Klarinet Archive - Posting 000146.txt from 2002/02

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bassett clarinet
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 03:54:28 -0500

There is stuff, somewhere, in the archives about the clarinette d'amour. It
is not related historically to the basset horn, as far I know (someone
may contradict this). Quite a number of them seemed to have survived. It
was an late 18th/early 19th-century eccentricity about which surprisingly
little seems to be known, apart from the evidence provided by the instruments
themselves. Typically, it had a bulbous bell like that of the cor anglais or
(surprise, surprise) oboe d'amore.
Roger S.#

In message <000a01c1b211$711256e0$6c8f25cb@-----.org writes:
> Hello Klarinet,
>
> I'm a student in Australia, and have been away for four weeks. I haven't
> caught up on all the posts yet, but these last few about the documentary on
> the Mozart Concerto grabbed my attention. I saw it as well, and absolutely
> loved it, not least for the wonderful instruments and beautiful places on
> it. I have a particular interest in the early instruments (and have just
> received my own Lotz copy!) and found this program fascinating. The maker's
> name was Giles Thome. I have heard some of his instruments on recordings by
> Jean Claude Veilhan (correct spelling?). I am certainly no expert, and so
> could not comment on any errors in the program. I would be very interested
> to know what they are.
> I have been fortunate enough to spend the last four weeks in Europe. I
> managed to see a few musical instrument museums over there (but the Nurnberg
> one was closed while I was there!), and thought of this program when I saw
> several clarinet d'amour in G. Would these instruments have any bearing on
> the research done by Thome, or is it in a completely different category?
> Looking forward to hearing everyones comments,
> Best wishes,
> Melanie
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
> To: klarinet@-----.org>
> Date: Sunday, 10 February 2002 2:01
> Subject: Re: [kl] Bassett clarinet
>
>
> >I know the documentary well. In fact I had a copy made for me by a
> >friend in Australia where it was first shown. Unfortunately I lent the
> >tape to a friend and have not gotten it back.
> >
> >The player was a Frenchman who wanted to have a basset horn in G made so
> >that he could play the Mozart concerto on it. It was very interesting
> >but full of technical errors. There was an interesting conversation
> >between the clarinetist (whose name escapes me) and H.C. Robbins Landon.
> >Landon speaks no French and the clarinetist spoke no English, but they
> >chatted on about the problems for some time. The player finally made a
> >G basset horn for himself and played the concerto, properly transposed
> >to G major. It was very interesting but hardly accurate.
> >
> >Dan
> >
> >Magnus Borjesson wrote:
> >>
> >> Has anyone heard of a TV-documentary about the "missing clarinet" that
> >> Mozart had in mind when he wrote the concerto. I saw it a couple of years
> >> ago. It was a man in Switzerland (I believe he was a historical
> instrument
> >> craftsman) and he had done some researching. He found some old
> bassethorns
> >> in a castle in Hungary. There was some great musical perfomances too ...
> >> Do anyone know if that documentary is on video somewhere to purchase?
> >>
> >> Magnus
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "David Glenn" <notestaff@-----.de>
> >> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> >> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2002 10:41 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [kl] Bassett clarinet
> >>
> >> > GrabnerWG@-----.com wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > I recently heard a very prominent clarinetist (for whom I have the
> >> greatest respect) perform Mozart on a bassett clarinet with a major
> symphony
> >> orchestra.
> >> > >
> >> > > My admiration for the performer notwithstanding, I was left cold by
> the
> >> performance. Among other issues, not related tom this topic, I found the
> use
> >> of the bassett clarinet disturbing.
> >> > >
> >> > > Two things bothered me. One was that the tone of the lowest "bassett"
> >> notes were "different", not in the same "character", as the tone of the
> rest
> >> on the chalumeau register. Secondly, they were sharp.
> >> > >
> >> > > I kept wishing that the artist was playing on his/her normal A
> clarinet.
> >> > >
> >> > > Lest Dan Leeson jump all over me, I will say that I love to hear the
> >> arpeggios played starting at "the bottom of the staircase". However, I do
> >> expect the bottom three steps to have the same character as the others
> >> above.
> >> > >
> >> > > Walter Grabner
> >> > > clarinetXpress.com
> >> > >
> >> >
> >> > +++++++++++++++++++++++
> >> >
> >> > Walter,
> >> >
> >> > The basset tones are the greatest tones on the instrument! And that's
> why
> >> it's tempting at first to really let them boom out. But at some point,
> the
> >> clarinetist must realize that they are normal notes that just belong
> there
> >> > (as far as we can surmise since they MS is lost). Maybe your basset
> >> clarinetist was still (overly) fascinated by these new low notes??
> >> >
> >> > In fact, the Mozart was not written for a basset clarinet with a normal
> >> bell and that might also be part of the problem. Stadler's bell was not
> bell
> >> shaped but bulbuous. There is a picture at klarinet/clarinet but I don't
> >> > remember the URL. In fact, I'm having such a bell made for my modern
> >> basset A and am planning to do this performance on it. I tried a
> prototype
> >> already and was thrilled with it. I was inspired to do this by Eric
> Hoeprich
> >> who
> >> > has made such a bell for his own copy of the Stadler clarinet. I am
> >> waiting with baited breath for his new CD of the Mozart with this new
> bell.
> >> >
> >> > As for the pitch, it is difficult. My basset tones are tuned fairly
> well.
> >> But when I overblow the low F to get a C, it's very sharp unless I let it
> >> down. I think the problem is more difficult than with the normal-short
> >> > clarinet. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of adding an E-F mechanic
> to
> >> the A-basset.
> >> >
> >> > Hope you hear a nice Mozart performance soon!
> >> >
> >> > David
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> >
> >>
> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >--
> >***************************
> >** Dan Leeson **
> >** leeson0@-----.net **
> >***************************
> >
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

--
Wer die Wahl hat, hat die Qual.
------ German proverb.

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