 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: lrooff
Date: 2009-07-06 14:46
I'm in the middle of restoring an older clarinet. There's no manufacturer's name on it. The only markings are "Bb LP" (low pitch, which is good news) and, in tiny print "France". When I got it, the keys were so heavily encrusted with tarnish and crud that I thought they were badly corroded brass, and I couldn't even tell if the body was wood or ebonite. After a lot of cleaning, the silver keys shine like new and, it turns out, the body is rosewood. Still have to finish repadding it, but I'm hoping it will eventually play again.
I need to find a fingering chart for it, though. It's a Simple System instrument, one of the later ones with two ring keys (AKA "Spectacle" keys) on the lowest two fingered tone holes. I can see why this fingering system didn't last long. The upper of the two right-hand trill keys is virtually impossible to play without removing the right hand from the playing position or using your thumb to play it!
It's quite an experience to play early instruments, and helps us develop an appreciation for the musicians who played them. Try to imaging playing Mozart's bassoon concerto on the bassoon for which he wrote it (I can't play it properly with my modern bassoon), or any of the baroque or classical clarinet pieces on the instruments in use then... We have it made with our instruments!
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Author: Arlee
Date: 2009-07-06 16:59
I have a simple system that I restored a few (4/5) years ago. Like yours, mine has no name. It's also LP although not marked as such.
Fingering is the same as German/(Albert) except:
first line Eb/(2nd [top] ledger space Bb) -- use Thumb, LH-1st, 2nd and sliver.
There is of course no alternate C#/(lowF#)... aka Patent C#.
Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. I play the simple system as much, if not more now, as my Alberts and love every note of it 
Arlee
Post Edited (2009-07-06 17:01)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-07-06 17:27
For upper register Bb, use xox|ooo and for C use oxo|ooo as these have more substance than the keyed fingerings. They don't work so well as Eb and F in the lower register though.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2009-07-06 18:41
I wouldn't necessarily bet on this being such an early instrument as these were made well into the 20th Century up to WW II. In fact this system lasted for a good 60 years or more and was for much of that time the favored system in miltary bands in the UK.
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Author: Kalakos
Date: 2009-07-06 19:07
Try this site for an Albert/Simple system chart. There are others posted on the net too!
I've played Albert system since 1962 or so; never played Boehm. We Greek folk musicians play these clarinets and call them "klarino."
It's still the favored system in many countries including Greece and Turkey (and in a more complicated version with more rings and keys in Germany, the Oehler system).
John
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/ocl_bas_1.html
Kalakos
Kalakos Music
http://www.TAdelphia.com
Post Edited (2009-07-06 19:08)
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