Klarinet Archive - Posting 000211.txt from 1994/02

From: Jordan Selburn <jselburn@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Clarinet and soprano saxophone? (big problem!)
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 18:41:27 -0500

Jay Heiser writes:
>
>I've got one. In the wrong hands, the soprano can be a dangerous
>instrument. ;-)
>
>The soprano is to the sax section what the Eb clarinet is to
>that family -- a fickle instrument that is easy to play out of
>tune and unmusically.
>

I couldn't agree more. I played soprano for one show ("Rags"- subbing for
Claudia Zornow) that had a pretty exposed soprano lead part. As I don't
own one, I had to borrow it and couldn't put in any practice time. The
result was pretty grim, with the pitch all over the map. Finally, on the
last performance I asked the conductor (who has perfect pitch and an ear
like radar - I don't know how she could stand it) if I could play the part
on clarinet. Everyone was much, much happier. At that point, I vowed to
never play a soprano sax in public until I had lived with it for a good
long while. The folks in the Bay Area can sleep more soundly knowing this.

Jordan