Klarinet Archive - Posting 000685.txt from 2003/08
From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Rossi and Patricola vs Buffet
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 17:27:14 -0400
Forest -
Your name always reminds me of my friend and long departed high school band
director, Forrest Woodman. Yes, that was his name. A nicer and more civil
band director never existed. He had played tuba in the Sousa band, was a
vaudeville pit orchestra director, teacher and municipal band director. So
much for reminiscing.
I have long wondered why there are so many special barrels made for Buffet
clarinets for whatever reason. Several years ago I posed the question on
the list concerning whether anyone was making special barrels for Leblancs,
but I don't recall receiving any replies. Intonation problems for Buffets
seem to come up with a degree of frequency. My Leblancs, with my circa 1940
Goldbeck mpc., Rovner Eddie Daniels lig. and V-12 / 3 1/2 reeds seem to have
somewhat better intonation than my teacher's Buffets. We have been playing
a lot of duets this summer - during his off-concert season.
I know that Buffet clarinets are fine horns (in spite of some list
comments). My student horn was a Dubois, which was purported to me to have
been a Buffet second. I have not been able to confirm this, although I
should check this out more fully. The keying is quite similar to the current
Buffets.
Oddly enough, when my teacher and I switched horns, we both found that the
other's horn was "stuffy". Even more strange, his Kaspar and my Goldbeck
are very similar mouthpieces. I doubt if I could tell the difference in a
blindfold test. It doesn't seem that the mouthpieces could cause the
perceived stuffiness. As has been pointed out many times on the List, each
clarinetist is different, with their own characteristics.
As to the resonance matter, of course, what you say is correct. However, on
my horn there is no perceptible (to me) difference in the timbre of the A,
Bb, C & D without the resonance fingering and they are well in tune.
Regards,
Gene N.
-----Original Message-----
From: Forest Aten [mailto:forestaten@-----.net]
Subject: Re: [kl] Rossi and Patricola vs Buffet
Gene,
Buffet instruments are constantly evolving. Buffet produces many more top
professional models than Leblanc, last I checked.
You say, "most of the professional instrument problems discussed on the list
seem to be R-13 problems"........
1. Define, "some of these problems"......
2. Could it be because most of the professional players (all of the ones I
know) are playing Buffet instruments (by choice). Even when we have
something good.....we can always petition for something better. Most of us
do that through critique.
"resonance" fingerings do a lot more than just improve the sound on the
"throat tones". Covering tone holes often improves intonation and is great
to prepare technique, as players cross the break.
Forest Aten
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
