Klarinet Archive - Posting 001188.txt from 2003/03

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] C Clarinet
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 16:59:46 -0500

Allan, I know of no one commenting on this issue who has suggested that
the 18th century composer would have preferred the modern sound, which
is what I think you suggest the discussion tended towards. The specific
point that WAS offered had to do with the assertion (that you appear to
agree with and I don't) that the sound character of an 18th century C
clarinet is markedly different from that of its contemporary offspring.
That it is different in pitch is clear because that can be measured, but
the subject was character of sound, which is probably what you mean by
"timbre" though I should not be deciding what you meant.

The problem that arises is that there is no way to measure character of
sound and if you hear it differently, that's OK, but I don't.

Dan Leeson

Allan Thompson wrote:
> As anyone who plays on period instruments will know, the sound that a 5-key
> or a 12-key boxwood clarinet makes is very different from their modern
> equivalents, in timbre, pitch and projection. To say that Beethoven or
> Berlioz or even Strauss wanted the sound of a modern Boehm C clarinet is the
> equivalent of saying that Bach would have preferred his works to be played
> on the piano. Having said this, I myself prefer playing on the 'correct'
> instrument, but the reasons are not because the composer would have
> preferred the modern sound.
>
> Allan Thompson
>

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**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
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