Klarinet Archive - Posting 000060.txt from 2007/09

From: "Daniel Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: Robert McGinnis's clarinets
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:22:36 -0400

Margaret, why are you down on old horns? In what way would old horns in
first class shape be inferior to new horns? Pitch? Resistance? Intonation?
If these instruments (when they were playable of course) could function in a
major American symphony orchestra, several in fact, I'm not so sure that I
would suggest that, by age alone, they will not continue to be satisfactory,
maybe a lot more than satisfactory. That remains to be seen. (Please don't
tell me about instruments becoming blown out. We're old friends and I don't
want us to argue about myths.)

Dan Leeson
dnleeson@-----.net
SKYPE: dnleeson

-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Thornhill [mailto:clarinetstudio@-----.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 4:10 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] Re: Robert McGinnis's clarinets

Dear Dan,

Thanks for sharing all this information about McGinnis, a great master.

I can't help but think that the value of the clarinets-even after the
expert ministrations of Morrie--is primarily sentimental. They may be
wonderful, but they are still old horns.

"Wonderful old horns" are most likely to be used by a serious younger
student who needs some kind of scholarship aid just to acquire
instruments suitable for college work. The folks who won the "annual
award" at the ICA seemed to me to be pretty well fixed in terms of
clarinet gear. You have to consider whether tying such a loan to the
competition would be a joy-- or an obligation-- to someone with no
direct connection?

My guess is that there are many former students of McGinnis on this list
who might treasure these instruments and see that they are put into
eager hands, possibly establishing a rotating loan for any of his
"grandpupils" who might enjoy them.

Margaret

Margaret Thornhill
http://www.margaretthornhill.com
Los Angeles

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