 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 1999-12-06 16:08
An acquaintence of mine has a clarinet that an ancestor of his played in 1778 for George Washington when Lafayette was in Philadelphia. Each of the sections of the clarinet is marked "Button & Co.", "London", "B". It is made of a light-brown wood and has what appear to be ivory rings at each of the joints. I believe it has eight tone holes that are covered by fingers (left thumb and three fingers, four right fingers) and seven keys. The mouthpiece, which is black, is grooved for the string that would hold on the reed.
My acquaintence says that he saw two similar clarinets at the Smithsonian. Could anyone provide any more information on this instrument or its maker? What type of wood would it be made from, for example?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 1999-12-06 17:27
While I cannot speak with any real authority, the books that I've read indicated that boxwood was quite popular at the time. However, other woods were also used.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 1999-12-06 17:37
Don, if you would put this post on Onelist Early Clarinet, I'll bet you get a lot of enthusiastic response!. Otherwise go to the books, my Brymer cover pic shows a 3 or 4 key model, the others love to talk about the early days also. For close dating, you might try the Bate Museum in Oxford, England, maybe the museum in Vermillion, S D . Am sure you have a keeper! Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ClarinetQween
Date: 1999-12-06 22:28
Yes try asking the People at the shrine to music musuem in Vermillion South Dakota. Just go to the www.USD.edu and the museums site is linked throught there. A whole bunch of really nice people work there that would be glad to help you!
-ClarinetQween:)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Melanie
Date: 1999-12-06 22:30
Steve,
The American History Museum has the musical instrument gallery. I was up there at the beginning of November, and the exhibit was closed for renovation. I was very sad because I hadn't seen it in a few years, and now I can finally appreciate it! :( Oh well! Maybe next time!
Melanie Brown
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lelia
Date: 1999-12-12 17:45
Melanie wrote:
-------------------------------
Steve,
The American History Museum has the musical instrument gallery. I was up there at the beginning of November, and the exhibit was closed for renovation. I was very sad because I hadn't seen it in a few years, and now I can finally appreciate it! :( Oh well! Maybe next time!
Melanie Brown
-----------
The exibit is still closed. My husband, who works a couple of blocks away from the museum and goes there on lunch hour sometimes, says he thinks the musical instruments collection won't re-open until sometime after Christmas.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
