Klarinet Archive - Posting 000920.txt from 1999/01

From: TOM RIDENOUR <klarinet@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Rudeness and humility
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 00:29:51 -0500

>Dear List:
>
>I think that stereotype about Frenchmen being rude must be true, judging by
>Monsieur Kloc's last response to Tom Ridenour! :P

Elise,
I refused to read Francois' reply, because I could see it from its' title
it was more personal stuff.
This has not been my intention. I have made concrete statements, and if
anyone wishes to refute them or feels they need to be qualified, I am happy
to consider and learn from that. But insulting and pejorative comments
towards my person because someone doesn't like what I say about an
instrument is of no interest to me.
As far as rudeness goes, Francois is not a rude person at all, but a man
dedicated to his work.
As for Frenchmen, I was always treated very kindly in France, certainly no
worse than here in America in some areas, and Jean Cany, the plant manager
at Leblanc, is the nicest and kindest man I think I have ever worked with.
I need to apologize to Francois.
I just want to discuss clarinets, share and learn about them. I have not
said once that the Leblanc clarinets were perfect clarinets or beyond
criticism; they are not. But because of the situation I am in with
Leblanc at the moment I don't think I should say anything more about them
at all; I only wrote about them because some one on the list specifically
asked.

What I have hoped to do here is make muddy water clearer by posting the
information on Subjective and Objective. Some took up the guantlet and
started mentioning models of clarinets, as if I was defending Leblanc and
attacking Buffet.
But that is not only a leap, but an erroneous one.
The document was both philosophical and speculative and was not offered for
debate, but for the consideration of others, in the hope that someone might
profit from it.
Previously, my review of the various aspects of the R-13 was there in
response to a young lady who was thinking about buying an R-13 and was told
that she could test them and select them.
In that post I tried to share with her the faults and weakness commonly
found in the model to help her decide; I wanted to give her something to
look for, and wanted to encourage her to learn something about testing
clarinets and getting solid information with those tests, so she could have
a better chance of picking the best instrument.
These weaknesses in R-13 design are so commonly known that I thought
nothing of it; I have written about them repeatedly over the years, and so
have others.
At no point did I say the R-13 was a horrible clarinet or that she should
not buy one; I didn't even mention any other brands; just that she should
be cautious and have a method of getting clear, objective information in
her testing, and recommended she read my article on How to Select a New
Clarinet; which also mentions no clarinet brand whatsoever.
I am sorry that some did not like the information I shared. If it was
inaccurate in whole or in part then take issue with those things
specifically; but implying that I am attacking a person, or some one
responding by saying "they like the R-13 much better than this or that
clarinet" is not really an answer or an appropriate response to the things
I said.
I hasten to point out that no one took issue with me point for point on the
things I said, and several commented that they agreed with the post and
appreciated it.
Those who did not like it went straight to personal issues and
misrepresented what I said and what I said implied. My explanations, meant
to clarify, seemed to only make things worse, so that at this point, I am
willing to let it drop.
If someone wants to discuss the specifics of clarinets in an objective
fashion I am happy to do that, but I don't care to discuss ME, or them, or
any personal aspect. To me the clarinet is an intellectual matter, not an
emotional personal one.
I admit my style is direct, but I don't mean any offense, I assure you. And
I certainly hope some one is helped by the information I share.
tom

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