Klarinet Archive - Posting 000212.txt from 2011/01

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Question about "Professional" clarinets
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:25:48 -0500

On 20 Jan 2011, at 15:57, Martin Baxter wrote:

> 2) I was told this by Kevin Murphy when I was able to buy a Peter Eaton at a bargain price because his ex-pupil was told on entering RCM that this was the case and that therefore he had to buy specific instrument (a Buffet I think) if he hoped ever to get a job.

Well, people say all sorts of things that aren't REALLY true, off the cuff as it were. This particular case is an example of that. If a player makes an uncentred, woofy sound which wouldn't be suitable in a particular orchestra, then the fact that they played on a Peter Eaton clarinet might easily be used as a sort of shorthand for WHY they were unsuitable. (Peter Eaton clarinet 'go wrong' in that sort of way when wielded by an inexpert player.) However, another player, who DIDN'T make such a sound on his Peter Eaton clarinet would be perfectly acceptable.

> You forget that, while your reputation is such that you could probably get a position in whatever orchestra you chose, this is not the same for a starting professional. I have heard, from reliable sources, too many stories of sections being told to play a specific instrument to disbelieve that what I said was untrue.

Another example: you recently posted something about the OAE and pitch, justifying what you said by saying "I have the information from a friend who has played in the OAE." But what you said was in fact untrue. I know this because I play in the OAE currently. (Indeed, I must go catch my train to London in order not to be late for the rehearsal this evening.)

You cannot just believe what people tell you. Such secondhand information is useless without the context to back it up.

Tony
--

Tony Pay
79 Southmoor Rd
Oxford OX2 6RE
tel/fax +44 1865 553339
mobile +44 7790 532980
tony.p@-----.org

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