Re: finger vibrato

[Dawid & Moericke <khupe...>]

> In Merlin's clarinet class at Klez Kamp two years ago, we discussed
> many of the ornaments he uses, which included the finger vibrato.
> The particular example he gave us to practice was fingering a B
> above the staff and trilling the G# key (it works on my Bb Buffet,
> though I think Merlin also uses the C Albert). You're absolutely
> right that it almost doesn't change the pitch, but is more of a
> tambre-vibrato.

Well... that *does* clearly change the pitch for me! I know that Merlin
likes to use finger vibrato with a noticeable microtonal effect. Nothing
wrong with that, I like it! But it makes a huge difference to what Brandwein
did in that one case, rather pushing the air than changing the note. It's a
new tradition, and for me closer to modern jazz-avantgarde-etc approaches.
Whenever the change of pitch is significant, you clearly hear that the
vibrato is mechanically produced, it's too clean and regular to be produced
by air or lips. (At least when produced by a key, not a finger over the
hole).
'Old-style' clarinet ornamentation would always tend to produce microtonal
stuff (glissandi, bending) by diaphragm/embouchure control. Its sound is
much closer to singing and blends more naturally with the rest of the
vocabulary.
But, again: there's nothing wrong with extending that vocabulary. I think
it's even necessary.

Christian Dawid

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+