Klarinet Archive - Posting 000454.txt from 1997/09

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Pawn Shops
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 16:06:24 -0400

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.44
> Subj: Re: Pawn Shops

> On Tue, 9 Sep 1997 Al Chiavarini wrote (a.o.):
>
> > If you want the "baddest", clarinet you have to own a hand made clarinet
> > such as the Wurlitizer (he is now dead) and pay around five grand for it.
> > These clarinets were owned by the likes of Sabine Meyers and Karl
> > Liester.
> >
>
> I don't know in what sense you mean 'baddest'. The Wurlitzer (note the
> spelling) brand is seen by many professionals as the very BEST instrument
> available. The brand is still in business and clarinets can be ordered (only
> direct sell from the factory in Germany).
> Sabine Meyer and Karl Leister (note also these spellings) do still play on them.
> I think Dieter Klocker does, too. I know the clarinet section of the Royal
> Concertgebouw Orchestra does. In fact playing a Wurlitzer is (almost) an
> prerequisite for a job in the top orchestras in Germany and Holland.
>
> If you mean 'bad customer service' then you are right. Reclamations after
> payment are not covered ('Our clarinets don't crack') and you can not choose
> from several instruments: they make them on demand and only one is intended for you
> ('Take it or leave it'). They send them to you by means of a postal packet.

Luuk, an unfortunate English usage of the word "bad" has crept into
our language so that now, "bad" has, in certain ways, come to mean
"the best." It is generally applied to clothing; i.e., "that's a bad
suit you have" and the particular difficulty with it is that it requires
verbal inflection which makes its written use worthless.

The French do a similar thing through the use of the word "vachement"
which literally translates to "like a cow" but in contemporary French
means "very" as in "J'etais vachement fatigue" meaning, I'm
very tired.

So the implication in the note about the Wurlitzer was that it was the
very best clarinet (a matter that I do not necessarily support, I'm
only translating).

>
> Luuk van Buul
> 1st Clarinet Philips' Symphonic Band
>
> Ps. I play on a Leblanc Opus, myself. Our band has bought some Wurlitzers
> several years ago.
> --
> ================================================================================
> L.J.M. van Buul vanbuul@-----.com
> Philips Research Waalre Philips Optoelectronics
> Prof.Holstlaan 4
> 5656 AA Eindhoven Tel. +31 40 2744649
> The Netherlands Fax. +31 40 2744335
> ================================================================================
=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================