Klarinet Archive - Posting 000861.txt from 2000/06

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] A blast from the past
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 13:32:29 -0400

A few days ago, I decided to get rid of some things that I have had for
far too long, and was putting a stack of old magazines in the recycling
bin. One of them was the Instrumentalist Magazine from March, 1968. This
issue had several special features about the clarinet. I was drawn to it
by an especially appealing photograph on the cover of a section of a very
old Noblet clarinet, apparently dating from about 1850.

The authors of articles in that issue included several individuals that I
have come to know over the years, and seeing their names and photographs
brought back a flood of memories. There was Tony Gigliotti, then
principal in the Philadelphia Orchestra; Norman Heim, one of my
predecessors here at the University of Evansville, who then went on to a
long and well-known career at the University of Maryland; George Waln,
then at Oberlin College (I think Ron Waln, flutist at the University of
Georgia is his brother); Bill Bigham, an undergraduate classmate of mine
at Murray State University in Kentucky, who taught for many years at
Morehead State University; Harry Gee, well-known to many clarinetists, who
taught at my sister Hoosier institution, Indiana State University; Bob
Cowden, whom I got to know when I was an administrator here at Evansville
and he was Head of the music department at Indiana State; and others whom
I know only by name.

But, what especially caught my attention was an article by Klarinet's own
Dan Leeson! And, there is a more-than-30-year-old photograph of him.
Dan, do you still look like that today? And what might Dan have been
writing about? Hmmmm.... It was, let's see, yes, the Basset horn!!

It's a very complete and comprehensive article for a magazine such as the
Instrumentalist, which is aimed at a school music audience. The only
thing that I saw there which might be questioned is the last paragraph of
the article, which is titled, "The Basset Horn's Dubious Future." I would
say that in part due to the efforts of Dan and others, it has turned out
that the Basset horn is held in higher esteem today than it was 32 years
ago.

If your local library has the Instrumentalist in its archives, you might
want to take a look at this issue. I had fun with it.

Ed Lacy
*****************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
*****************************************************************

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