 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: spage
Date: 2010-03-27 21:24
I've just come back from the Met's HD relay of Ambroise Thomas' 'Hamlet'.
The overture to one of the acts features a clarinet solo and we were offered a tantalising tour round the first clarinettist and his instrument. Tantalising because it wasn't close enough to answer the question I'm about to ask. I'm hoping someone round here knows the answer!
What is his instrument?
The right hand side looks normal, but there was definitely some interesting-looking mechanism on the left hand side of the bottom joint. If anyone knows what it's for I'd love to know. Ta.
ETA: After a dig around I believe it was Stephen Williamson; the info I've found suggests Selmer Signature - but it didn't look like an unmodified Signature! The mechanism I mean looks like it's a long rod, set to the rear of standard mechanism and a linkage/pad at the bottom which didn't really come clearly into shot. Almost looks like an attempt to add another note, or possibly extra venting for some bottom notes? I fear I'm not making much more sense with this edit, so will wait and see if someone does know.
Post Edited (2010-03-27 21:43)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-03-27 21:39
If it was Anthony McGill then he plays the Backuns Leblanc clarinets, if it was Stephen Williamson then he plays the Selmer Signature. It should be obvious who's who, they don't look alike. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2010-03-29 15:42)
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2010-03-27 22:57
Sounds like a Tosca...they have an extra vent mechanism. Maybe he was trying a new clarinet?
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2010-03-27 23:20
the Signature has an additional alternate Eflat key in the left pinky cluster; that's likely what you saw.
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Author: donald
Date: 2010-03-28 07:14
Or... a signature with the F resonance vent that they can put on the recital if you ask nicely? Or... a signature with an aftermarket E/F resonance vent (as is common on the top German system clarinets)
dn
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Author: spage
Date: 2010-03-28 08:48
@katrina: It didn't look like the Tosca I've seen "in the flesh".
@chris moffat: Nope - I know what alternate LH Eb keys look like (I've got a couple of instruments with 'em) :-)
@donald : resonance vent could be more likely - I'd be interested to see a picture of a Signature with one fitted. I'm still slightly suprised by the rod, but I guess retrofitting could lead to that. It doesn't look like the German system vents. I'd still I'll try my luck with a search engine again but I didn't have much luck last night.
I might think it was my imagination had there not been another clarinet player in the audience, sitting on the opposite side of the cinema. We met up afterwards and both of us wondered about the additional mechanism. We did wonder if it were an attempt to basset-clarinet it but felt, based on the basset clarinets and basset clarinet conversions we've seen, that the overall length would be different.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-03-28 14:11
It's probably the automatic low F tuning mechanism that's an option on the Selmer Recital. It's the only one I know of that runs from the upper joint down to the lower. I've read that Selmer will put it on any instrument on special order.
Ken Shaw
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Author: spage
Date: 2010-03-28 14:45
Thankyou Alex Clark (clarinettist1104) and Ken Shaw. Ken's note that it runs from the upper joint down the lower, coupled with Alex's picture, both chime with the mental image I came away with from the relay. That's the first time I've seen that particular mechanism for a low vent. Alex, do you have a larger version of the image I could have by any chance?
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Author: clarinettist1104
Date: 2010-03-28 16:40
I do not... I have seen it several places, but I know that Kasia Marczak an amazing clarinettist has it on her recital, and she has several pictures of it in her photo album 'my clarinets' on her website. Well, at least two or three pictures...
http://www.kasiamarczak.com/Photos-clar.html
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Author: spage
Date: 2010-04-02 15:25
I found and used the 'contact' form on the Met's website. The Orchestra Secretary has forwarded me Stephen Williamson's response. It is an after-market vent key for the low F only (low E on his Signature sets is OK). It's not Selmer's, having been designed by Tomoji Hirakata, his repair person in New York.
Colour me very impressed with the Met!
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