Klarinet Archive - Posting 000417.txt from 1996/09

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Scott's question on Neidich's instruments
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 17:28:11 -0400

Charlie Neidich plays mostly on contemporary Boehm system clarinets.
He is, for example, the clarinetist with the NY wind quintet and, as
such, he is obliged to use a contemporary instrument.

He also plays original instrument clarinet and basset horn and he has
had contemporary copies of antique instruments made for him and on which
he has had to learn how to play such horns. It involves more than just
fingerings, of course, but it is not disakin to switching from clarinet
to bassoon; i.e., your mind handles the shift at once.

The instruments you saw were both made out of either boxwood or
of maple. Anyone may have such instruments made for them and several
excellent clarinetists have studied woodworking to enable them to make
their own clarinets.

I have often said on this list that a very good way for a player to get
his name in the right places is to own and learn how to play an original
instrument very well. It is getting more and more popular. I lost out
on a 60 city world tour once because I did not play original instrument
basset horn, only contemporary basset horn and that was not wanted.

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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