Klarinet Archive - Posting 000188.txt from 1994/10

From: "Dr. Ronald P. Monsen" <RPMONS00@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Stadler's clarinet: basset's shape
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 1994 08:48:59 -0400

When I was a pupil of Alan Hacker his set of basset clarinets (yes he had
a Bb as well) were extended Boehm system Albert (Belgian) instruments.
The basset extension was added by the late Ted Planas. The original idea
for this work grow out of Ted's work with bass clarinets and clarinetists
in England in which he made a removable low c extension. The "removable"
bit did not apply to the two basset clarinets he made for Alan. Peter
Maxwell Davies wrote HYMNOS for Alan who recorded it. It is for Bb basset
clarinet--Boosey & Hawkes (I think) published it. Rather a forward looking
thing to do for a piece for Bb basset clarinet.

Alan began his work with these instruments in the late 1960's. I was his
pupil in 1971 and 1972 at the RAM in London. I believe Alan had the first
set of contemporary basset clarinets in the Boehm system. The name of the
(Hungarian?) player who wrote about the reconstructed Mozart concerto for
the basset instrument had an A clarinet in the German system. I do have
rather extensive notes on all of this somewhere. It was really exciting
to be around while all of this was going on. Alan did an edition of the
Mozart concerto with the "basset" notes for Universal (?) during this
time period. Brian Ackerman (a maker of some repute) was also a pupil

in the clarinet class at the RAM during this time period.

Have been away from the studio for about a week recitalizing. Have much to
catch up on. More later. Hello to all.

Ron Monsen