Klarinet Archive - Posting 000722.txt from 1999/01

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Ridenour's ratings
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 14:14:38 -0500

On Sat, 16 Jan 1999, 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. Larry Combs told me
> the Opus he had made his old Buffet "feel like an unfinished instrument".
> Further, to think that someone with Ricardo's skill and command of the
> instrument would be stupid enough to play something inferior on such an
> important occasion doesn't stack up with reason; he played it because he
> thought it was the best; he even had to buy his first Opus clarinets.
> I don't accept this old rationalization, "Oh, well, he could have won on
> anything."

No offense Tom, but my post was really only to point out that, while you
have some good reasons for believing that the Buffet is inferior and the
the Leblanc is better (for the reasons you have described), there are
other aspects about the Buffet that people other than Morales and Combs
like better than the Leblanc. Wonderful players still play on Buffet
clarinets - some play easily as well as Combs (of whom I have the highest
regard BTW). Larry told me that he loves his Opus A but is still looking
for a Bb that plays as well........I guess there are things about every
instrument that require adjustment.

Because you believe it is inferior....for the reasons you have
stated.....doesn't necessarily make it inferior, nor does it convince me
that mine is inferior, that David Shifrin's is inferior, that Yoshinori
Nakao's is inferior, that ......etc. etc. etc.

> It may be true he could win on a variety of instrument, but he didn't; he
> won on a Leblanc and it was his free, unfettered choice to do so.
> But why do people bring up such a statement? What is the psychology behind it?
> When a Buffet players hears someone wins with a Buffet do they say ..."
> Oh, he could have won on anything". Or course not. He just silently
> reflects, "This is a confirmation that I am playing the best instrument."

Well, I brought it up because you did Tom. Your implication was that he
won because of the Leblanc. I just wanted to be clear on what you were
saying. People have won on Buffets too.....even though you feel they are
inferior (which is fine) - I'm just trying to present the position that
you are not providing.

> Saying it about a Leblanc player is just a rationalization to excuse them
> from not thinking seriously about their art and hanging with the status quo
> as if its' the unimpeachable sine qua non. They try to confirm this
> notion and fend off any insecurity by saying such non-sense. They are self
> deluded.

Um......you really are overreacting I think Tom. I was, in a very nice
way, pointing out that some people could win on a Vito clarinet - and I
personally believe that to be true. I'm not trying to convince you of
that - your convictions are valuable because they are your's! I simply
wanted to present other convictions. Actually, I meant it as a compliment
to Morales and Yeh - and John sounds fantastic on his Yamaha!

> Such a statement is just like the one is Francois' note when he gives the
> "argument from the majority".
> Examine it and you see it holds no water. It does not mean what one want
> you to think it means.

My apologies for disagreeing with this. I believe it does "hold water."
Even though we didn't say even the same thing - and you feel we did,
you have missed the essence of the point of what both he and I have been
trying to say - that there are good reasons why the majority still use
Buffet - there is a reason why I didn't switch when the Opus came out and
I was buying a new set, there are lots, and lots of reasons. You don't
have to endorse them or even believe in them if you don't want to!
But.....there are as many good reasons for not playing Leblancs as there
are for not playing Buffets as there are for not playing Selmers. This is
the reason we have many to choose from. Some people like Chevrolets, some
people like Buicks......it really is up to the individual. The Leblanc is
a wonderful instrument - but because it improves on one or two things that
were pet peeves for the Buffet R-13, that doesn't mean it is perfect.

> The fact that so many Buffet players have won auditions and hold positions
> is only logical due to the simple fact that so many have been brought up in
> that tradition; most players play them. But that is breaking down; there
> are many many fine players playing other instruments to their delight and
> relief.

No one would argue the last statement.....except that everyone would have
some kind of relief because they switch. There is always a trade-off.
But David Shifrin recorded frequently with his Selmer - and he came from a
pretty traditional set of teachers (that is, if you believe Marcellus and
Gigliotti are traditional). Leblanc has been around a long time - isn't
that also a "tradition"?

> So please, let's get away from the subjective and look at instruments for
> their objective attributes. The "sheep" argument is equivalent to the
> "lemming" argument.

Clarinets ARE subjective Tom. I have argued this before. Music is
subjective - reeds and mouthpieces are subjective. To expect us, as
professionals, to not be subjective in some ways when choosing the tool we
want to play on is not only contradictory to what we do, it is
unrealistic. I have my own, subjective beliefs that allow me to teach and
perform successfully using those beliefs as the center of my success.
Without such convictions, we would not be successful.

We could sit around and argue why the New York Phil. recording of Mahler 5
with Bernstein is objectively better and more true to the score than the
Vienna Phil. with the same conductor 20 years later....but it all boils
down to subjectivity..........music is subjective to each person. While I
understand your statement about being objective when selecting an
instrument, to eliminate Buffet based on your objectivity and then asking
others to do the same makes them less objective! Hmmmm.......

I like your post that describes your findings and beliefs about the
instrument. You need to be secure in those beliefs.....it sounds like you
are. There isn't any reason to attack others, call them "sheep" or impy
mindless following of the masses just because they don't endorse the Opus
in the same way you do! It's a clarinet! It's not a religion!

I don't expect people to purchase Buffets, but I still recommend them. I
have a student with a Selmer 10S - I like the way the horn plays, so I am
not making recommendations that she switch.

> Let's do what's right and best, not what evey body does. Let's use our
> minds to really think and understand, our ears to really hear and stop
> caving into the "argument from the masses".

Again......no offense meant when I say that......the idea that we are
arguing as a mass.......or a group of people who, you imply, are simply
mindless souls who don't think or have the ability to think objectively,
subjectively, logicaly, etc. in the same way that you do doesn't mean it
is so. I LIKE my Buffet instruments - MUCH better than the Opus clarinets
I have tried, much better than the Rossi instruments I have tried, much
better than the Yamaha instruments I have tried, etc....... I hope my
personal like for my Buffet doesn't, in your eyes, make me lesser of a
human being? That was not meant with sarcasm......I was honestly stating
the way your semi-angry response comes across. But.....I believe that by
trying the instruments and asking others what they think of my playing
when I am playing the instrument says plenty for objectivity. I continue
to try them.....and recognize strengths and weaknesses. Period.

Now.....I've said what I think - I don't think I can improve on my
position - if there is more to be said and you feel compelled to do so,
please do. Folks who read the list don't need to hear my position any
longer on this one - but they may be interested in your's and others?
Please believe me when I say that I really enjoy your posts! I have no
argument with the first post you made - Francois made all necessary
arguements regarding any possible historical inaccuracies you might have
made. The rest is for the list members themselves to decide.

Roger Garrett
Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director - Concert Band, Symphonic Winds & Titan Band
Advisor - Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University

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