Klarinet Archive - Posting 000096.txt from 1998/02

From: Matthew Hanson <mchanson@-----.com>
Subj: Re: More about my Leblanc (was "Noblet")
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 14:29:42 -0500

Actually, I was speaking of Leblanc basses, not Bb sopranos.
hope this helps,
Matt

> In response to the notes below about Leblanc/Noblet "stuffiness," my
> experience has been just the opposite. But my Leblanc is about 23 years
> old. My Leblanc L7 is a clarinet that has captured my imagination and my
> thoughts (as well as a hell of alot of my playing time) lately. This
> Leblanc has a very (look away, Dan!) "woody," very clear timbre, and is
> **extremely flexible**. I just can't say how very, very EASY it is to
> produce legato and pianissimo on this old instrument!!!!! The clarinet is
> so "easy" to play. I imagine Leblanc began to build more and more clarinets
> that were attempts at the R-13, with all the "darkness" and
> polycylindricality, etc. But in the Jimmy Carter era, Leblanc built a
> beautiful, smooth, FLEXIBLE, fascinating clarinet.
> Bill Fogle
> Washington, DC
> bill.fogle@-----.com
> ----------
> > From: Matthew Hanson <mchanson@-----.com>
>
> > I do, however, feel that Leblanc instruments can at times play a bit
> > stuffy. I have several Noblet clarinets in various keys and really like
> > them a lot, aside from their occasional stuffiness. I have heard many
> > people say while comparing Leblancs to Buffets that the Leblanc horns
> > are often a bit difficult to "get them to do what you want them to do"
> > in terms of playing flexibility. For others, they are just fine.
>