[Trombone-l] Blazhevich Clef Studies

[Roger Hecht]

Paul Kemp 
>
>When I started learning clefs 30 years ago, my teacher "took me by the seat
>of the pants and threw me into the Blazhevich Clef Studies" and it was
>either sink or swim. I swam.
>
>I don't use that approach with my students. However, there is one valid
>point to using that approach. It really makes students pay attention to
>details and forces them to practice slowly. 
>
>In reality, Blazhevich teaches much more than clefs. We must realize that
>clefs are simply a means to an end, and that all of the other aspects of
>learning the musical language must come into play in addition to the
>learning of the clefs. Blazhevich actually does a very good job driving that
>point home.   

As an ex-trumpet player, I had clear sailing learning tenor clef. It took me a day. The problem there is that I never went through the process of learning clefs that most people do, so I don't know first hand exactly what they go through. I probably wouldn't dare try the sink or swim approach. I've used Fink and have planned to check out Edwards during my next visit to Hickeys. I don't know the Sauer. Another good set of etudes, albeit difficult to read and not for just learning clefs, is the School for Sight Reading by Andre LaFoss. That's probably not around any more either, but I haven't checked. 

One other comment is to the observation that Blazevich contains the kind of clef switching you'd be unlikely to see in real life. To an extent, that's true, though we have all seem some weird changes in our time. My feeling, l though is that if you can do Blazevich, you can do almost anything as far as clef reading is concerned. I say almost because LaFoss does something, especially in alto clef that is unusual (except for Shostakovich): he writes difficult etudes in the low register. 

My real interest in commenting is to express my regret that the Blazevich etudes are being discontinued. I have loved them for years, not only for their clef work but for their musicianship and because the etudes are so well written for the instrument in a way that is soloistic and orchestral at the same time. They were a real staple in Reminton's studio. Just to frustrate people more, there are more etudes than those that came out from Ostrander and Hunsberger. They reflect the old Soviet idea that everyone should be able to play everything, in that they include etudes that go into the trigger range.  


Roger Hecht