Customer Reviews

6 reviews

• Robert A. Riselin

  Heimer has studied with some of the major clarinet pedagogues and has a wide range of performing, conducting, and teaching experience in various areas of the music profession. This book is the Vade Mecum on steroids and the content substantiates its claim if there are any awkward and difficult challenges not presented I missed them. There are 50 introductory very practical, directed short exercises dealing with specific clarinet problems of fingering and/or smooth connections with suggestions for practice. Alternate fingerings are included, which might be contrary to normal choice but provide additional attention to fluidity and coordination. These are followed by 27 single-page etudes, the titles indicating the focus of each and challenging every level of a clarinetist's skills. Some quote and expand passages from the repertoire a first reading is unlikely to reach the bottom of the page as the difficulties increase It is more important to discover and deal with individual passages before mastering the whole. Alternate fingerings should be substituted (ala the introductory drills) to develop and control difficulty in hand coordination. Even when learned these studies present problems when coming back to them after a few days the reading effort is normal in some in others fingering articulation and rhythmic patterns require a constant focus as there are so many changes in proximity one cannot predict or anticipate the next pattern and eyes brain message to fingers/air/embouchure requires total concentration. The biggest challenge in two of the studies is the notation of accidentals. 'The intent of requiring sharp focus and translating these, awkward passages into speedy eye-hand pattern recognition is understandable. However, C E G is part of our trained history and B# E Abb may be enharmonically equal to the ear but a nightmare to the eye and an unnecessary impediment to the music. A composer would be hard-pressed to {find performers willing to play his music where the notation creates another barrier to the learning process. Only the practice room can afford such time. Recommended for all serious players

• Laura Snavely

  This is a great etude book that is challenging and fun. Each etude presents different challenges and is unpredictable. (In a good way!)

• Arbee

  While the clarinet pedagogy is full of some excellent works that build the player's fundamentals and skills, they pretty much all, barring Tom's book, are subject to one major limitation: they are subject to memorization. And in this memorization the player can afford be less situationally aware as they "muscle memory" through predictable arpeggios sunk into their fingers over years of play like the familiar route to a local grocery store. This can lead to diminishing returns from practice over time. But with Tom's exercises you simply don't know what the next note or series of notes is going to be based on the ones that came before it: a great thing. The player is forced to slow down and give 110% of their concentration to the music at hand. It is the exercise equivalent of running with ankle weights that allows pretty much all other material, with its basis in melody, repetition of theme and key signature to seem easier once this high level of concentration is applied to the stuff outside the confines of this fine work.

• Julie

  I am a woodwind doubler and found Tom Heimer’s book The Most Advanced Clarinet book very interesting and informative for my level of clarinet playing.

• Steven C. Lawson

  Great, challenging and well written exercises but I wish the format was larger. Difficult of older eyes to read!

• Moosic

  Good for practicing!

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