Klarinet Archive - Posting 000875.txt from 1997/05

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: A clarinet
Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 11:32:57 -0400

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.59
> Subj: RE: A clarinet

> Gary Young wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> >Here's a further point. I'm not sure what to make of it. In Fundamentals
> >of Musical Acoustics, at p. 488, Arthur Benade writes: "Figure 22.9 shows
> >the variation of cutoff frequency across the low register scales of several
> >clarinets. For reference purposes, the curves for both A and B flat
> >Boehm-system clarinets are drawn with heavy lines. One can clearly see the
> >close correlation between the darker tone color and lowered f [with
> >subscript c] of the A clarinet relative to its B flat brother." [Figure
> >22.9 is at p. 489. The rest of this passage is well worth reading.]
> > Benade thinks there is a sonic difference between A and B flat cls., that
> >this sonic difference correlates with (= is explained by or is identical
> >to?) differences in cutoff frequency, and that when we say that one cl. has
> >a "darker" sound than another, we are responding to this difference in
> >cutoff frequency. If so, then this suggests there is an objective basis
> >for the use of the term "dark" to describe clarinet sounds, and that Dan's
> >impressive array of evidence to the contrary, taken from this very listserv
> >(see his article on sneezy), must have some other explanation. (But what
> >other explanation could there be than Dan's?) (Maybe someone versed in
> >physics, like Jonathan Cohler, could shed some light on this.) (I hope I'm
> >not covering old ground in this paragraph -- I must admit I didn't take
> >time to check the archives for earlier discussions of this point.)
>
> Gary,
>
> I have, indeed, posted many messages on this subject in the past. By the
> way, it is not a matter of whether Mr. Benade "thinks" as you said above.
> All of the work you refer to above by him was extensively experimentally
> verified.
>
> There is no question that higher cutoff frequency = "brighter" and lower
> cutoff frequency @-----.
>
> That does not, however, define what a "nice dark sound" is.
>
> Also, in this regard (as I have posted in the past), most of the C
> clarinets from around Beethoven's time were actually *darker* (lower
> cutoff) than today's modern Bb clarinets (as is also shown in Benade's
> diagram that you mention above). Therefore, if the argument is that the
> composer is going for tone character when he chooses a particular clarinet,
> it would actually be closer to the composers wishes to use a modern A
> clarinet to play Beethoven period C clarinet parts.

This is particularly difficult to understand. The C clarinet of
Beethoven's era as contrasted with the C clarinet made today has little
architectural difference. True, the media may be different (boxwood
vs. blackwood), and mouthpiece and reed characteristics undoubtedly
differ to a great extent. Even the key quantity and placement is,
of course, different. But I wish to offer the notion that none of these
things have a significant effect on the character of the sound, a
phenomenon based mostly on the length of the tube and the
cylindrical nature of the bore. If what I suggest is true, then I
challenge your assertion that "most of the C clarinets from around
Beethoven's time were actually *darker* (lower cutoff) than
today's modern B-flat clarinets. That is an easy statement to make.
Where is the data to establish this? What information exists on
cutoff frequencies of C clarinets from Beethoven's era?SjQrsc,W

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>
> How about them apples?!
>
> ------------------
> Jonathan Cohler
> cohler@-----.net
>
>