Klarinet Archive - Posting 000246.txt from 1999/04

From: Jack Kissinger <kissingerjn@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: [kl] The Mazzeo clarinet bell
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1999 13:10:22 -0400

Stan Elias wrote:

> Was the Mazzeo clarinet ever marketed commercially? If it has distinct advantages
> over the Boehm system, I'm curious as to why it wasn't more widely accepted..

Well, I'm not Dan (and would never presume to speak for him) but perhaps I can give
you a little info.

Selmer manufactured and sold Mazzeo clarinets, though I don't know in what quantities
or exactly when but I would guess 20-30 years ago. Plastic Bundy Mazzeo clarinets
turn up occasionally on eBay. They tend to go for $100 - $150. I have also seen a
wooden Signet Mazzeo clarinet (also on eBay). The company probably also made at
least a few professional models but I haven't seen any examples.

Why hasn't the Mazzeo system been more widely accepted? A flip answer might be "Why
aren't Apple computers more widely accepted in business?" Lack of exposure may be
part of it. Inertia might be, too. I also doubt that Selmer spent much in marketing
for the instrument. There are also some technical disadvantages. The benefits which
the Mazzeo system provides require some tradeoffs -- i.e., one loses some useful
fingerings for certain notes, particularly (as I recall from earlier discussions),
the use of rings and tone holes with rings for venting purposes and altissimo
fingerings. You should be able to find more detail on this if you search the
Klarinet archives on "Mazzeo" without the quotes. (Note: I find myself recommending
the archives frequently in recent posts. I apologize if I'm starting to sound like a
broken record but the archives do have quite a bit of useful information. Most of
the questions which have come to the list recently have been discussed before, often
in considerable detail. You can also find discussion by some very knowledgable
people who, for one reason or another, are no longer active participants on the
list. Anyone who hasn't familiarized him/herself with them is missing a valuable
resource. Thanks Mark.)

Best regards,
Jack Kissinger
St. Louis

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