 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2011-07-05 01:01
I know this sounds odd, but I actually have found a practical use for a high pitch Eb clarinet. The first question that comes to mind is what is the length of such an instrument compared to a low pitch?
I have an invitiation to sit in with a Civil War reenactment band with all the brass instruments in high pitch. I'm looking for a Mueller/simple system.
Any leads would be appreciated greatly,
Mark
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2011-07-05 02:15
No idea about the length but I see these frequently on the auction site which may not be named for commercial reasons. FYI I have no auctions there at all and never have. No affiliation, etc....
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-07-05 02:47
I'll second Katrina's recommendation. I see an HP Eb clarinet show up on the auction site usually at least once per week. These are usually Albert systems from the late 19th / early 20th century but you could make the argument that they are quasi period correct since the Albert system was first crated in the 1840's and 1850's even though it didn't gain widespread popularity until later on. You could probably make the same argument for a boehm system clarinet since the original Klose-Buffet prototype was made around 1840.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-05 04:35
And you'll be able to snap up a quality make one at a good price. Check the listings in the UK, France and Germany as well.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2011-07-08 01:29
Does 16 1/4" length without mouthpiece sound right for a high pitch Eb? I measured my Selmer Paris effer at 16 7/8"
Mark
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2011-08-12 03:31
Got one on the way now, a Buescher from around 1910. I'm looking forward to trying out after an overhaul.
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2012-02-02 04:07
I got the Buescher back from the shop today and I'm pleasantly surprised with the sound. It has a nice big tone, plays in tune with itself, and the keys lay well under my fingers. I got this effer to play with a high pitch band but I kind of wish it had been low pitch because it sounds so nice. I'll see how it does playing with other high pitch instruments sometime in the near future.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2012-02-02 13:24
Since the perceived view is that most Eb clarinet play very flat in altissimo you could find that this one actually tunes well to low pitch in that register!!
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2012-02-02 14:34
Interesting, I've never had problems with altissimo on the Eb being flat. I have a Selmer pro model and in the past played a Penzel Mueller and a Leblanc L7 without intonation problems on the high end.
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-02-02 14:55
I have an old simple system C clarinet in high pitch. We use it as a Christmas tree topper.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-02-02 23:13
It's not always the Eb clarinet that plays flat up top, it's usually down to the player.
There are some regular Bb clarinet players out there who play flat and have their barrels shortened to 'cure' this problem, but still play flat with a barrel shortened right down to 58mm. So not only are they still flat, the intonation of their instrument has gone out the window as well!
Are there many high pitch bands or orchestras in the UK? Considering how many high pitch wind instruments are to be found, it's a shame they aren't put to good use.
Were high pitch tuned percussion instruments (mainly glocks and xylophones) ever built?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2012-02-03 23:30
The group that I bought this effer to play with is an American Civil War re-enactor band that is uses high pitch original instruments: saxhorns, round cornets, and the old rope tensioned drums. The director's wife found a high pitch Db piccolo to play as well. I don't think they have any mallet percussion.
This effer isn't pre-1865 but there aren't many clarinets available that can be documented to that timeframe.
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