Klarinet Archive - Posting 000060.txt from 2003/04

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet sound
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 19:23:16 -0500

Nancy

I know materials and bore design do make a huge difference. What you
hear when *you* play is ultimately the most important test because it's
*you* spending your *own* money to be happy with what *you*
hear/perceive. We all, ultimately, need to trust our own ears. But I
have the perfect example of how materials, but also bore taper and
design of barrels and bells do create a distinctive and recognizable
sound. You may have heard that Morrie Backun, a Vancouver repairman and
fine clarinetist in his own right has been designing barrels and bells
(and is now making clarinets) here in Vancouver. Most of his barrels
and bells are of cocobolo wood, not grenadilla, but he also uses
rosewood and snakewood and others I can't recall. The design of the
taper is his own. Ricardo Morales is now playing his barrels and bells,
a Canadian artist, James Campbell is using them as well as many
Canadian symphonic clarinetists including just about everybody in
Vancouver and Victoria and various points across Canada and the U.S.
These people, all working professionals, have heard a major difference
in their sound, on instruments they are thoroughly familiar with. I
have them. Mostly I hear my teacherwho is principal clarinet of the
Vancouver Symphony perform and I can recognize his "sound" almost
anywhere! But I got a huge surprise on Monday night. We had a visiting
orchestra in town, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra. Among other pieces,
they played the Dvorak 8th Symphony, one of my favourites. As I
listened to the many open clarinet passages, I was immediately astounded
to hear virtually the same sound character as that of my teacher - very,
very warm, round, smooth, dense, spinning and chocolatey. And I
immediately thought (with no backup facts whatsoever) - "I know that
sound - they're using Morrie's barrels and bells!" And I found out
yesterday that I was absolutely correct!! I called Morrie last night
and he confirmed that their clarinetists had been in his shop most of
Monday morning playing through and then choosing barrels and bells which
they used for the first time ever in that evening's performance.
There's my proof - I'm with you!

Audrey

If I can't really get this perceived sound quality, why do I think I
hear a difference? I really stood in that
shop for over an hour playing those Eaton clarinets. There were a few
technical things that needed
adjustment for me do get some better responses from the clarinet, but
other than that the biggest
difference, to me, was the way it sounded to me. There wasn't someone
standing there telling me the
sound was different, I was in a room by myself. I also had an R-13, 2
different Hammerschmidts which
were so much alike I couldn't tell the difference between them and a
Howarth clarinet to gauge
against. I didn't like the Howarth, it was just hard for me to play.
Might have been my mouthpiece or
that it just wasn't the clarinet for me. The Hammerschmidts had that
same wonderful sound that I got
from the 2 Eatons. The R-13 was much like my own R-13 except that the
bore was full of checks and it
didn't have anything remarkable about it's function. The Eatons sounded
like the Hammerschmidts, but
were heavier and didn't cost what the Hammerschmidts cost, but that
won't account for what I though
I heard. I'm not a physicist and maybe this is why I perceive the
difference in sound. Maybe I am just
dumb enough to not know any better. at any rate, can you answer my
question, and then I will leave
you alone. Thanks.

Nancy

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