Klarinet Archive - Posting 000449.txt from 1996/03

From: Donald Yungkurth <DYungkurth@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: The Clarinet, volume 1
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 23:45:20 -0500

Greg Baker asks:

>A few years ago a teacher of mine pulled out an old LP of >Georges Meister's
"Erwinn" fantasia. I found out that it >was part of a set of albums (four, I
believe), >demonstrating a line of Selmer clarinets, new at the time. >Can
anyone tell me how rare this album is? If it helps, the >back side to Erwinn
was the Messager "Solo de Concours."

Fred (fsheim@-----.com) also asked if anyone had more information on this
series.

I can't say much about the rarity, but I can add a bit of knowledge about the
series because of two LPs I found in a bargain bin about 1957.

1. A 10" London, LS 1096, demonstrating Selmer. Side 1 is Volume 1 of the
Flute, with Fernand Marseau playing the Genin "Carnaval de Venise". Side 2
has the Sextour de Clarinettes de Paris playing "Mouvement perpetual" by
Ries, "Trepak" and "Danse des Mirlitons" by Tchaikovsky and "Printemps" by
Durand. Curiously, the clarinet side is called Vol. 4 on the front and Vol.
2 on the back of the jacket.

2. A 12" London, LL 1434, The Saxophone, Vol 5, with Quatuor de Saxophones
Marcel Mule playing "Trois pieces" by Domenico Scaratti, "Scherzo" from the
String Quartet No. 1 by Schumann, "Andante" from String Quartet No. 1 by
Tchaikovsky, "Sevilla" by Albeniz, "Quatuor" by Glazunov and "Prelude et
Choral Varie" by Borsari.

These are all marvelous performances. The clarinet sextet has a full sound
unlike most French clarinet playing I heard from that era. The Flute
recording one of the finest bits of restrained virtuosity I've ever heard.
I don't think even Dan L would walk out on this! The Saxophone quartet is
also marvelous, again with a full sound. I've played some of the string
quartet transcriptions for friends and they couldn't believe that they were
hearing four saxes.

I know there were also brass recording in the series but have never heard
them.

Don Yungkurth (DYungkurth@-----.com)