Technique Application of Maintaining the Sound Balance of the Clarinet in Playing “Quintet for Clarinet and String: Fantasia” by Carl Maria von Weber

Abstract

This article presents the technique application of maintaining the sound balance of the clarinet and chooses the piece "Quintet for Clarinet and Strings: Fantasia", composed by Carl Maria von Weber. Consisting of 4 movements: Allegro, Fantasia, Menuetto, and Rondo. The Fantasia was selected as it is practical for practicing sound balance. This movement is played at a slow tempo and conveys a completely different emotion from Allegro, Minuetto, and Rondo, which have a relatively fast to very fast tempo. More emphasis is placed on fingering movement techniques. In addition, the Fantasia has a wide range and often leaps the pitches. The widest range is three octaves apart. Thus, it is difficult to maintain the balance of the sound. The clarinetists can apply these clarinet sound balancing techniques by (1) maintaining the clarinet sound balance in playing (high distortion and low distortion sounds), (2) embouchure, and (3) alternating fingering. However, the sound balance in each clarinet might produce different high-low distortion sounds. The clarinetists should match those pitches with the tuner and find the different types of alternate fingering that fit their instruments.