Klarinet Archive - Posting 000631.txt from 2001/07

From: Dirk Kussin <dirk@-----.de>
Subj: Re: [kl] German clarinetists defend German system
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 03:50:31 -0400

I read an article in some german music magazine, published maybe ten
years ago, where there was made some blind test. All pieces where
played (when I remember correct) by the same player, some on Boehm,
some on Oehler. An audience of some experts should decide which system
was used.

The result: Finding out the system was (interpreted as) significantly
successful. The result was also explained "musically", piece by piece,
and also the reason for wrong decisions was interpreted. When I
remember right it was also said that the tone difference is not so
obvious in the range from chalumaux C to clarion G (or simillarly; or
was it just the opposite?)?

But I was not completely convinced by the result. In my opinion, it
depends also on the player, whether or not he plays on both systems in
the same way, or whether he is able to play "french" and "german"
style (whatever this means) equally good.

By the way: Between the lines of this article one could read the
advantages of the Oehler system, and also the fear of being ruled out
by the Boehm system, so the philosophy of the article was very similar
to the mentioned article.

Dirk

Point of curiosity: Given a musician, equally capable on both the German &
French clarinet, (perhaps difficult to acquire?) what is the difference in
the sound? In a blind test, for example, could a person with a good musical
ear actually distinguish the difference between the two systems? (This is a
serious question, by the way. I don't recall ever hearing a German clarinet
played live.)

Jim Hobby
jhobby@-----.net

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