Klarinet Archive - Posting 000122.txt from 2003/01

From: Mark Gresham <mgresham@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Kegelstadt (Was Clarinet in Movies)
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 11:14:46 -0500

Forest E. Aten Jr. wrote:
> A few "western" consultants are buying clarinets from China and selling them
> in the U.S. market....they are junk.

Well, yes, they are junk. But the question was, "is anyone going into
China to *instigate* improvements the way they are doing with pianos?"
Not "are consultants buying Chinese clarinets as currently made?"
"Manufacturing" is not the tradition for making Chinese instruments,
and handmade ones can be pretty outstanding; yet a Chinese virtuoso
designed one of the best chromatic harmonicas for solo work with
symphony orchestra (Robert Bonfoglio, who solos for a lot of symphonic
pops concerts, uses one). It's not that the Chinese *can't* make better
clarinets, it's just that they *don't*--so I see an opportunity for the
craft to develop there, if a western firm is interested. This is not to
say they will make "top level" instruments, but possible more
competitive quality in some "economy" student levels.
Just curious, as I can't see any real harm to come from *encouraging*
the Chiense to improve quality.

--
Mark Gresham, composer
mgresham@-----.com/
Lux Nova Press http://www.luxnova.com/
LNP Retail Webstore http://www.luxnova.com/lnpwebstore/

---------------------------------------------------------------------