Klarinet Archive - Posting 000123.txt from 2002/01

From: "Gregory Smith" <Gregory@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: Tribute
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 15:51:55 -0500

David Hattner wrote:

> I would like to offer my personal 'hats off' to those brave souls who =
play=20
> the clarinet in the big orchestras of Cleveland, Chicago, Pittsburgh =
and=20
> other places cold and crappy weatherwise.=20
>=20
> We are finally getting a tiny taste of cold weather here in NYC, and I =
can't=20
> get 3/4s of my reeds to play at all. HOW DO YOU GUYS DO IT?
>=20
> Mr. Marcellus always said "in cold weather, balance of the reed is =
especially=20
> important." I can't imagine how nerve racking it must have been to =
have to=20
> play for George Szell in the middle of a Cleveland winter. Wow. And he =

> managed ok, I would say!
>=20
> -David Hattner, NYC
> www.northbranchrecords.com

Well, they were smart enough in Cleveland to know to keep the =
temperature down and the humidity in the hall at a constant 45% for =
acoustical efficiency (which paid great dividends for reed players). =
They had it relatively well off. On tour Marcellus told me that at their =
Carnegie concerts in December or January, they all just accepted the =
fact their reeds were "just going to be borky" as he put it. No =
humidty/temp control there.

Here in Orchestra Hall Chicago, they seem not to care no matter how much =
we complain. With my humidistat/thermostat on my stand during concerts =
in the winter months when it's 10 degrees and 40% humidity outside, I =
get readings of 80 degrees and 10% humidity under the lights on stage. =
Might as well be in the desert somewhere. It's "borksville" here 6 =
months out of the year, then for Ravinia in June - August, 8 weeks of =
sweltering humidity we go the complete opposite direction - no spped to =
the vibration of the reed. I'd say there are about 6 or so weeks a year =
where everything is normal weather-wise here in Chicago. The rest of the =
time you just accept the fact that your reeds aren't going to "feel" =
right.=20

Fortunately my studio at home is temp/humidity controlled and I have a =
nice year round constant for both that allow me to practice and work on =
reeds efficiently, allowing me to know whether or not the problem is =
with the reed, not with the weather.

Gregory Smith

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Gregory Smith =20
Clarinetist
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Mouthpiece Handcraftsman
=
2737 Hurd Avenue
Evanston, Illinois. 60201-1209 USA
1.847.866.8331
1.847.866.9551 (fax)
Email: Gregory@-----.com (NEW)
Website: www.gregory-smith.com
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