Klarinet Archive - Posting 000233.txt from 1995/10

From: Claudia Zornow <claudia@-----.COM>
Subj: Voyager
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 12:28:15 -0400

Did anyone else catch the Star Trek: Voyager episode last
night? The first act opened with Ensign Harry Kim practicing
the clarinet in his quarters. (It had been established in
prior episodes that he had played clarinet in the "Juilliard
Youth Symphony.")

So he was playing the opening of the Mozart Concerto. What
pleased me the most was that the fingerings were right and
in time with the music, and his embouchure looked believable.
I couldn't tell whether the music itself was dubbed (his tone
was all right but not studio quality), but if dubbed it was
done very well. I suspect that Garrett Wang (the actor) actually
does play clarinet to some degree.

Harry explained to his friend that he had saved his "replicator
rations" and replicated a clarinet, since he hadn't brought
his along on the voyage. What he replicated was a 20th-century
looking clarinet (I couldn't tell what make) with an Accubore
barrel! Maybe the production staff thought the barrel looked
futuristic.

The rest of the episode was more or less execrable, but I
was thrilled to see the clarinet treated with respect. If
anyone remembers how badly Data faked playing the violin
for years on Star Trek: The Next Generation, you'll understand.

Claudia