Klarinet Archive - Posting 000148.txt from 2007/09

From: Robert Howe <arehow@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Blown out clarinets
Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 12:48:23 -0400

A couple of members have responded to my posting on blown out oboes.

> I can't speak for oboes. There may be a clear different between the
> results
> of extensive playing between the two instruments. But clarinet blow
> out is a
> myth to frighten you into buying a new clarinet.
>
Strong words, but from an extremely experienced and very insightful writer!
Not to be dismissed lightly, yet...

> I invite you to come and play on my blown
> out instrument and compare it to yours. And I am not the only one by a
> country mile who has had an instrument blow out. My R-13 first started
> to go so sharp that even a 68mm barrel wouldn't help. Then the tone got
> shrill and it lost the depth of sound. Finally, the upper range just
> got sharper and sharper (even more than the rest of the instrument).

This is essentially what happens to blown out oboes. Yet I personally have
not seen this with clarinets. Two years ago, I played Fiddler on the Roof
with a pair of 1905 Buffet Albert system clarinets that were so used that
the tone holes were worn into the wood. I bought them from the late Avram
whats-his-name (Galper?), the clarinettist in Toronto. Fabulous instruments
especially for the Klezmer repertoire, wonderfully in tune. For laffs I
used a Buffet Albert bass clarinet too, this one from Art Benade's
collection. Who could be happier?

I suspect that both correspondents are right. A best rule of thumb seems to
be that oboes generally will blow out if played long enough; clarinets
rarely do so (if they did so with even 10% frequency, DNL would believe!)
and bassoons do so very rarely if ever.

Saxophones, being metal, seem to be good forever. I recently played a
rehearsal with the same theater company on an 1863 Adolphe Sax soprano and
received lauds on the beauty of my tone.

BTW, if any clarinets owned and played by DNL or Robert McGinnis or Dan
Bonade or Harold Wright or Bob Portnoy become available, I would love to
have one in my collection.

Ciao for now

Robert Howe

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