Klarinet Archive - Posting 000135.txt from 1994/10

From: Timothy Tikker <tjt@-----.ORG>
Subj: Re: Which chalumeau to acquire? (fwd)
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 1994 13:09:55 -0400

This appeared on the Early Music network - I figured some clarinettists
would be interested - Tim Tikker

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 1994 08:13:26 EDT
From: Cindi Roden <RODEN@-----.BITNET>
To: Multiple recipients of list EARLYM-L <EARLYM-L@-----.BITNET>
Subject: Re: Which chalumeau to acquire?

Mats Andersson said:
>I am seriously considering acquisition of a chalumeau but the choice
>of size is troublesome.....I gather I will use it as an alternative to
>a recorder and hence the alto or tenor would suggest themselves....

Wow! I don't recall anybody mentioning chalumeaux here before. I have
always kind of wanted one but never did anything about it, because I was
very unsure what I would do with it. My understanding is that they came
on the scene much later than recorders - somebody please correct me if
I am wrong - so I have presumed they would not mix well with recorders
and might not be welcomed in a group of recorder players. Several years
ago, I tried a chalumeau made by Steve Silverstein, and it was very nice.
His contention was that they were played with the reed against the UPPER
lip rather than the lower lip. Can anybody confirm that?

Mats, who is the maker of the instruments you are considering? Obviously
I don't have any information for you, but am interested in the subject.
If anyone can provide information about how they were used, what instru-
ments they were played with and who composed for the chalumeau/what the
repertoire was, I'd love to know about it. Are there any professional
chalumeaux players out there? Any recordings? Any good books on the
origin of the chalumeau, and/or its evolution into the clarinet?

Thank you, Mats, for raising this subject for discussion.

Cindi Roden