Klarinet Archive - Posting 000792.txt from 1998/04

From: "Justin Wood" <olio555@-----.com>
Subj: Re: The Infinite vs. Buffet R-13 & E-12
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 19:27:11 -0400

Who is your friend and could you privately email me any more information
about this? Anybody out there that knows some more about the clarinet and
the person he gave it to, music teacher, etc.

I just happen to live in Warren, PA...assuming it to be the same one. It is
a little town on the Allegheny River near the NY, PA border, about an 1 to 1
and half hours from Erie. I just was curious about this.

Thanks,
Justin Wood

email: olio555@-----.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Kissinger <kissingerjn@-----.EDU>
Date: Monday, April 13, 1998 6:31 PM
Subject: Re: The Infinite vs. Buffet R-13 & E-12

>I believe Benny Goodman, at least once he had achieved fame, mostly used
>Selmer clarinets. As I understand it, he was hard on clarinets and
>Selmer used to give him a half-dozen new ones each year. He, in turn,
>frequently gifted friends or people who had done him a favor with the
>ones he didn't like or had worn out. When I was in college back in the
>mid-60's, I knew a guy who had one of these instruments. Goodman had
>given it to his music teacher in Warren, Pa. for some reason and the
>teacher sold it to my friend for $125. I tried it one time (so Jason, I
>guess I got to play one of "the" [many] clarinets). I could not believe
>the backpressure compared to my R13. I could hardly get it to play.
>
>To this day, I'm amazed my friend could play it at all. He really
>wasn't very good. He used to tape keys down so that he could only play
>scales in C, F and G. He figured the odds he'd hit some other sharp or
>flat by mistake were greater than the odds he'd need the note! True
>story.
>
>Best regards,
>Jack Kissinger
>St. Louis