 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Klarnetisto
Date: 2012-01-11 01:45
Hi folks,
First, what are opinions here about Ripamonti clarinets in general? I'm wondering because I've found them to be one of the few companies that still makes Ab sopranino (they call them "piccolo") clarinets:
http://www.laripamonti.com/instruments/
The price from this online shop is €2,117.50:
http://www.laripamonti.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=71&products_id=203
I know Leblanc has made them, but I've only found one store online that offers them anymore (for $5,679.00)...
http://www.instrumentalsavings.com/product-p/pv-l1176afs.htm
...but no reference to them on Leblanc's own website, which makes me wonder if these are really still available.
Ripamonti's price is so much lower than Leblanc's... is the quality at all comparable?
Then, does anyone know the work of Schwenk & Seggelke (Germany)? They make a sopranino available in either G or Ab, though in Oehler system:
http://www.schwenk-und-seggelke.de/englisch/infopopups/klarinetteninfo_2000_asg.html
Base price is €3570 in grenadilla... other woods are available at higher price, plus options e.g. gold-played keys, etc.
(No wisecracks about my interest in Ab sopraninos, please...!)
Thanks for any info you may offer!
Klarnetisto
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-01-11 01:53
Currently Leblanc has cut back their offerings since the factory in Kenosha was closed. I am doubtful that they would still offer such an obscure instrument as they don't seem to even be making any professional Bb clarinet at this time.
I've never heard of L.A. Ripamonti so no comment there. I do know that Schwenk & Seggelke make very fine instruments.
That being said, do you actually have a need for an Ab sopranino clarinet? The repertoire is extremely limited which is why hardly anyone makes them.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-01-11 05:27
I don't know if it still applies nowadays, but I read in Antony Baines' book that the Ab sopranino is most popular with Italian town and military bands - but he was talking of the 1940s-'50s.
But maybe this is the reason Ripamonti are still offering them - the one pictured on their site appears to have forked Eb/Bb mechanism, articulated C#/G# and LH Ab/Eb lever. How they managed to shoehorn that onto an instrument almost half the size of a soprano clarinet is pretty impressive!
I don't know how easy Ab sopraninos are to play in the altissimo register, but they do potentially have the range from concert middle C to the Ab right up in the piccolo's top register, so that's three 8ves and a minor 6th which is more than a concert flute.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2012-01-11 05:29)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-01-11 07:18
I haven't tried a Leblanc Ab. I've tried the Ripamonti Ab clarinet a couple of times. After a bit of time I managed to play it, more or less, mosly less
So I can't really say anything good or bad about it. It seemed "fine" in that I couldn't control intonation that great after a short time, but it was better a fter a couple of minutes. Still you'd need to practice it more to know really.
In general, I liked some of Ripamonti's clarinets and didn't like some of their clarinets. For example their contrabass clarinet had great response and tone in most of the range but some ergonomic and intonation issues were a bit too much. Their regular soprano clarinets had some really nice things to them, you know those instruments you just feel like you want to play, but they had some issues too that made prefer other instruments better. To be honest, last I've tried them was more than a few months ago and I don't really remember much.
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Author: LCL
Date: 2012-01-11 15:30
I have a pre-owned Leblanc Ab sopranino that I purchased about 5 years ago for about $2,000. I had Morrie Backun go over it and correct a few issues, and it plays very nicely. But I only have it as a collecter's item, since I agree there is very little else it can be use for. Yet it is great fun to play the little horn!
Best,
LCL
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2012-01-11 15:44
If anyone is interested, I've posted an audio file of an Ab clarinet here:
http://home.comcast.net/~bmcgar/Aflat.wma
Enjoy...or not.
B.
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Author: Klarnetisto
Date: 2012-01-11 17:08
Thanks, everyone, for your helpful responses.
SteveG, my interest in the Ab sopranino is for its potential for composition. I'd like to have the option of using it in my own works.
Though, after hearing bmcgar's great soundclip of a Schrammel quartet, I may want to look into that repertoire too!
Klarnetisto
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Author: RefacerMan
Date: 2012-01-11 18:28
There is a modern piece for orchestra that includes a long e-flat clarinet cadenza, during which the player has to stand up and play. The first passage of the cadenza goes to a high b on the e-flat clarinet. The Chicago Symphony premiered the piece in the 60s I think and Jerry Stowell borrowed an a-flat sopranino clarinet from the Leblanc factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin and played the first part of the cadenza on a-flat and then the second half on e-flat. I heard the same piece when I was at Northwestern when the Chicago Symphony played it again and this time Larry Combs was playing e-flat clarinet. He did the same thing - play the first part on a-flat and the second part on e-flat. He did an incredible job on that cadenza. I wish I could remember the name of the piece.
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2012-01-11 20:20
As far as I know, the clarinet in Schrammel bands mostly is in G. It is called “Picksuesses Hoelzl” (cloying sweet little wood). Famous „Philharmonia Schrammeln“ (Members of Vienna Philharmonic) use it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAc--ylu1Po&feature=related
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2012-01-11 20:32
Bill Lewington used to have an Ab in his London store many years ago, which I held (or tried to - it's very small) but never actually played.
I think this instrument was available to rent but don't know if he ever sold one.
There is an Ab part played in one piece on a CD by the "Clarinet Section" an it actually sounds surprisingly good.
These instruments were made in the Paris factory and I imagine they ceased to exist when Leblanc Paris was closed down.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-01-12 14:32
Bob Bernardo wrote:
> When did LaBlanc close their doors?
I believe the Paris factory was sold in ~2008 and is now used by Buffet. The Kenosha plant closed in late 2010.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2012-01-12 20:06
I can only speculate on this - but after the major fire in the Leblanc French factory in 2003 I suspect that in attempting to restart production all attention was focussed on the mainstream Bb / A / Eb lines, mainly Opus/Concerto ranges (+ possibly Bass) and the non-standard instruments, especially the Ab, were effectively abandoned.
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2012-01-13 01:12
I have a Schwenk & Seggelke bass. It is a work of the highest possible craftmanship. I know people who have a pair of their soprano clarinets, same recommendation.
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Author: web4pro
Date: 2012-03-20 11:07
I play sinds one year a S&S M1000+ Clarinet and i am absolutely in love with that instrument. Nothing to say ! this is another world ... You can see some pictures during the fabrication process and the final result.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/web4pro/sets/72157626089101005/
Post Edited (2012-03-20 11:07)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-03-20 17:54
Dear Web4pro,
Thank you for the images of the SS clarinets!! The keys appear to be a satinized finish. Is this true? Does this facilitate sliding from key to key?
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2012-03-21 00:19
I believe the photos where the keys look "Satin-y" are during the manufacturing process, before final buffing and plating. If you look closely, in some of those photos, you can see that the toneholes inside the rings on the upper joint have not yet been drilled out.
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Author: web4pro
Date: 2012-03-21 06:30
Dear CocoboloKid,
Indeed ! you are right ! the first pictures have been token during the manufacturing process.
A must to try !
Regards, Anthony
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