Klarinet Archive - Posting 000078.txt from 1997/09

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: My low Eb Boehm
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 13:08:08 -0400

My low Eb Boehm

My first clarinet was a simple Albert system. I really wanted to play
saxophone because I loved the sound of it, listening to a lot of dance
music.
When I entered high school, I asked for a saxophone (our high school was
the only school in the country that had a band of sorts. This was in
pre-Israel Palestine).
The teacher said "We don't have saxophones but if you learn to play the
clarinet, you will eventually be able to play saxophone also."

I never did get to play the saxophone.

So I got a simple system clarinet (in the band I actually played the
tuba)
I bought a Boosey and Hawkes tutor. By comparing the chart of the simple
system to the Boehm
I could see that what I needed was the Boehm.

When my father went for a visit to Canada I asked him to bring me back a
Boehm system clarinet.
I even copied the drawing from the tutor, so my father would have a
guideline.
He came back through Paris where he bought a clarinet.
Although my father brought gifts for everyone, the whole family was
excited about the clarinet I got.
It was so shiny. I didn't know that it was a full Bb Boehm with a low
Eb. Robert Siour,Paris.

Being always very inquisitive, within a half an hour, I had the clarinet
apart.

I had a heck of a time putting it back together, especially around the
F#-G# trill part.
My first teacher couldn't show me any Boehm fingerings. He played the
simple system himself.

I was lucky to have the Bb with the low Eb since I didn't have an "A".

Having low Eb came in handy when I played in the Opera and the army
orchestra.
I learned how to transpose and devised a system of doing it.

Taking care of the clarinet was done in the crudest way. I saw what my
first teacher did.
Heat the pad cup over a candle. Using red sealing wax for the adhesive.
No skin pads. Just kid leather pads

When I read about all the complaints about this or that, I think back to
my early days when there was nothing, NOTHING.

I had this clarinet for about 10 years. When I came back to Canada I
decided to get new clarinets.
My younger brother came through Paris and brought me two sets.
A Buffet set and a Selmer set.

Imagine, they were $150 a set..