Klarinet Archive - Posting 000366.txt from 1996/02

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Anatomy of a woodwind player :-)
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 16:12:27 -0500

I read the two double reed lists and the lists for flute, clarinet and
saxophone players. (Yes, I'm sure I spend too much time on the
internet!) As you might imagine, one thing which often comes up in
discussion in these forums is the formation of the lips and facial
muscles in playing the woodwind instruments. I have come to the
conclusion that the word which describes this formation must be one of
the most misspelled words in our language - or any other language!

I have been collecting the various spellings of this word which I have
seen on the internet, and here are a few of the recent ones:

Embrochur
Ambochire
Embashure
Armbature

Yes, I promise, I have actually seen all of these, and some even more
bizarre.

Just for the sake of information, and to satisfy the idiosyncrasies of
a curmudgeonly old former English minor, here is the correct spelling
of the word:

Embouchure

It's from the French "bouche" (mouth).

Tanks. I luk forwerd to reeding you're massages in the futur. ;-)

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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