Klarinet Archive - Posting 000176.txt from 1997/12

From: "J. Shouryu Nohe" <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: More on tone quality
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 12:40:30 -0500

Again, my opinion.

Now, as for knowing how instruments sounded back in the classical days.
Hm. I imagine that oftimes they didn't sound great. But I know they
could sound like the rich tone usually sought after today. I have
listened to many recordings of the Hanover Band (I forget who was
directing), and if you don't know, the Hanover Band is actually a
symphonic orchestra that uses the same instruments of the time that were
called for in the piece. The strings are gut, not steel, and if they are
playing music from the classical era, then the clarinets they use are
either clarinets from that era, or very good replicas. (This goes for all
the instruments.) Even the conductor plays the basso continuo on
harscichord while conducting. Anyways, I've listened to them play, and
they sound quite beautiful. I might even go so far to add the the
clarinets that they were using were actually a little darker in tone than
what we hear today. That's one way of looking at it, and trying to figure
out what they were looking for.

Gee, you know, I thought this was going to be a nice wonderful
discussion...didn't expect people to get bent out of shape and post stuff
on the verge of rudeness.

Shouryu

Coming soon! A whole new Dope-onna-rope! That's right! Shouryu is
changing EVERYTHING!!! A new signature with new and improved design! A
new web page with...>gasp<...USEFUL STUFF! Stay tuned in the winter when
Warm Up gets a whole new makeover!!! http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe
(This does not mean, however, that Shouryu has a girlfriend yet.)