sul Americas" that also includes Guastavino's expressive "Tonada
y Cuerca." There's yet another by University of the Pacific professor
Patricia Shands, whose short sound clip on the Arizona Friends of Chamber
Music website indicates a pretty tone and expressive phrasing.
Sadly, the work is out of print due to the recent sale of the Argentine
division of Ricordi. The Sonata is in three movements which are not technically
difficult, though they require a certain finesse on the part of the players
in terms of establishing character. This is one of those works the success
of which is its transparency to the personality of the performers. The
piano part is an unremitting texture of busy but not unattractive accompaniment
patterns. Unfortunately, none of the three recordings mentioned above
has an especially poetic pianist as collaborative artist.
July 5
New to me: the wonderful playing of the young Argentine clarinetist Marina
Lopez, whose website I discovered while searching for the clarinet sonata
of Carlos Guastavino. Marina plays with a distinctive fine, light vibrato,
an excellent example of the use of vibrato as an ornament to classical
playing. What is wonderful about her playing is how directional it is:
she uses the vibrato tastefully to enhance her intuitive sense of line.
I am recommending that my students check out her website: http://www.marinalopez.com.ar
Do listen to her interesting mp3's and maybe buy her CD, "Otro Cantar"
The "auspicious beginning" fortune cookie: "You are a deep
thinker with a knack for problem solving."
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