7/26/2018 The Clarinet of the 21st Century - IV/2 Glissando/Portamento

The Clarinet of the Twenty-First Century - E. Michael Richards

CHAPTER 4 - Other Resources

These terms are still often used interchangeably, even though they have been clearly defined in earlier texts on new clarinet techniques.1 Part of the
problem may result from the use of these terms by performers of instruments (string, brass) on which the glissando is executed in a different fashion
these instruments do not have keys (or as many keys), for example, which greatly assist in clearly defining pitches. At any rate, we will define the
glissando as "a rapid chromatic scale between two notes - it is desirable to slightly blur these notes (by speed) so that they are not distinct, evenly
spaced in time, pitches." This technique is possible without a great deal of difficulty throughout the range of the clarinet (it is, of course, more
difficult if required over one of the two "breaks" of the instrument). Since it is rather easily produced, we will move on to discuss the much more
difficult portamento.

Portamento can be described as a continuously smooth, sliding glissando. Caravan has given us a proper definition - "the connection of two tones by
a smooth slide which passes through all of the possible pitches or frequencies between the two tones without interruption."2 The continuous
movement of a trombone slide, or a string player's finger slid along a single string yields similar effects. The sound has entered the avant-garde
repertoire most surely as a result of influences from jazz vocalists and clarinetists (including its widely known use in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue
1924), in addition to influences from the common practice of "circumlocution" (pitch sliding and bending) found in many non-western traditiona
musics (Japanese and West African, for example). Xenakis (in Eonta ) and Haubenstock-Ramati were among the first to extensively employ
portamento in post-1945 music. The music of Eonta effectively combines steady pitches with slow portamenti, creating a marvelous, constantly
changing rate of acoustical beating.

A variety of explanations and methods have been suggested for portamento. All involve lip pressure, oral cavity shape, throat opening, tongue
position, air pressure, and fingers, although in different hierarchical positions of importance. Phillip Rehfeldt recommends adjustments in lip
pressure, oral cavity shape, and throat opening to produce a lower pitch from the fingering employed.3 This lower pitch must be maintained in
parallel motion by the embouchure as the fingered pitches begin to move upwards or downwards. Garborino discusses, in a somewhat confusing way
what he labels as an "acciaccatura-portamento."4 This is realized with the lips by either relaxing or squeezing the embouchure at the moment that the
portamento begins, or with an abrupt change in fingering just as the portamento begins. Neither method seems to be dependable in practice. Ronald
Caravan states that portamento is produced primarily by manipulating the shape of the oral cavity by means of tongue position changes.5
Embouchure adjustment and tone hole uncovering are not as important. He presents an example, to illustrate his point, that involves a portamento
from C4 to C5 (Example #1).

Example #1

Caravan contends that all fingers of the right hand may be lifted simultaneously and all fingers of the left hand may be lifted simultaneously withou
affecting the portamento. What he fails to mention, however, is how much time this portamento is to take from beginning to end, what the dynamic
level is, or what its shape in time should be (Example #2). These factors all determine the role of embouchure and fingers.

Example #2

Possible Shapes, in Time, of Portamenti

https://userpages.umbc.edu/~emrich/chapter4-2.html 1/4
7/26/2018 The Clarinet of the 21st Century - IV/2 Glissando/Portamento

Caravan does offer some good suggestions for learning portamento production. Since downward tone bends are the most difficult, these should be
practiced first; mastering the required technique (tongue and throat position control) for this skill is applicable to all other (including ascending
portamenti. Eventually, a series of downward tone bends can be linked to form a longer portamento. The following table delineates the possible safe
range of downward pitch bends 6 This skill very much depends on the player and the flexibility of his equipment!! However, it is a capability that can
be extended with practice.

Table #1

After one has practiced series of downward tone bends, the next logical step is to practice ascending bends, followed by series of ascending bends.

Charles West has developed a methodology for the production of a continuous ascending portamento from G2 to C6(!).7 This is possible by
connecting three separate portamenti - one from G2 to B4 (chalumeau and throat registers), one from B4 to C5 (clarion register), and one from C5 to
C6 (altissimo register) - through a switch to an alternate fingering on the two pitches that are in common between registers (B4 and C5) (Example
#3).

Example #3

The first of these portamenti is accomplished by adjustments in tongue and throat positions, in addition to a sliding of the fingers from the tone hole
(G2 to G3). The throat A key, register key, and side key 3 (b-flat) are gradually added to bring the pitch up to B4; it is important that the left thumb
never completely leave the thumb ring, not only in this portamento, but in the other two as well. The side fingering for B4 is then switched to the
long B4 fingering (Example #4). This needs to be practiced to avoid, or disguise as much as possible, the resultant "bump" heard during this switch
West presents a valuable hint when he suggests that the long B4 be played with the A key depressed so that it may more closely match the timbre o
the side B4 fingering.

Example #4

https://userpages.umbc.edu/~emrich/chapter4-2.html 2/4
7/26/2018 The Clarinet of the 21st Century - IV/2 Glissando/Portamento

The second portamento is accomplished in a similar fashion to the first; B4 to C5 involves essentially the same fingerings as G2 to F3. The link to the
altissimo register is accomplished by lightly touching the long C-quarter-tone-sharp 5 fingering (which is actually bent down by the relaxed throa
and embouchure to C natural) (Example #5).

Example #5

Fingerings for C-quarter-tone-sharp 5 to G-sharp 5 are accomplished by merely imitating those for chalumeau G-sharp to throat F. The final majo
third (G-sharp 5 - C6) is achieved by adding the A-flat key, A key, register key, and side trill keys 3 and 4 (remember to keep the thumb ring down).

West also offers some worthy ideas with regard to practicing this portamento. It is learned most quickly by working on one of the three sections at a
time, being careful to practice linking one section to the first note of the next section.

The long portamento that Phan writes in the introduction of My Language for clarinet and piano is not difficult to play, even though it is at a slow
tempo, because it is written with a cresc. to FFF and is strongly supported by the piano.

Example #12 (click on music for mp3)

Isao Matsushita writes a number of short clarion register portamenti in Kochi II for solo clarinet. Other timbre transformations in this early section o
the music include vibrato, flutter-tongue, and key vibrato.

Example #16 (click on music for mp3)

https://userpages.umbc.edu/~emrich/chapter4-2.html 3/4
7/26/2018 The Clarinet of the 21st Century - IV/2 Glissando/Portamento

In Madoromi III , Akira Nishimura asks the clarinetist for numerous portamenti in the altissimo, clarion, and chalumeau registers. In the example
below, an alternate fingering for G5 (shown below in Example #24a) will allow the player to more effectively control a pp dynamic.

Example #24 (click on music for mp3)

A smooth portamento can be created from D-flat 5 to G5 by carefully switching to the second fingering indicated below, then gradually peeling of
the fingers to the alternate G5 fingering indicated in the second measure. The long downward portamento from this G to D-sharp 5 is executed by
slowly lowering the second finger of the left hand and loosening the embouchure. The fingerings indicated next to D-sharp 5 and C-sharp 5 in
measures 3-4 below can be trilled to create quarter-tone trills. In order to achieve a smoother portamento from A5 to F4, one should first gradually
lower the first finger of the right hand, then the third finger of the left hand (measure 5). Finally, the portamento from E4 to D-flat4 can be executed
by first adding the F key to E4.

Example #24a

~next page~

for information on how to see/hear more musical examples of portamento, click here

https://userpages.umbc.edu/~emrich/chapter4-2.html 4/4