Klarinet Archive - Posting 000039.txt from 2003/10

From: "Don Hatfield" <dhatfield@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Alto Clarinet (was Clarinet Overhaul Hell)
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 11:29:30 -0400

Cheers and bravo, Richard. I was fortunate to be in a high school band
equipped with school-owned instruments that were well-cared for and
regularly serviced. I remember that the four ladies playing alto and bass
clarinet (2 each) started on those instruments in jr. high, and were quite
proud of their little section of the group, and Rebecca would have been at
home with them.
Our BD was of the Leblanc-inspired school of clarinet thought, and we also
had Leblanc contra-alto and contra-bass instruments. Are prospective music
educators/BDs being versed these days in the aspects of care and repair as I
was in college? I had two semesters of band instrument repair basics taught
through the repair shops of our local stores, and part of our course work
was going through school instruments between semesters and evaluating them
for a trip to the shop, and even doing minor repair work.

Appreciating the alto clarinet....
Don

> One more comment on what Lelia said about alto clarinet. Lelia said
> that many alto clarinets get a bad rap because they're in such poor
> condition. I'd like to add one more thing: band directors will take
> some of, if not the very worst of their clarinet players and put them
> on the alto clarinet, figuring they won't be heard, the part isn't
> essential, etc.
>
> Poor mouthpiece, poor reed, poorly maintained instrument, poor player
> and poor parts (if anything more than an alto sax part with alto
> clarinet printed in the upper left hand corner) sure is does explain
> why most band directors consider it a wheeze bag instrument.

Another facet of bands to bemoan.....the fall from popularity of the
> cornet. The cornet is the sweet, blending band instrument, not a
> section of paint peeling, silver plated Benge trumpets. The two sound
> sooooooooooo very different and so few even care.
>
> Of the soap box for today.
>
> RB

   
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