Klarinet Archive - Posting 001264.txt from 2003/04

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Mozart Concerto - the lowest note
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 07:52:57 -0400

Dan,

Yes, very interesting! I am not sure if I told you that a few months ago
I accompanied Steve Fox to the Liepzig musical instrument museum, where
he wanted to measure the Braun Mannheim basset horn that is a "basset
horn version" of the Stadler basset clarinet: i.e. it has a similar bell
coming out at right angles to the body and facing backwards. This
instrument not only has a hole for venting the low C, but it has a KEY
to close it, making it unnecessary to take off your shoes and socks, so
it has a real extension to low B natural. The key is clearly designed in
to the instrument and is a set with the other basset keys. You probably
know about this one, but I have digital pictures if you are interested.
I speculate that players liked to be able to do a turn on the low C. Was
this what Hoeprich did? Unfortunately, the suggestion that we try to
play the Liepzig instrument was met by shock and horror from the
curator! I believe that Steve may make a replica sometime.

Keith Bowen

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Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 06:25:35 -0700
From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subject: Mozart concerto - the lowest note
Message-ID: <3EAD2BCF.4050902@-----.net>

>Last evening I got a call from Bob Levin who was at the San Francisco
airport awaiting a flight to Boston. He had been at a festival in
Oregon at which he play a Mozart concerto and Erich Hoeprich was there
also to play K. 622 on his basset clarinet.

>Now we have all spoken in the past about the fact that the picture of
Stadler's basset clarinet was used to build instruments just like and
Hoeprich built one also. The hole used to get the low C pitch in on the

bell of that instrument and, when closed with the calf, the lowest note
comes out the bell and is a b-natural.

>Well Levin indicated that in his performance of the concerto, Hoeprich
actually uses that note in the slow movement.

>NOW THAT'S INTERESTING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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