 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-03-28 12:47
One thing when I started listening to clarinet playing when growing up was the wonderful differences between the french/american/british school of playing.
A particularly influential player on my own style is Bernard Walton who was with the Philharmonia of London during the 50s and 60s and played every phrase with style and individulaity. this type of playing may not be to some tastes but I feel the fluidity and smoothness of his technique a constant marvel ...
I arrived in England in the late 80s only to find he had passed on so the private lessons that I desired never materialized.......I also think when you consider in the year of 1952 the conductors the Philharmonia worked under were
Arturo Tosacannini
Otto Klemperer
Herbert von Karajan
Guido Cantelli
Anatoli fistolari
Igor Markevitch
Man what a roster of greatness to assemble with one orchestra!!!
David Dow
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-03-28 14:12
David -
I love Walton's playing, too. A truly excellent player.
It's a little hard to tell which 1950s Philharmonia recordings have Walton playing and which have Thurston, who was equally good. I have, I think, three recordings featuring Walton: the Mozart Concerto (gorgeous sound, beautiful phrasing, a bit slow); the best ever recording of the Mozart and Beethoven Quintets for piano and winds (with Gieseking playing piano and other Philharmonia principals, including Dennis Brain); and, I'm fairly sure, the Walton Facade (don't hold me to that one).
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-03-28 16:01
I will join the Walton appreciation thread though I never heard him live (he died too early). For those wanting to take a dip I suggest the slow movement of Beethoven 9 with the Philharmonia under Klemperor. The tone is incredible, a kind of plangent pain.
I heard that he played on Hammerschmids.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-03-28 18:59
graham -
The pictures I've seen of Walton show him with a Boehm instrument, so I doubt that it's a Hammerschmidt. I was under the impression he played a B&H 1010, and he certainly had the "large bore English" tone.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2003-03-28 20:40
Bernard Walton was one of those rare players who combined the French and German schools of playing into a style uniquely his own and of the highest artistry.
I was not aware that Walton played a German clarinet, although this news does not surprise me.
In addition to their German system clarinets, Hammarschmitt (sp?) made some Boehm system clarinets back in those days.
I know this to be true because I had my hands on one about 40 years ago. Although mouthpiece and reed problems prevented me from doing a proper evaluation of its exact playing qualities, it was definitely an artist quality instrument with the expected dark German sound. I also remember that its keywork was industrial strength and that it weighed substantially more than my Buffet.
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-04-03 07:20
I can only go on what I have heard said to me but I have got over my initial surprise and the remarks seem well founded. It was a Boehm system instrument. Apparently he tried the 1010 and didn't like it.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-04-03 12:06
In discussion with a former Sidney Fell student(colleague and freind of Mr. Walton) recently alluded to the subject of equipment Bernard Walton used. Never to his knowledge did Mr. Walton ever use anything outside Boosey and Hawkes clarinets. Mr. Fell worked with Walton many times professionally. Howeverhe added Mr. Walton did use a very long facing Boosey and Hawkes mouthpiece which he had customized.
David Dow
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-04-03 15:08
Fell did but Walton apparently not. Here is where I got the information.
One of his former pupils said they were Hammerschmidts,
His son in law (or similar relation) commented to me that Walton had played on German clarinets, not English.
When I asked Nick Shackelton (an English collector and historian of clarinets) whether he could confirm the Walton story, he said it was true, and that other people had since tried to play his Hammers, but no-one else could make them play half as well.
At that stage I became satisfied with the provenance of the story.
It seems to fit from aural evidence. His sound does not really carry the hallmarks of a 1010, although that would not rule out the possibility of an Imperial 926.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-04-03 18:57
Intereesting comments. Even if they are Hammerschmnidts, I still find his sound to match the concept of English. He also employs quite a vibrato which is another element of playing on the open 1010 sound....
David Dow
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