Klarinet Archive - Posting 000674.txt from 2001/06

From: "Don Yungkurth" <clarinet@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Re: random question
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 09:31:55 -0400

Beth G asked:

>Does anyone have any, um, artistic uses for old reeds?

>Beth is bored..can you tell? :)

I don't know about artistic, but have an "old reed" related story.

A teacher of mine was no longer able to play or teach and was getting rid of
instruments and most everything else clarinet-related. I stopped at his
home to buy a couple of barrels and see what else I might be able to use.

When I was ready to leave, he pointed to a large corrugated cardboard carton
and indicated that it contained some things for me. Primarily, it contained
his collection of used/unacceptable reeds. From the number of reeds, it
might have represented a forty-year accumulation. One shoe box (for size
11D) from within the carton was FULL of loose reeds. I haven't even
estimated how many thousands are in that one alone, and that was only part
of the collection.

I asked what I should do with them and was told, "If you can't use them, you
can make tea with them". I asked if he meant I should grind them up and
steep them in boiling water. He said "no", that I should, "take a few
handfuls of them outside, arrange them in a pile, light them and use the
fire to heat water for tea".

I finally realized that he couldn't bear to throw them out. So far, I
haven't been able to do so either! I have actually used some as well.

Don Yungkurth (clarinet@-----.net)

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