Klarinet Archive - Posting 000439.txt from 1996/03

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.EDU>
Subj: Oehler system
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 15:20:13 -0500

'Just got back from a two-week romp through Germany and Austria. 'Had
some difficulty getting back on the list, but here I am! While in
Salzburg, I caught an outstanding performance by the Mozarteum Orchestra
Salzburg, conducted by James Judd (British conductor). Naturally, I paid
some attention to the clarinet section and noticed all the usual things
about European players (i.e.; "dark" tone quality, no edge in the sound
whatsoever, shorter barrels, subtler dynamic range compared to American
couterparts). A couple of things came to mind while I made my observations.

First of all, the three section players in this orchestra all used metal
ligatures, which debunked my notion that "everybody" used material or
string ligatures over there. About the clarinet section, but also
throughout the whole woodwinds section, I was terribly interested to
notice that the *principal* players often picked up an auxiliary instrument
and performed. There were several moments where the principal
clarinetist was playing Eb while the second chair was still on Bb. The
principal flute played picc sometimes while his partener was still on
regular flute! I think principal oboe even played english horn once!
This seemed terribly interesting to me, given the seeming lack of such
instances, normally, in American orchestras. But being a bass
clarinetist as well as a soprano player, what stayed in my mind most
after the concert was about the bass clarinetist. I'm almost dead
certain he was on a Buffet Prestige low-C, which is neither here nor
there. But a simple question came to mind, which perhaps you
international players can answer. I didn't really need to go to Europe
and watch an orchestra there to think of it, but it came to mind as I
watched:

Since European orchestral clarinetists typically use Oehler system soprano
instruments, do they also use Oehler system *bass* clarinets?? I was
terribly curious to go back stage and take a look at his bass clarinet
and see if it was, in actuality, a big shiny Wurlitzer instrument! I
could tell the soprano players were on Oehler system equipment, but it
wasn't quite as clear with the bass. What's the scoop?

Neil Leupold