Klarinet Archive - Posting 000279.txt from 2001/10

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] And now for some new news
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 09:14:12 -0400

Within two weeks I will receive what I have every expectation of
receiving my treasure. And in explanation, let me state that the
treasure is a brand new, custom designed, one-off, cocobolo wood basset
horn with gold plated keys, and a wooden bell. It is a narrow bore,
soprano mouthpiece instrument made at my request by Steve Fox of
Canada.
I have neither seen the instrument nor played it, and I have no
expectations of having to report back to the list that I do not like it.
Fox has a good reputation and I expect it to be a superior example of
his work.

As some of you know, I have not played for around 10 years so I must do
some work to get back into shape. I'll not be interested in clarinet,
though I still have two in very nice working order, thanks to Clark
Fobes. There is little in the clarinet repertoire that I really am
interested in playing. Maybe Turkey in the Straw, but not much else.

So why have I spent a fortune to order this thing? Excellent question.
Very perceptive of you to have asked.

I am preparing for 2006, should I have the privilege of living that
long. And during that year, which will be the last one in which I will
play, I intend to do as many performances of K. 361 and K. 626 as I can
get hired to play or as I can bribe people into hiring me to play.

It will be the quarter millenium commemoration of Mozart's birth and I
have no intentions of sitting on the sidelines while someone else plays
361 and 626. It will be a kick-butt basset horn year for me.

Following that year, I will sell that basset horn for a fortune so start
saving your money, you who are drooling and slobbering from the lips at
the idea of a narrow-bored, cocobolo wood basset horn (with a peg of
course).

Assuming that I get through that year in one piece, that will have been
(a rarely used tense -- "will have been") four great Mozart events of my
lifetime. First 1941, the 150th anniversary of his death, then 1956 the
200th anniversary of his birth, then 1991 the 200th anniversary of his
death, and next 2006, the quarter millenium celebration recognizing the
250th anniversary of his birth. I fully expect there to be several
festivals at various colleges around the US commemorating the event with
special attention paid to Mozart's wind music, for which the American
music schools have a special and wonderful affinity. But there will
also be performances of lots of his other music too.

I even have a sort of commitment that there will be a Gran Partitta
festival in 2006 involving multiple performances of the work, technical
papers, and discussions on this, the most important wind band work ever
written (with the possible exception of Eric Leizden's arrangement of
"Yes, We Have No Bananas" for concert band).

So for those of you who have complained about KLARINET not having had
much to say of an exciting nature recently, I say that all may bow down
in reverence to my narrow-bored cocobolo wood basset horn with gold
plated keys made by Steve Fox of Canada. You may have to wear
sunglasses to see it.

For Ed Lacy and his apology to the list for not having had much on it to
interest his new colleague (and Bob Spring's pupil from Phoenix), I hope
to start a new trend here. So stick around Ed (and his new colleague).

IT'S BASSET HORN TIME!!!!
--
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** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
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