 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-12-24 13:41
Happy Holidays,
I purchased and Albert system clarinet this summer for $35 at an antique store. It is in great shape. No cracks, dings, missing keys, etc. My sister who is not a musician pointed it out to me. I have been looking for an Albert for a long time. I couldn't believe she spotted it.
Anyway, I saw my repair guy yesterday and he shows me the keys. Oh my goodness, they looked brand new. He is a miracle worker. The rollers are so smooth. He has the whole thing apart to oil it, etc. If you have never seen a clarinet without its keys it is a sorry looking thing, indeed.
What is my question you ask? Who among you has an Albert and what advice can you give me. I have found fingering charts. I played this clarinet briefly and couldn't believe how it sounded. Full, but a bit more shrill than my other clarinets.
My plan is to play some klezmer pieces on this instrument. As a music historian I am striving for authenticity. Anything on Alberts would be appreciated.
Better go. Both sets of parents are coming for Christmas and my house is still kind of a mess.
Jean
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Author: William
Date: 2003-12-24 14:18
"Aside from that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"
"I dunno.........but one of the actors really *broke a leg*"
(Happy Holidays)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-12-24 17:47
Hello, Jean 
Long while since our last 'conversation'.
As a lifelong player of Albert, Oehler (as well as Simple) system horns, I find it interesting that you would gravitate to Albert from Boehm for any reason other than passing curiosity; it usually works the other way. There are still a few of us Albert players around. I play both systems but the Albert remains my favorite. The 'old dog' mindset, I guess.
Please allow me to comment here that I've heard some very good, very authentic sounding (to me anyway), Klezmer players who use Boehm horns exclusively.
Albert (and Simple) fingering charts are easy to locate. If you run into something specific that's puzzling you though, feel free to contact me. I, or one of my Albert playing acquaintances, will be happy to share 'tricks of the trade' with you.
The only advice I can offer, Jean, besides 'just start playin' the thing', would be to make sure it's standard pitch (low pitch) if you want to do ensemble playing; and I presume you do, since Klezmer is your present interest.
Happy Tootin'
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-24 18:12
Tim Reichard's fingering charts for non-Boehm Clarinets, expanded from a faundation laid by Eoin McAuley, are linked directly from http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/cl_fing.html. The charts are largely works in progress; additions are made when other useful fingerings are identified.
Good luck with your "new" Clarinet. Seems as if you have made quite a buy!
Regards,
John
who doesn't always play Boehm
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-12-24 19:12
A famous and fabulous Klezmer & Jazz clarinetist here in NYC, plays an old Albert system clarinet on all his gigs in town. Maybe he's available for lessons or advice about the "Albert clarinet scene"?
His name is:
Dan Block
[ Phone number deleted. The posting of personal phone numbers is not permitted - GBK ]
Or write to him at:
Dan Block
244 West 74th Street #4D
NYC, NY 10023
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-12-25 22:09
I am another adherent. Started on Albert/ Simple and graduated to Oehler. Although fingering charts are available I have found that there are generally a few fingering differences between horns. Your ear is the guide as to whether a particulat fingering works on your horn/s. The Oehler fingering can also vary.
Some of the fingering difficulties occur around the throat F-G. Some horns require venting on F# wheras others don't. This is often dependent on trill/ side key hole positioning and how many there are. Likewise altissimo venting, with the Eb key, can vary significantly between horns.
For example, I have an Albert system Henri Farny which requires the F# to be played with with the vent, F/C key, to be open. A much older Kohlert plays too sharp on F# with the same key open. On my Barrett Action pair, the side Eb/Bb and F vent key are operated with the one lever via the Barrett mechanism. The Bb does not require F# venting but the A does. Neither of my Oehlers need to be vented on this note. Most of the time the L2 F/C, both registers, is defective other than as a fast pass fingering.
In the altissimo my Yamaha Oehler, which is my main weapon, can be vented above high C or not up until F# where venting is better, it makes little difference, whereas my Uebel responds better with venting all the way up. You will need to muck around in this register to find in tune and responsive fingerings.
You will need to do a fair bit of scale/arpeggio practise to learn to navigate the pinky keys and again, depending on the age and design, may find that the long key may or may not play an F#/C# on its own. You will also need to learn the chromatic pass via F#/C# via the back key. You also need to use relaxed pressure on the right pinky rollers. From my experience most Boehm players tend to thump their right pinky quite hard. The finger action on Boehm requires a curved finger on these keys where on a real clarinet, howls from the crowd, it needs to be flat as do the rest of the right hand fingers.
It will also be design dependent whether low Bb will work with the forked, xxx/xox, fingering or whether the xxx/xxo + Bb/f sliver key will work best. In the second register either will work but in the first some clarinets will not play the fork which is why one of the Oehler option keys is a left hand F/Bb like the oboe allowing a fast pass. An Eb key venting may lift the fork.
Mouthpiece choice is also an issue. Most traditional jazz players of the New Orleans and later schools tend to play the Albert with a way open mouthpiece and very soft reeds. This was a necessity in the pre-amplification era. This explains the wide open tone and use of vibrato of these players. Most Alberts will work OK with a French/ American style mouthpiece, you just have to experiment a bit to find the right one. An Oehler is best played with a German, or Austrian, mouthpiece and correct reed although, again, with a bit of experimentation you can find a French style that will work.
Airflow differences are probably too complex to discuss in writing. Suffice to say, Albert/Simple/Oehler horns stick more closely to the cylindrical bore than Boehm which accounts for some of their tonal superiority, more howls, but in simple terms you need to blow them differently.
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