Klarinet Archive - Posting 000092.txt from 1994/04

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Karen Noel-Bentley's request about bass clarinets
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 1994 22:11:58 -0400

Let me precede my comments with the fact that I met Karen in Reno
and heard her play. She had come down from Canada along with the
wind ensemble of which she is a member, and I made a special point
to sit through her concert. She played beautifully!!

Karen, I am afraid that I am not in agreement with the advice that
you were given about the strong and weak elements of the Yamaha
and Selmer bass clarinets. I find nothing of the sort in either
instrument that was asserted by whoever told you what s/he told you.
There is nothing inherent in a Yamaha b.c. to prevent it from projecting
very effectively. Nor are the Selmer problems alluded to extant.
I can't figure out where people make up these fairy stories. They are
folk legend raised to the level of technical truths.

And it brings us back to a discussion of months and months ago. That
is to say, that the character of the sound of the instrument is more
dependent on you and your playing body cavities than it is on the
nature of the things that the manufacturer did in making the instrument.
I am not going to rake up that discussion now because we beat it to
death but there was something there that needed to be learned. It was
this:

The sound of a clarinet is only modestly dependent on the medium in
which the instrument is made and hardly dependent at all on what
the manufacturer has done in making it. The sound is, to a vast degree
dependent on the player, for once the air leaves the mouth, the character
of sound is fundamentally formed.

I think you ought to try some bass clarinets and decide for yourself
what you think is acceptable instead of assuming that the prejudices
that you cited have any validity.

Now none of the above remarks have to do with tuning and/or
intonation, just character of sound, which is what I think you were
talking about in your note.

It so happens that I have two Selmer b.c., one in B-flat down to low
C, and the other in A down to low E-flat. I have also owned a
wonderful LeBlanc that I replaced with my Selmer when I wanted the
low C extension, and I tried and almost bought a low C Yamaha. I
also have played on a low C Buffet. Every single instrument was
magnificent. They all carried to the back of the hall, they were all
in good tune, and the Yamaha had some rollers on their low notes that
made technique down there very pleasant.

Good luck with your search. Don't by a brand. But an instrument that
you will love. Ignore everone's opinion but your own. Having heard
you play, I would respect that opinion, if I were you.

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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