Klarinet Archive - Posting 000030.txt from 1994/07

From: Clark W Fobes <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: metal clarinets
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 01:17:57 -0400

On Fri, 1 Jul 1994, David Lechner wrote:

> I have been thoroughly enjoying your collective, fascinating discussion for
> a couple of weeks now, though I am really a rank amateur clarinetist and
> badly out of practice. I'm going to risk further revealing my ignorance
> and add this to the discussion of metal clarinets. When I was an under-
> graduate at Yale University in the early 1970's, I was a member of the concert
> band, playing a metal B flat contrabass clarinet. As one might imagine, it
> resembled nothing so much as an old radiator, but played easier and sounded
> better (subjective judgment, I realize) than the wooden E flat contrabass
> which the university also owned. Unfortunately, I have no idea of the maker,
> though I would guess the date of manufacture as roughly 1930-1940. But for
> all I know, it may the case that most or all B flat contrabass clarinets were
> made of metal. I've never seen another horn like it, though.
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> --David Lechner LECHNER@-----.us
> or dlechner@-----.com
>
David,
Your lack of practice has absolutely no bearing on our discussions!
Any interesting information I am certain is welcome by all.

You most likely were playing a Leblanc Contra Bass in Bb. They
are made in both a version with 2 loops that looks like a plumbing
fixture or a "straight" version that has to be played while sitting on a
stool. I think these contras are wonderful. Adjustments can be
problematic, but they they are quite facile when correctly regulated.

Clark W Fobes