Re: flute vibrato

[Colin E. Ramirez <cer7q...>]

Always happy to chime in on flute in Klezmer especially so 
Adrienne isn't talking to herself!  Bearing in mind that we 
are truly speculating and inferring from pictures, limited 
references, related instrumental stylings and uses in 
Klezmer and related flutes and style from aother 
traditions...! The contiguous "oral" tradition of Klezmer 
flute seemingly "lost".
        I am having some success, meaning the band members and 
public tolerate and even enjoy my forays into our Klez band 
at the University of Virginia (Simchah!) on simple system 
flute, as learned originally for Irish music and also 
dabbling in "period" classical music. (What this means for 
a KEYED simple system flute is anothe whole discussion...) 
It makes some sense to me to draw a bit on the sounds of 
the Kavval, Ney and Greek equivalents when playing the more 
"oriental" sounding pieces.  This is obviously not an 
original idea as such greats as Matt Darriaux et al have 
recorded in this style, often with the ethnic instruments. 
The ability of the simple system wooden flutes to slide and 
partly overblow lends themselves to this type of 
expression. I have heard other Klez players and listners 
comment that a silver flute played in a classical style 
sound jarring to their ears in contrast to the rounder 
clarinet and violin sounds. I PERSONALLY don't like much 
classical vibrato in klezmer or other folkish traditions. 
That is of course just taste.
         In addition to an occaisional lead on flute (I also play 
mandolin/banjo) the flute can make for some nice "fills" 
used sparingly. An occasional change of pace is to use a 
piccolo or facile skill with the high registers to do 
battle with the clarinet or brass in the stratosphere, but 
a little of this  goes a long way!
OK enough for one post. Adrienne, I would love to hear how 
Boxwood (Wooden flute camp) went and what the interests 
were, in this group or privately. Sorry I couldn't make it, 
keep us posted of other workshops you will be doing.
Colin Ramirez

--On Thursday, August 28, 2003 3:40 PM -0400 
AGREENBA (at) aol(dot)com wrote:

>
> In a message dated 8/28/03 12:23:34 PM,
> sefirah (at) earthlink(dot)net writes:
>
>
>
> Ah!  Speaking of flutes, are there any listers here from
> the Los  Angeles area who'd be interested in taking on a
> flutist for your band?   I play, but never thought of
> incorporating it into a klezmer band!
>
>
> Actually, my daughter MAY start a student klezmer band at
> USC; she's a first year there and was in a student group
> at home. But needless to say, from this girl - moi -
> flutes ARE traditional instruments for klezmer bands so
> don't be shy. I'm fairly traditional in my approach as
> many know: wood flutes - conical, simple system, and
> Boehm - and you really need to be "careful" as to placing
> yourself "against" clarinet or brass leads, for starters.
> Anway, on to vibrato, a fairly complicated issue. First
> off, classically speaking, it "begins" at the diaphragm
> level, for wider and stronger puslations. The faster,
> shallower vibrato is closer to the throat with a "silent"
> coughing, but no noise really happening. If you
> understand that vibrato is a change in pitch - be it
> slight or great - then you work with flute like you would
> pushing the air stronger without adjusting for pitch,
> hence getting sharper, and then relaxing the air, hence
> getting flatter. This all happens, of course, very
> quickly. And now we can talk about whether the flutists
> who played solos so we could hear detail:  Misters Anon.,
> Kosch, and Chazzin. You will hear absolutely straight
> sounds and you will also hear VERY fast vibrato. NO slow,
> regular pulses. Not the goal, not the sound here. And now
> for the kicker, from someone who strongly believes that
> finger vibrato (call it battement, vibrati,), I believe
> that the tradition of finger vibrato, long since in use
> for a couple of centuries and existed and still does in
> other folk styles and baroque music as well, is very much
> a possibility. I began a little discussion of this either
> on this list or elsewhere (perhaps woodenflute list?) and
> I received mostly support from listers on other lists,
> not this one. Anyone wish to chime in? There are very
> clear examples in my ear of clarinetists choosing only
> certain notes to use finger vibrato (which makes sense
> because not all notes are possible, in fact, very few the
> more complicated the system of fingering beyond the
> Simple) and, although I should have kept notations, I
> would eventually be able to find tracks on CDs for
> examples - when I have the time.... But anyway,
> especially if this discussion hasn't taken place, I'd be
> interested to have votes "ferr"  or "agin"   For me, I
> either do (very little....because I'm still learning
> simple system...) finger vibrato or 90% straight. It also
> means that vibrato is almost like an ornament rather than
> something that intrudes on the overall passion you
> express with your air streem. That's my 5 cents for now
> :-) Maybe I'll up it to a buck if listers would like more
> discussion :-)
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________
> Adrianne Greenbaum
> Associate Professor of Flute, Mount Holyoke College
> Klezmer flutist: â??FleytMuzikâ?? and â??Family
> Portraitâ?? Classical: "Sounds of America"
> fluteworld or cdbaby
>


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