Klarinet Archive - Posting 000426.txt from 1997/11

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Blowout
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 12:40:52 -0500

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.24
> Subj: Re: Blowout

> About two years ago, we went through the "blowout" thread, and somewhere
> in the archives there is a message which seems to me to offer a logical
> explanation of the phenomenon. According to my recollection, someone was
> talking about chemical changes that take place in the wood over a long
> period of time. The process was referred to as "depolymerization." It
> was described as an unavoidable and inexhorable occurance.
>
> The person who wrote about this related an experiment that was made in the
> factory of one of the French manufacturers, possibly LeBlanc. It seems
> that they found a very old block of grenadilla, dating from perhaps 70 or
> 80 years ago, and tried to make a clarinet or an oboe from it. Normally,
> when the wood billots are worked on a lathe, what results is a long string
> of wood, much like might be expected from turning metal. However, in the
> case of this older wood, all that came from the wood was a very fine dust.
>
> Now, if this is true, those who believe that the material makes a lot of
> difference in the way the instrument plays will want to replace their
> older clarinets regularly. Those who contend that the material is a
> negligible factor will have to find out whether "depolymerization" also
> involves a change in the dimensions of the wood.
>
> Can anyone find that old message in the archives?
>
> Ed Lacy

In addition to this item (which I remember as being your contribution
to the discussion, though I could be wrong), there was also a
discussion of the work of Harold Bennett of NYC who had a theory
about how extended playing misalligned the molecules of the wood.
So he developed a technique called "homoginzation" that he suggested
served the purpose of mollecular reallignment.

Harold used a vibrator to oscillate the instrument and his views on
the matter were the subject of constant ridicule, except by those
who had it done to their instruments.

Since Bennett's death, the technique has failed to be used because
he never revealed anything about it.

The bottom line here is that Bennett suggested a physical change
in the instrument caused by vibration, this as distinct from a
chemical change as you noted.

> *****************************************************************
> Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
> Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
> Evansville, IN 47722
> el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
> *****************************************************************
>
>
=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================