Klarinet Archive - Posting 000282.txt from 1995/05

From: Lindsey Glen <lindsey.glen@-----.UK>
Subj: Re: one piece clarinets
Date: Mon, 8 May 1995 08:19:32 -0400

Dear Helen,

I suspect that this is the dreaded Lyon's C clarinet. A few years ago
this company decided to make a starter instrument for kids to replace the=
=20
recorder. At =A350 a time for a machine-made bit of plastic I can see why! =
=20
This `clarinet' is smaller and lighter therefore easier for little hands=20
and arms to manage. It also sounds awful and encourages bad habits; 1)=20
what merit is there of starting kids young when they don't have the teeth=
=20
or the diaphram control and 2) the idea was that it would be taught in=20
the classroom in huge groups like the recorder and xylophone used to be.

Thankfully it doesn't seem to have caught on.

Lindsey Glen=20

On Mon, 8 May 1995, Helen Emerson wrote:

> On 6/5 Fred Cicetti wrote
> =20
> , I
> >think it's time that someone came out with a true one-piece
> >clarinet made of a maintenance-free synthetic. By this I mean an
> >instrument composed of mouthpiece, reed, ligature, barrel, two joints an=
d
> >a bell all in one piece. Of course, this would be a disposable.
> =20
> =20
> This reminds me of something I saw on the English TV show "Barrymore" (a=
=3D
> sort of variety/comedy/family show, where each week the host invites a=
=3D
> number of guests along to perform etc.....) Quite a while ago, Barrymore=
=3D
> had a 5 year old boy on playing a 'clarinet' - well, it was an adapted=
=3D
> clarinet. It looked smaller, and looked like it was in one (maybe 2?)=3D
> pieces - from memory, the mouthpiece, barrel and first joint were in one=
=3D
> piece....The instrument was narrower, the keys were all plastic (I think=
) -=3D
> obviously the weight and tone hole span were reduced for a child of this=
=3D
> age to manage playing it! The boy has been on the show again (a couple o=
f=3D
> weeks ago in NZ!) - and apparently still plays with his cheeks puffed ou=
t!!=3D
> !
> =20
> Perhaps someone has seen this boy and his clarinet more recently than I=
=3D
> have, and can tell us something further about it! I would be interested =
to=3D
> hear about his clarinet - if there is something like this widely availa=
ble=3D
> for young children to start on.... etc
> =20
> =20
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> * Helen Emerson *
> * Department of Music *
> * University of Otago *
> * New Zealand *
> * helen.emerson@-----.nz *
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>=20

   
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