Klarinet Archive - Posting 000335.txt from 2005/01

From: jmesseng@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Jazz instrument auction
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2005 00:27:02 -0500

I have to wonder if Benny ever really played that instrument. I was
fortunate enough to be able to spend some time with him after 1972,
and even played his instruments sometime in the mid-70's. He was in
the process of trying a new Buffet that Hans Moenig had sent him and
wanted someone to give him a comparison with the Moenig Buffet that
he usually played. The older one was much better than the new one
(and both were far superior to production Buffets), and that was
always the instrument he played whenever I heard him from that point
until he died. He always carried his clarinet in an old beat up
student case and you would never know what he was playing unless you
could actually see the name on the clarinet. At a later date when I
was trying clarinets at the Selmer factory in Elkhart, his picture
was on the wall as one of the directors of the Selmer Co. and I
mentioned that I didn't believe that he really played Selmers. They
said they knew that, but as long as he didn't make a point of saying
he didn't play Selmer, they really didn't care. I think the last
Selmer clarinet he played was a CT model.

Joe

>
>The Goodman clarinet is described thusly:
>"Benny Goodman's Selmer clarinet with case, pitched in Bb, series 10G,
>serial #Y2830, manufactured in 1974. The clarinet is in its original
>Selmer case. The following three boxes of reeds are in the case: an
>unopened box of #2 medium soft Bb clarinet reeds, a full box of Roy
>Maier strength no.2 1/2 reeds, and a Selmer Soloist box of assorted
>#2,#2 1/2, and #3 reeds."
>
>
>While it wouldn't be the same as buying one of Dan's horns, still makes
>me wish I had some disposable bucks...
>
>Bill Page
>Kenosha WI
>
>
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--
Joseph Messenger
Professor of Music
Iowa State University
Phone (and voice mail) 515/294-3143
FAX: 515/294-6409
e-mail: jmesseng@-----.edu

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