Klarinet Archive - Posting 000011.txt from 1999/10

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] what is this ?
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 08:56:11 -0400

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.93
> Subj: [kl] what is this ?

> One of my students brought me their'new'old clarinet purchased at an
> antique shop....an August Buffet wood instrument,no serial #, made in
> France. This clar with mpc is approx. 5/8 to 3/4 of an inch shorter than
> my old Buffet Bb. It has an adjustment screw at the throat A/G# and
> current design keywork, so I presume cannot be that old. However this
> horn plays way sharp and does not seem to relate as a Bb inst.Could this
> be a "high pitch" as you sometimes find in old saxes? What size is a C
> clarinet compared to a Bb? I assume shorter, but how much? It doesn"t
> quite seem to pitch as a C inst.
> Your help appreciated.
> Thanks Dave G

>From some old-time players I knew when I was much younger, the first
question that was asked when you were called for a gig was "normal
pitch or high pitch?" And high-pitched clarinets were made by all
the major makers and often, though not always, an "HP" symbol was
stamped below the maker's name on the instrument.

I had completely forgotten this mostly-unknown piece of clarinet
history until I became interested in the clarinet in B-natural for
which Mozart wrote several works. They are, of course, always played
on A clarinet today due to the fact that no one makes such an
instruments. It is analogous to a basset horn in G. Go find one!

Well, I actually got what I thought was a clarinet in B-natural from
a pawn shop. I bought it solely because it was shorter than a B-flat
but longer than a C. It was a terrible instrument but is emulated
a B-natural clarinet very nicely, pitchwise that is.

It was then that I began some research on why and when manufacturers
were making B-natural clarinets, when Rosario Mazzeo reminded me of
the comments made by the old-timers who were asked (in the 1920s)
to play a "high-pitched" gig. In fact, Rosario told me that he had
played and owned several high pitch instruments, including one in
A, a great rarity as it turns out.

So what I believe you have is a very old and high pitched
B-flat clarinet.

>
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=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================

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