 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Bruce D
Date: 2000-08-01 15:30
I am a graduate student at a prominent music conservatory. While in Europe a prominent conductor recommended on four separate occasions that I learn the German System (I play the Boehm). As a conductor in a german speaking country they play all german music on the german system. I quote: "when Beethoven or Brahms wrote their works, they had the sound of the german clarinet in their minds, not the Boehm." This conductor also said "that at first the Boehm players resisted the change, but afterwards they thanked me." I can say that while I like the broadend prospects of landing an orchestra job in the Teutonic music world, I am loathe to learn the mechanics of another instrument. What do my fellow clarinetists think of this?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kai
Date: 2000-08-01 17:16
This is probably just a naive and personal view on this issue. I suspect that learning the German system may be vastly different in aspects of articulation, reed matters and of course fingering compared to the Boehm. Hence I don't know whether it is possible to learn it while continuing on a Boehm.But if given the chance, i think there is really no harm in picking it up and learn what it has to offer and later on, decide for youself!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-08-01 18:03
Kai wrote:
-------------------------------
Hence I don't know whether it is possible to learn it while continuing on a Boehm.
-----
Well, the Chicago Symphony clarinet players use a gernam system on German music, and Boehm on other music, so we know it's possible to switch around.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Eoin McAuley
Date: 2000-08-01 22:55
It is unlikely that Beethoven had the German system in mind when he wrote for the clarinet, since clarinets at that time were quite different from either the Boehm or the modern German system. Bore diameter is the only significant feature in common between the clarinets of Beethoven's time and the modern German clarinet. The same bore diameter is available on a Reform Boehm clarinet.
I have heard that one or two passages of Brahms are easier to play on a German system clarinet than on a Boehm because they were designed for the Albert-Muller which is the direct ancestor of the Oehler.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-08-02 00:13
I've been a looooong time player of the 'German' or Albert system. Started on Boehm (Selmer Centered Tone) in grammar school, explored the Albert in high school, liked it, and have been playing one or another or that general kind ever since (German/Albert, Simple, Oehler). Have an Oehler, old, that had a shoddy crack repair - I mean, really bad - (that I've since fixed), that's my favorite horn now. So, I can tell you from personal experience, it's possible to play both systems - you don't have to be anyone unique to do that. In my opinion, it's not the horn so much as the person playing it that makes the music. I'm not a sophisticated person by any means so maybe that's why I can't tell the difference in what system you're playing - only if you sound good or not.
To address your post; I don't find any real difficulty switching between Boehm and 'Albert' system instruments. If you want to play good you have to practice anyway.
ron b.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: gRAHAM
Date: 2000-08-02 02:54
Hi,
I think it would be an interesting experience to learn the german system. Like Eoin said the instruments today are not at all the same and prabably dont sound the same as the ones in Bethovens days. Besides, If no one plays things differently than music would not progress in the way it has.
Graham
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-08-02 23:33
My semi-educated guess is that mouthpieces and reeds make much more difference in reed instrument sounds than what the tube is made of or how the holes in it are arranged. There seems to have been as much attention, if not more, given to mouthpiece alteration as to mechanism development.
ron b.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Joris van den Berg
Date: 2000-08-05 08:46
As a student in the country next to your German spoken country I'm currently playing on a Buffet RC instruments. Some teachers suggest it would be wise to get a German bore instrument. This doesn't have to mean learning the german fingerings, since the best German clarinetmaker builds extremely good reform-boehm instruments. (Almost exactly the same fingerings as the boehm, with an underlying german instrument). The only troubling part about these instruments is that they have to be bought from the factory (or seccond hand) and are quite expensive (over 6000 dollar).
Funny thing to ad: with my current teacher, who himself plays a German system (with German keys) did a blind test in trying to hear the difference between a Leblanc Opus, Buffet RC and both the reform- boehm and the oehler Wurlitzer. It turned out that there was far more difference in wich pro was playing (they all sounded good, just different) an instrument than what instrument they were playing. (taken the french instruments were all played using a German type mouthpiece (Vioto N1, adjusted for french bore))
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
