Klarinet Archive - Posting 000178.txt from 2002/09

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Period instruments --- were any of them "better" ?
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 11:12:58 -0400

On Fri, 13 Sep 2002 00:24:49 -0700 (PDT), w8wright@-----.net said:

> While many period instruments have disappeared for good reason (didn't
> play well, were too expensive or cumbersome, couldn't be maintained
> easily, etc), did any of them have advantages that modern instruments
> lack? On balance, I'm sure that modern instruments are better suited
> to our times; but have we sacrificed any desirable qualities in the
> process?

I think you, as the end-user, should judge. I've already said that for
me, some of the qualities of period instruments suit the music that was
written for them better than do the qualities of modern instruments, but
you might disagree, along with several others here.

As you know, I think that putting a bulbous bell on an ordinary clarinet
*doesn't* help -- but then, Stadler didn't do that, did he?

Something that might fit what you're thinking about is the 'proud'
register key that you get on period instruments. I think that that
enabled a more precise control of the pad elevation than the modern
version does -- but then the modern clarinet doesn't need that sort of
control, except very rarely.

Sauna archives:-)

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
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.... Save the whales. Collect the whole set.

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