Klarinet Archive - Posting 000161.txt from 2007/12

From: "Karl Krelove" <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Mendelssohn Reformation Symphony
Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 19:58:44 -0500

Keep in mind that Benedict, the writer of the original post, said in his
message that he'd been asked to play the Mendelssohn "in the local community
orchestra." Unless he's greatly minimizing the level at which the orchestra
plays, it sounds as if he's an amateur player invited to play in an amateur
orchestra. This position about C clarinets (and bassets and D clarinets,
etc.), which has been hashed over at length through the years on Klarinet,
may well be a valid one to take toward a committed professional player
(whether a free-lancer or a player in a full-time orchestra), but in my
opinion it's too high a standard to ask of community orchestra players
playing for their own enjoyment (I'm assuming "community orchestra" has
similar meaning here in the U.S. and in Switzerland - if I've badly
misunderstood the orchestral level involved, I apologize to Benedict and may
be more inclined to agree with you). $2,000 is, well, $2,000, and there's a
good chance that if a community orchestra (at least in the U.S.) plays Bach,
the oboist will not have committed $7.000 to an oboe d'amour, either.

Merry Christmas, everyone,

Karl

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Howe [mailto:arehow@-----.net]
Sent: Monday, December 24, 2007 6:34 PM
To: Klarinet
Subject: [kl] Mendelssohn Reformation Symphony

<snip>
Clarinet players should be willing to have the instrument to give it to
him--and to Strauss, and to Mahler, and to Brahms, and to the wealth of
European composers on the 19th and early 20th centuries who requested C
clarinets.

Oboe players buy a $7500 oboe d'amore for Bach. Clarinet players should buy
a $2000 C clarinet for Mahler, Beethoven, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schubert,
Mozart, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Haydn...I think I've made my point!

Best Christmas wishes to all,

Robert Howe

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