I`m going to a concert tonight!!!
Played by 2 bass clarinets and piano.
On bass clarinet- my former brilliant, wonderful, amazing teacher, Floyd Williams
also, Diana Tolmie
piano, Mitchell Leigh.
It should be great.

Wild, I didn`t say I was completely 100% happy with my sound either. I just think its one of my stronger points and its a good start to clarinet playing overall - of course there are plenty of things I would like to improve with it (I`m lacking strength at the moment and the altissimo is lacking a little in body - all air support issues). Would you just stop arguing with us and just accept that people may be proud of what they might be good at and that may actually give us the motivation to improve our playing if nothing else. You just rudely we`re arrogant because we`re happy of our achievements (not necessarily complacent as you inconsiderately assumed). Besides, not all Brits are like that and its bigoted of you to say that - an attitude like that is positively the most arrogant of all.

Sorry my sentence structure went a little haywire then. Sorry, you know what I mean....

Now Girls!

Don`t think, "I like this! I like that."

I don`t matter. You don`t matter. Our tastes don`t matter. What matters is how we serve the character of music with our sounds.

Instead of, "I dispise excess vibrato," try, "the degree to which Richard Stolzman uses vibrato in the opening section of the Copland, distorts the character of the piece--which is perhaps singing and peaceful yet longing and expressive. The way in which he vibrates does not indicate a sensitivity to what is happening in the music. However, moments in a piece by Brahms might lend itself to a greater vibrato usage, as the musical moments clearly presents tremendous passion that must be reflected in the sound of the performer. In addition, Herr Muhlfeld was a violinist before he was a clarinetist and was widely known to use vibrato."

Going back to my favorite topic: what Charlie Neidich does with his air shows an EXTREME sensitivity to harmonic, melodic, structural, and ensemble happenings in a piece.. I challenge all of you on this board to do a complete harmonic analysis, study the manuscript, consider the composer`s intentions, and go listen to his Weber Concerti again. It should make a lot more sense to you. Now you hear Neidich as self-serving musician. If you took the time to find out more, you would not.

The matrix has you..... He has super powers, does he not? Many of his students do also.....Hmmmmm....... The matrix.....

My "British accent" comments are clearly a joke, and your response indicates that you have no sense of humor.

Most Brits have a sense of humor about themselves.

Kisses!

Ok... the degree to which Richard Stoltzman uses vibrato in almost all the music he plays distorts the character of the music. Also, the way he exaggarates every little nuance makes all his interpretations sound the same emotionally, which shows a distinct lack of sensitivity toward the intentions of the composers. Not to mention the fact that it gets really monotonous.

Why don`t we matter? As someone who listens to music, I have the right to like or dislike a player or aspects of a players technique and musicality, just like everyone else does.

My cat comments were also meant to be taken lightly. (The italics and bold text were only meant for a couple words, not the whole paragraph.) Anyway, I don`t know what sort of a sound my cat has; he`s not allowed to touch my clarinet.
Both my little brother and myself do despise excess vibrato; but it bothers me more.

Ok, since this thread has people on it who know what they`re talking about, I need suggestions for something to play. I`m doing the Copland at the moment (without excess vibrato), and I`d like
Something fun
Something not to difficult (around the level of Weber 2, Spohr 1 and 2, Krommer Eb)
Something difficult (around the level of Corigliano, Nielsen, Francaix)
Any suggestions will be most welcome.

There`s vibrato and there`s vibrato. It is acceptable if it it used as an expressive device, but not on every single note. Anyway, it`s more the exaggarated sickly sentimentality in Richard Stoltzman`s playing that I object to. The vibrato alone would be a bit more acceptable.

You could do the Rossini Introduction, Theme and Variations, or Finzi Concerto, Mattyas Seiber Concertino not sure about spelling of Mattyas)

Okay I`m not exactly thinking of every single piece but there are a few.

P.S: I love the Copland, it`s probably my favourite piece, i have only heard it played twice but both times were just amazing, especially the time I heard it played live.

fun- LaTraviata Themes by Lovreglio
easy- Beethoven Trio op. 11(not that easy though)
hard- Messiaen Quartet

Really hard- The Martino Set
Really, really hard - The Denisov Sonata

The Jean-jean 18 etudes are extremely beautiful and expressive and are tough too.

easy-Beethoven Trio op. 11. The fingerings arent hard, and it is really a lovely piece.

hard-Messiaen Quartet...I am also just going to see if Laura is still watching and say the Mozart Concerto.

fun- Verdi`s La Traviata Themes by Lovreglio

I have played the Rossini and Finzi. I will check out the other pieces. I have seen the Martino Set before, but I`ve never done any work on it.