The life of Jimmy Reinders and his approach to teaching the clarinet

Date
2016-03
Journal Title
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to investigate and document the life of Jimmy Reinders. A biography compiled with music-related events in his life sheds light onto his experiences as a musician and professional clarinet player. This includes the numerous influences that had an effect on his choice of clarinet, accessories and the approach or understanding of the fundamentals of playing the clarinet. The clarinet originated in the 1700s and its use was fostered by the formation of different international clarinet schools with the most significant of them being French and German. The German and French schools of clarinet playing have individual characteristics that are relevant to the modern day clarinet player including Reinders whose approach to the clarinet is multi-faceted due to the influence of these two clarinet schools. This explains his choice of clarinet accessories and his approach to the fundamentals of the clarinet. The study commences with a biography limited to music-related events in the life of Jimmy Reinders whose teachers and mentors exposed him to a wide array of clarinet fundamentals from different international clarinet schools. He achieved what the researcher identifies as a “good clarinet sound” (identified as warm, resonant, rounded, and balanced throughout the whole register) through his choice of clarinet, accessories and his approach to the clarinet. The aim of this thesis is to understand and investigate Jimmy Reinders’ approach to the technical fundamentals of the clarinet, his choice of clarinet and accessories (mouthpiece, ligature and reed) and to place this information within the context of the major international clarinet schools (German or French). The technical fundamentals, as approached by Reinders, include a possible “foundation” of learning to play the clarinet that is also related to an international school of clarinet playing. The document concludes with an overview, placing Reinders’ choice of clarinet, accessories and approach to the clarinet within the German or French school of clarinet playing.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die lewe van Jimmy Reinders te bestudeer en dokumenteer. 'n Biografie wat aspekte van sy musiekloopbaan dokumenteer werp lig op sy wedervaringe as musikus en professionele klarinetis. Dit sluit invloede in wat 'n effek gehad het op sy keuse in klarinet en die instrument se bykomstighede, asook invloede wat sy eie opinie en benadering tot die basiese vertrekpunte van klarinetspel help vorm het. Die klarinet het in die 1700's ontstaan. Gebruik van die instrument is ontwikkel deur die bevordering van internasionale skole van klarinetspel, waarvan die mees belangrike die Franse en Duitse skole is. Hierdie skole het individuele eienskappe wat relevant is in kontemporêre klarinetspel. Hierdie invloed op Reinders lei tot 'n veelsydige benadering tot die instrument wat sy keuse van klarinet, bykomstighede asook sy benadering tot die basiese beginsels van klarinetspel verklaar. Die studie oor Jimmy Reinders begin met 'n biografie wat tot musiekverwante gebeure beperk is. Hierdie gebeure werp lig op invloede van onderwysers en mentors wat hom aan 'n verskeidenheid van die grondbeginsels van klarinetspel vanuit verskillende internasionale skole, bekend gestel het. Hy bereik wat die navorser as 'n "goeie klarinetklank" beskou (warm, resonant, rond, en deurlopend gabalanseerd in die hele register). Dit word bereik deur sy keuse van bykomstighede tot die instrument asook sy persoonlike benadering. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om Jimmy Reinders se basiese tegniese grondbeginsels van klarinetspel, asook sy keuse van instrument en bykomstighede (mondstuk, ligatuur en riet) te verstaan, en verder binne die konteks van internasionale skole van klarinetspel te plaas (Duits of Frans). Hierdie tegniese grondbeginsels van Jimmy Reinders, belig 'n moontlike eiesoortige benadering wat verwant is aan ander internasionale skole, maar tog deur Jimmy Reinders as 'n leerskool bekryf is. Die navorsing sluit af deur die voorafgaande informasie opsommend binne die Duitse en Franse skool van klarinetspel te kontekstualiseer.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
Reinders, Jimmy, Concertos (Clarinet with chamber orchestra), UCTD
Citation