Klarinet Archive - Posting 000587.txt from 2001/07

From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Old Clarinet
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 17:49:47 -0400

The fact that it is marked LP means it is no earlier than sometime in the
1890s and no later than sometime in the 1930s. The Albert system was
introduced in 1846. However, older style instruments, including the
preceding Mueller system and even simple systems, continued to be produced
for decades (quite possibly even into the early 1900s) after the Albert
system became available. The LP marking indicates Low Pitch and instruments
were only marked this way for a limited time. It is unrelated to key
system.

An excellent picture of an Albert system clarinet (with rollers on the pinky
keys) is the fingering chart that comes with the Rubank Elementary Method
Book. A metal Boehm system is on the other side. Some Alberts had rollers
and some did not. Some Alberts had rings on the upper joint and others did
not. However Albert horns do have rings on the lower joint. To better
evaluate your instrument compare it to the Albert system shown and count the
number of keys not the number of rings.

The wrap around register key was a design applied to both Albert and Boehm
horns and may have been applied to others. It is a feature that seems to
have had spells of popularity and is not tied to any one fingering system.

Albert system horns should have three trills keys on the right side of the
upper joint when held in playing position. I believe the Mueller system
only had 2 trill keys. If it has fewer trill keys, then it could be an
older style although as indicated above it had to have been manufactured
during the specific time period mentioned.

Hope this helps.

Dee Hays
Michigan.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Marzec" <nmarzec@-----.net>
Subject: [kl] Old Clarinet

> I was wondering if anyone knowledgeable in pre-Boehm system clarinets
> can help me identify what I just acquired. My assumption is that it is
> an Albert system clarinet, but I'm curious as to its age.
>
> The top joint has a wrap-around register key, an A & Ab key, sliver key,
> C#/G# key and 2 side keys - one which I assume is Eb/Bb and the pad for
> the other one is a little lower than the register hole. There are no
> rings on the top joint.
>
> The bottom joint has two rings, two keys for the right pinky (not roller
> keys) and should have two keys for the right pinky (one key is missing -
> I'm going to have to have someone fashion one for me). The key it does
> have on the left is like a bassoon key (pivot key? - I'm having a brain
> cramp on the term for it right now).
>
> I'm guessing it is made out of rosewood - AND - it has a mouthpiece made
> out of the same wood and looks to be the same age as the clarinet. The
> mouthpiece seems to play pretty nicely on my clarinet: the rest of the
> clarinet needs lots of work - corks, bending of some keys, and the key
> that needs to be fashioned.
>
> I can see Lafayette, Paris in a couple of places, just the word Paris on
> the mouthpiece, a A over LP. I assume this means that it is a low pitch
> A clarinet. The clarinet length is between my Bb and A. It feels
> thinner in diameter than my clarinets, but I'm not sure of that.
>
> Is it an Albert, or something transitional before the Albert system. I
> found a site of many pictures of historical clarinets, but the pictures
> are too small to be definitive.
>
> Any idea of the approximate date & if you really know these clarinets,
> does it have any worth?
>
> Any help anyone can give is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>
> Nancy Marzec
>
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