Klarinet Archive - Posting 000582.txt from 2003/09

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Jack Brymer
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 17:58:23 -0400

I have a couple of memories of this great musician and wonderful man =
that I
would like to share. Many years ago, he gave a performance of K622 at
Warwick University (UK), and as chair of the Music Committee I had the
agreeable duty to entertain him to dinner. At that time Buffet clarinets =
did
not have the market penetration they now enjoy, but were beginning their
long march. I took the opportunity to ask Jack what he thought of them,
since he still played Boosey and Hawkes instruments. He said something =
like
"they are indeed very good clarinets, but I find them a bit inflexible.
They're better in tune than Boosey's but I find I can bend Boosey's =
more,
which means they can work in circumstances where Buffet's don't".

The other was when the resident string quartet at Warwick, the Coull, =
had
just changed cellist. It happened that they had an engagement to play =
the
Mozart Quintet with Jack. Roger Coull called to ask if I would terribly =
mind
running through it with them, because John had never played the work and
Jack was famous for not wanting to rehearse too much. Of course I =
snapped
his hand off and had a marvellous afternoon rehearsing with them. And =
sure
enough, come the concert, Jack said "we don't need to run through this =
do
we, boys, I'm sure we all know it perfectly well!".=20

Keith Bowen=20

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