Klarinet Archive - Posting 000216.txt from 1994/12

From: "David B. Niethamer" <NIETHAMER@-----.BITNET>
Subj:
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 1994 23:10:23 -0500

On Monday, December 5, 1994, I recorded the Concerto for Clarinet and
String Orchestra (1990) by Allan Blank with the Silesian Philharmonic
Orchestra in Katowice, Poland, with Jerzy Swoboda conducting. The CD will
be released on the Master Musicians Cooperative label in early 1996, and
will be distributed by Albany records.

The Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra is one of Poland's major orchestras,
and one of two in the city of Katowice (pop. 380,000). Jerzy Swoboda has
been its Artistic Director since 1990. Among his predecessors are Stanislaw
Skrowaczewski (1949-53) and Karol Stryja (1953-90).

The SPO performs in Philharmonic Hall, a long rectangular auditorium dating
from the turn of the century, which seats about 600. The winds, brass, and
percussion play on built up risers behind the original proscenium, with the
strings playing on a stage extending into the auditorium proper. The
orchestral sound in the hall is warm and well balanced. The woodwinds play
on French style instruments, with the exception of the bassoons, who play
on Puchners. The bassoons use shoulder harnesses and neck straps for
instrumental support. The Principal oboe, Adam Szlezak, plays a Buffet oboe,
and his colleagues in the section play French style Puchners. The principal
flutist plays a Mateki, with a handmade gold head from a Viennese maker.

The Clarinetists of the SPO are listed below, along with their instruments,
mouthpieces, and reeds of choice. All four of the clarinetists were born in
the area of Katowice, and studied with Professor Pavel Roczek of the Polish
Radio & Television Orchestra, Katowice. Unfortunately, I heard only the
Principal and the Bass players, as the others were "on tour to Germany".The
substitutes maintained the same high level of the regular members of the
orchestra.

Principal - Tadeusz Reimer - Buffet Prestige, Vandoren B45Lyre, Vandoren
V12 reeds, strength 3-3.5

Czestow Kasperek - Buffet Prestige, Vandoren B45Lyre, Vandoren V12 (3-3.5)

Krysztof Zbijowski - Buffet Elite, Bay Mouthpiece, Vandoren V12 (3-3.5)

Bass Clarinet, Eb - Marian Tobov - Buffet Prestige, Vandoren B45Lyre,
Vandoren V12 (3-3.5)

These players all exhibited a warm, flexible sound appropriate to the
recording repertoire which I heard. Their woodwind section would match most
any US orchestra for quality of sound, intonation, and blend.