 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ralph
Date: 2004-02-26 22:40
David: I was reading the equipment posting and noticed that you own both a set of Recitals and Festivals. I'd been interested in an any comments you might provide comparing these two different models. I'm in the market for a new instrument and these are two of the instruments on my list. Specifically I'd appreciate any comments you may provide on intonation, eveness of scale, and ease of playing in the higher register (C above the staff and higher). By the way, I live in a city where you can't find a Recital, which dealer had an adequate supply for you to choose from ? Thanks for any feedback you may provide.
Ralph
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-02-27 13:35
The Recital clarinets I have are a set from the ealy 90s and were purchased in France(at Selmer). My clarinet teacher at the time required his students to use Selmers.
Then have a tremendously wide flexibility in terms of pitch and for some the souund may be somewhat too dark. I have found with the B40 mouthpiece this to be quite a nice match in terms of sound. I also like the eveness scale in the clarion and altissimo more than Buffet because the resistance is quite even right in to the altissimo. Selmers are certainly not for some...however I use mine in an orchestral setting and have no trouble tuning or adapting my sound....
As to the Festival clarinet set this were purchased from Long and McQuade in Toronto after trying about 6 or 7 sets and I was impressed mainly by the flexibility and projection...in louder orchestra parts they really cut, yet still maintain the focus I want over the Selmer set. One set is for Mozart(Selmer) and the Buffet is more for Dvorak...however, most people can't tell what I have in my hands...
as to supply you should call Woodwind and Brasswind as to who is closest to you...I would hasten to add they(Selmer) are getting a bit pricey so buy when you can get a decent price...
David Dow
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-02-27 13:55
I have read that the Selmer Recitals have a different (smaller) bore than other instruments, and therefore require a different mouthpiece.
This jibes with my experience. My mouthpiece doesn't seem to work particularly well on the Recitals I've tried.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: larryb
Date: 2004-02-27 14:45
I play a Recital A Clarinet (my Bb is a Signature). The Selmer C85-105 mouthpiece works reasonably well with the Recital, but I've been playing for the past two years on a Greg Smith 1* that plays even better.
The Recital is wonderfully in-tune with itself throughout the entire range. Mine only came with one longer (645) barrel, and I find it takes a while to warm up to tune with others (A440) Make sure you have the shorter barrel (it's supposed to come with both) so that you have greater flexibility in tuning, especially on cold days.
Also, I find that on certain high notes, I have to finger the low Eb right pinky key, like we generally do on Bb. Other A clarinets often do not require this.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-02-27 17:57
I agree with Larry B....I tend to find the B40 suits the sound spectrum of the Recital well...only with 3 reeds not anything stronger...however, my Hite D facings will play in tune only with shorter barrels that come with it...and sometimes still I find the sound a bit low depending on the reed I am playings.
As to the quality of the Recital clarinet..they are top notch and have a superb sonority that is quite dark but flexible in terms of color beyond the Buffet clarinets...sound in the chalumeau is very warm and capable of great depth and also superb tuning at softer dynamics....as to detracting qualities I tend to find the throat notes a bit too flexible but generally the Bb is superior to the Buffet throat Bb...
I too have noticed the same attributes with the Selmer Recital A clarinet in having to use the Eb key to raise the pitch...I also notice the A is a bit more freeblowing than the Buffet Festival A clarinet I have and prefer its intonation....I use the B40 for tuning at 442 and the Hite D facing for 440 and 439.5 tunings....no trouble with either piece for the Recital clarinets...however, some may find the resistance and overall playing differences from Buffet products to be a cause of alarm...
I enjoy my Recital clarinets greatly.
David Dow
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-02-27 18:20
David -
If you can hear the difference between 440 and 439.5, or have to pull out the barrel to adjust for it, then your ears are a lot better than mine.
That's not to say that tiny differences aren't audible if you're trained to recognize them (as in Turkish music) http://test.woodwind.org/Databases/Logs/2003/03/000654.txt
Nevertheless, at the music lab at Interlochen, even the faculty members couldn't consistently distinguish consecutive tones 1 Hz apart.
Deaf regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ralph
Date: 2004-02-27 22:39
Thanks David, Ken and Larry for your feedback. It's greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Ralph
Ralph
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