 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Carol Dutcher
Date: 2010-09-15 18:22
I purchased this clarinet for a very low price. At the time I purchased it, I did not know what it was because it was so long, 2 inches longer than my regular clarinet. My friend had inherited the horn, and didn't play it. She was in dire financial straits needing to care for a sick pet. Anyhow after a few weeks of struggling with it, I found out that it had a spring that had come loose. A woodwind teacher also informed me that this was the Mazzeo system. I googled that and spent several hours reading about that system. The Amati is made in Czechoslovakia. The reeds in the box had 1992 stamped on them. There were two other clarinets, a C and an Eb that another clarinet player bought. She liked the C, but doesn't like the Eb. Now that my new/old clarinet is fixed and ready to play, I'm having a lot of fun with it. Just wondered if anyone else on the board has one of these unique clarinets and plays it?
I think Acker Bilk was playing one on his You Tube post a week or so ago.
Thanks for reading!
Carol
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-09-15 19:08
Attachment: AmatiACL315.jpg (130k)
Here is mine. (see attachment)
It's an elderly Amati, probably 60s or 70s.
--
Ben
Post Edited (2010-09-15 19:08)
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Author: Carol Dutcher
Date: 2010-09-15 22:00
Mine has two barrels. The mouthpiece is not very good. It has no writing of any kind on it (mouthpiece). I am so fascinated with this clarinet and had never heard of the Mazzeo system before, so didn't know what that meant either. I'm learning a lot. The case is very nice. I wrote to the Amati company to try and find out the exact year it was manufactured but they responded that they had had new ones now!
Thanks ! Carol
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-09-15 22:42
Your teacher clearly doesn't know much about Mazzeo systems apart from the name, and not all full Boehms (apart from a few Selmer Paris ones) will be built to incorporate the Mazzeo system.
On Mazzeo systems the fingerings for the throat notes are different as they include the LH or RH ring keys - so with the left thumb off and putting down LH 2 (or 3 on full Mazzeos) or RH 1, 2 or 3 will give throat A and adding the throat A key will give Bb, or the other way round with throat A played with just the throat A key and adding LH 2 (or 3) or RH 1, 2 or 3 to give Bb.
When the left thumb is raised and LH fingers 2 (or 3) and RH 1, 2 or 3 are lowered, a vent key on the top joint (in the same place as the side Bb tonehole) opens to simplify some intervals and give a better tone quality to the throat Bb (instead of using the speaker key), though it does make jumps from open G to any note above the break tricky as you can't keep any LH or RH fingers down for the open G in preparation for the upper register note - you'll get A instead.
This was only available on Selmer (USA and Paris) clarinets as an option and gained popularity for a time with some players mainly in the US - the models ranging from plastic Bundy Mazzeo models to full Boehm Selmer Paris pro models. You won't find Mazzeo systems built by any other maker than Selmer. You'll probably find several listed on eBay if you look, either Bundys or Selmer Paris as they were the only company licenced to make this system.
Google Rosario Mazzeo (he was a former Boston Symphony Orchestra clarinettist) to find out more about him and his system and his involvement with Selmer.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2010-09-15 22:55)
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2010-09-16 22:42
If it's a selmer mazzeo it will say on it "mazzeo system". I believe that Rosario Mazzeo worked with Buffet to make some clarinets for his personal use. In any case the NMM has a Buffet mazzeo system horn dated 1970.
Also in any case, if this is an Amati mazzeo it is a bootleg horn. You can easily identify mazzeos - they have a plateau speaker key and a specially-shaped, smaller, ringless barrel.
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2010-09-16 22:57
Dr. Sherman Friedland is the man to ask about the issue of Mazzeo, for he was under the tutelage of Rosario Mazzeo.
Another thing to add about distinguishing Mazzeo from Boehm would be in the way how the bell is constructed. I recall that they are ringless, have less flare from Boehm horns and that they tend to be fragile.
Post Edited (2010-09-16 23:01)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-09-16 23:03
I doubt the conversions done to them were done by Buffet or they left the Buffet factory like that. More like the clarinets were regular off-the-shelf Buffets and the conversions were done later on by either Mazzeo himself or by someone under his guidance. If Buffet built them to Mazzeo's spec entirely in-house, they also wouldn't have the filled in toneholes like the do.
http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/Clarinets/Mazzeo/5834/Mazzeo5834.html
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2010-09-16 23:05)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-09-19 01:56
I just read the accompanying note properly and it says, "Extensive custom modifications by Dennis Heaney, Santa Cruz, and Norman Benner, San Jose, ca. 1970."
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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The Clarinet Pages
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