 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: William
Date: 2005-11-28 22:20
I recently was given an "improved" L. Penzel-Muller and just got it back from our repair shop where it was put into "playing condition" by MJ. It has no serial number but is stamped with a capitol B just above the L. Penzel-Muller, New York logo. It is a good playing clarinet--clear, bright sound and even scale--but sounds a B when C is played. So I am trying to decide if this is a radically out of tune Bb clarinet--perhaps a high pitch model--or it is an old C clarinet playing rather flat. Although the clarinet came with it's original P-M (New York) mouthpiece, ligature and cap, I used my Chicago Kaspar #14 when play-testing it.
It may be of interest to some, my clarinet is exactly like the one on the left in this artical:
http://www.new-orleans-delight.dk/Sidste%20nyt/George%20Lewis%20Penzel-Myller.html
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Author: pzaur
Date: 2005-11-28 22:28
William,
What do the other notes sound when played?
I'm assuming you're talking concert pitch when you say that your clarinet "sounds a B when C is played."
You also may want to play test it with the mouthpiece that came with the clarinet. That might alter the pitch played.
-pat
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2005-11-29 02:12
Penzel Muller actually made some B natural clarinets to be used at ice skating rinks, and actually to sound Bb pitch in the extreme cold weather.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2005-11-29 02:23
RodRubber wrote:
> Penzel Muller actually made some B natural clarinets to be used
> at ice skating rinks, and actually to sound Bb pitch in the
> extreme cold weather.
I've never heard about this and I'm intrigued. Where did this info come from (if not "word-of-mouth", which would be highly suspect)?
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2005-11-29 05:04
I saw and ad for this on ebay, and i contacted my uncle, who was a contracter in philadelphia in the 1940s and 50s, he used to contract such ice skating gigs, also some circus, and also early strip club type settings. Being a reed player, he confirmed that such a clarinet existed made by penzel muller. Not very definative, but thats my source.
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Author: William
Date: 2005-11-29 14:26
RodRubber--hmmm..........interesting info, & thanks. My clarinet came in a really cool old style double case that I assumed was meant to hold an A-Bb set of orchestral instruments, but perhaps it was really for a B-Bb combo so that the player could accomoate "whatever" the playing temperature happened to be. I do wish the other clarinet had also been in the case, but.........that was not the case.
Again, as there is no traditional serial number (only the extra capitol B stamped above all of the the logos) in spite of being a true "improved" Albert system model, perhaps this Penzel-Muller was a limited production B natural model clarinet.
BTW, I did also play the original mouthpiece and the clarinet still sounded B (concert pitch) when C (clarinet note) was played. (preferred my Kaspar, if anyone is wondering.........:>)
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Author: William
Date: 2005-11-30 14:41
pzaur wrote, "To B-flat or not to be. That is the question"
That's good, but the old Bard by the Avon should have asked, "To B or Bb. That is the (and my) question."
Still, this old L Penzel-Muller is an interesting clarinet and I'm not sorry for spending the "bucks" to have it restored to playing condition. In it's "day", it must have been a "must have" instrument. If I ever find some definative info regarding what key it is in--Bb or B--I'll post it for all. Again, thanks!!
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