So I spoke in one of my last blogs that I was frustrated with the A clarinet that I was borrowing for the Salem Philharmonia concerts. Well…I went and bought my own A clarinet! I’m so excited.
Isn’t she pretty?!
Technically it’s a payment plan situation but that doesn’t really matter. I’m buying it from the band manager of the Eugene Symphonic Band, which I was recently a member. Her A clarinet is amazing. It plays like a hot knife through butter….mmmmm…..so smooth.
Here’s a couple clips on Instragram of me playing my new A Clarinet.
The first is of me playing the 2nd movement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto. I haven’t played this concerto since 2011, mostly because I refuse to play it on Bb. It’s just a thing. It’s written for basset horn and is commonly played on A clarinet. On Bb clarinet, it just sounds wrong.
In the second clip, I recorded the last Salem Philharmonia rehearsal as we were playing the Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. On the whole this prelude part is not technically challenging. It’s a lot of long held notes, it’s slow, and has no really weird chord changes. What was hard about the Wagner before was that I was fighting the instrument. The middle register was extremely stuffy, which was annoying because most of the notes where in that register! I had to tongue passages just to get them to speak and it was just a hot mess. I couldn’t be as expressive as I needed to be. I had to just focus on getting the notes out at the right moment with decent intonation.
When I recorded that clip I was in the moment. I was able to feel the music, to really pour my heart into it and just play. I am just so giddy over this new acquisition. I haven’t done anything like this for myself in a long time. So many of my friends and family told me I deserved it, and as much as I want to believe them I don’t think I’ve deserved it yet. I need to earn it. So with that in mind I’m thinking of collaborating with some of my musician friends and really buckling down on getting some great music prepared for a concert next year. Hopefully featuring the new member of my clarinet family, my A clarinet.
The Salem Philharmonia concert is in a couple of days and now I truly feel prepared. I’ve been practicing, listening to the pieces as a part of my morning routine, and with the acquisition of this new clarinet I feel much more confident. It’s funny how changing one thing, seemingly small – like a new instrument, can give you more confidence.
I feel like I should name her. Oh, definitely have to name her now. It’s a she!
I hope that your instrument inspires you to play more. Sometimes just finding that perfect match is enough to help you feel more inspired.
Thanks for sharing in my new joy and excitement. As always, aim high and keep practicing!
Goodnight!
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