H Voxman Performed by Kathleen Jones Selected Studies for Clarinet Disc 1

Description

H Voxman Performed by Kathleen Jones Selected Studies for Clarinet

DEDICATION

This project is dedicated to Himie Voxman, who so wisely selected the studies, and to Susan Ashby, who is the embodiment of “nurtured by love.”

ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS

These discs were recorded in 13 sessions during the academic year 2007-08, thanks to a sabbatical granted by the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, María del Carmen Gil, Chancellor, without whose support the project would not have been possible. The recordings were all made at Alberto Carrion’s Alfa Recordings, in Caparra, San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the expert help of his staff Vionnette lrizarry, Nanette Rosa, and Gabriel “Tito” Peña, Recording Engineer.

The Cleary Family (Paul, Patrick and Shannon) is lovingly acknowledged by the clarinetist, who could not have done this work without their help and unconditional support. The Selected Studies for Clarinet are recorded with permission granted by Hal Leonard Corp.

Kathleen Jones, born and raised in a musical family in Eugene, Oregon, has been the principal clarinetist of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra (PRSO) since 1975. She was the clarinet professor at the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico (CMPR) from 1975 until her retirement in 2009, playing in the chamber group Camerata Caribe, in residence at the CMPR, since its founding in 1982. Her CD Caribe Clarinete received a 2009 Latin Grammy nomination in the category “Best Classical Work of the Year” for Alfonso Fuentes, composer of the solo work “Voces del Barrio.”

She holds a Master of Music in clarinet performance from Northwestern University, where she was a student of, and assistant to, Robert Marcellus. Her Bachelor of Music degree is from the University of Southern California, with Mitchell Lurie, with whom she also worked for two summers at the Music Academy of the West. In addition, she studied with William McColl at the University of Washington, in Seattle, Leon Russianoff in New York, and Clark Brody in Chicago. She attended Tanglewood in 1982, where she coached chamber music with the violinist Rafael Druian.

Critics have praised her work, including Opera News, “…the clarinetist in the Forza aria was superb…” and the New York Times, of her 1977 Carnegie Recital Hall debut, “… a serious practicioner of musical art on a high level.”

NOTES FOR THE LISTENER

These recordings are inspired by the progress I have witnessed in my two children’s violin playing over the past 12 years, as they have studied with Susan Ashby, using the Suzuki Method, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. Shinichi Suzuki’s understanding of the role of repeated listening in music education has nurtured youngsters who easily play difficult repertoire: the results amaze those of us who learned “traditionally,” by reading first.

It is my hope that the present recordings will help my college-age clarinet students to advance musically more quickly, by hearing the phrasings before they begin to technically learn the Studies. In his summer master
classes at Northwestern University, Dr. Robert Marcellus always quoted the great pianist Arthur Schnabel: “If you know your musical path, the technical problems will be resolved.” Mr. Voxman’s advice for playing these studies includes: “Always know where you’re going.”

These recordings are presented without splices. I feel it is important to hold myself to the same standard I ask of the students—to play from the upper left-hand corner of the page to the lower right-hand corner without stopping. One Neumann U-87 microphone was used in the studio, and slight reverberation has been added to the sound.

Misprints have been corrected, and some minor changes made in the editing of some of the Studies. A metronome was always used to prepare the study, and never used during the actual recording.

It is recommended (required, really) that the player memorize the technical patterns (scales and chords) in each key (pages 56 – 76) before learning the corresponding Studies. The fastest and best way to learn something is to first mentally and physically program the patterns on which it is based.

My request of my students and others who use these recordings—Play the etude better than I do! Challenge yourself! Find an interpretation that you like—tempos may be faster or slower than mine—and be convincing! As I worked on the Studies I realized that some passages sounded like Rossini, Beethoven, (Bach!,) Mendelssohn, Verdi, etc. The phrasings are directly applicable 0 orchestral music, as well as to chamber and solo repertoire. Sound like a violinist, cellist or a singer. Don’t be atisfied with learning just the notes—make music! Make your mother cry!

In about 1980, at a Denver International Clarinet Conference, I whispered my heretical opinion to Mr. Voxman: that the Selected Studies were better than the Rose Etudes. He chuckled and replied, “That was the idea” During the recording process, I took inspiration from his comment, “I picked out the studies because they were fun to play,’ and from Dr. Marcellus, who used to say, “It’s easy to play the clarinet.” When more inspiration was needed, I recalled usan Ashby’s Suzuki-oriented advice to my children: “We practice to make things easier.” From this writer, who thinks the Selected Studies for Clarinet is the best, most complete book of etudes for clarinet currently available, here’s hoping that these recordings will help you reach new levels, and enjoy it.