Klarinet Archive - Posting 000284.txt from 1995/10

From: Laurence Liberson <hardreed@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Voyager
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 11:23:25 -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
>

Yep, and regardless of one's personal feelings concerning his playing, he
probably did more for the popularity of the clarinet in those few seconds
than has all the quality recordings, etc. made over the last ten years!

Oh well...popular culture and all that!

Larry Liberson
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
hardreed@-----.com