Klarinet Archive - Posting 000255.txt from 1994/02

From: Cary Karp <nrm-karp@-----.SE>
Subj: Re: Big A
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 16:22:35 -0500

On Fri, 18 Feb 1994, Jay Heiser wrote:

> Again, its not a clarinet issue, but I know that Dan likes a
> good heated discussion: Any opinions on the relative desirability
> of a Low A on a bari? Many arrangers assume that it is avail, but
> I tend to agree with Gerry Mulligan that the extra tubing
> destroys the best qualities of the horn.

I've got full sets of old Conns and new Selmers down to the tenors. They're
really different horns and I can easily find musical contexts in which
they both have their place. (In general, I prefer the sound of the old
American instruments, but can't get around the fact that the state of the
art French instruments have quicker, more reliable keywork and are an
awful lot easier to play dead in tune.)

When it comes to baritones, I can't see any reason for owning a Selmer.
The Conns are simply better on every point that makes a difference to me.
The question I suppose is, if this correlates in any way to the former's
having a Bb bell and the latter going down to A. I'd be tempted to think so,
but realize that this would be exactly the kind of subjective musician's
judgement that we've all spent so much time debunking.

If there is any interest in allowing the saxophone gab to bud off into
its own list, I can set one up. Otherwise, I think that the clarinet
discussion is often enhanced by our excursions into other aspects of
reedery. ???