 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Cindyr
Date: 2007-04-20 21:03
Has anyone tried to learn the Albert System for the purpose of playing clarinets that they may own? If so, are there any mouthpiece/reed combinations that would work well on these type of clarinets? I have a pair of JTL's that I've tried out. They came with hard rubber mouthpieces, the A's is useable, the Bb 's isn't. As far as I can tell, they date from about 1880.
What I've found so far is the difference in feel for the right hand. It's a bit of a stretch to cover the holes, since they are further apart. And, of course, remembering the differences in fingering. I've gone right back to the Rubank's blue book to practice the basics.
This is just for fun, I reailze I can't play these old beauties in a band due to the high pitch.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ChrisArcand
Date: 2007-04-20 22:28
Ah!
Quick, really quick question, yes I know that I could hunt it down but I came here and saw that somebody else mentioned my issue:
I have an old Conn Selmer Albert lying around, and restored it. I like playing it, it was my uncle's in WWII.
My quick question is why is the pitch so unbearably high? I thought it was just mine for a while...
CA
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-20 22:33
I used to play a friend's old sharp pitch Boosey&Co. Albert system C clarinet in a church band.
High pitch or sharp pitch was used mostly in the Victorian times and early 20th Century, and is around 452Hz (as opposed to 440Hz which is the norm nowadays), though companies in France, Belgium and the UK were building instruments to both pitches at the same time.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Molloy
Date: 2007-04-21 14:22
"It's a bit of a stretch to cover the holes, since they are further apart."
I find the albert system key and tonehole placement uncomfortable on a (low pitch) Bb and miserable on an A, so I rarely play mine. I do like to play albert C clarinets, though, the slightly smaller size makes all the difference for me. I don't have a boehm system C, so it's getting to where subconsciously I associate "albert = C".
My Penzel Mueller plays very flat with a modern mouthpiece, but has good intonation with the original mouthpiece, which is about 3mm short and, alas, has a chipped tip. My Triebert plays ok with a modern mouthpiece, it came to me without a vintage mouthpiece. I'd guess they're both from around 1920.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: super20dan
Date: 2007-04-22 00:41
i have a hard rubber conn albert in c from around the turn of the century. its in amazing shape and actually plays and sounds wonderfull. i play oboe so albert is too much of a stretch.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
