Klarinet Archive - Posting 000717.txt from 1999/01

From: "Jim O'Briant" <jobriant@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Ridenour's ratings
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 14:14:33 -0500

TOM RIDENOUR wrote:

> What I am saying, Roger, is that Ricardo's winning with the Leblanc proves
> that the instrument is no handicap; that is was an equal and viable
> instrument, and many, many very fine players agree....

An anecdote from 40 years ago: I knew a fellow who was a fine, fine clarinetist
(Masters in Performance from Michigan) who was a devoted player of his Buffet.
But he married the daughter of a music store owner, and went to that city to work
for his father-in-law -- who was the local Leblanc dealer -- and where he also
played principal clarinet in the local professional (pay-per-service) orchestra.

His father-in-law tried to convince him that he needed to demonstrate that the
Leblanc was a worthy clarinet by playing a Leblanc in stead, but my friend said
that he HATED Leblanc clarinets. So he and the father-in-law made an agreement.

My friend would go to the Leblanc factory in Wisconsin and select any Leblanc
clarinet he wanted, and the store would buy it. Then my friend was to play the
Leblanc exclusively for one month. After that, he could play whatever instrument
he wanted.

My friend went to Kenosha, selected what was to him the "least offensive" Leblanc
he could find, brought it home, played it regularly, and hated it, at least at
first. He couldn't wait for the month to pass, and when the month had gone by, he
immediately got his Buffet out and started playing it.

He played the Buffet for 30 minutes, put it back in its case, and it hasn't been
out of that case for 40 years. But my friend did go back to Kenosha shortly
thereafter and select a Leblanc A Clarinet to match his Bb.

Don't know whether this proves anything except that one Buffet devotee came to the
conclusion that he liked the Leblanc better, but it is a true story.Jim
O'BriantBayside Music Press
Gilroy, CA USA

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