The Clarinet BBoard  
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Author: samsmash  
Date:   2013-05-09 20:38 
 Anyone got any suggestions as to who the best British clarinettists are?
  
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Author: cigleris  
Date:   2013-05-09 21:31 
 Sam,  
 
That's a tricky question. There are many, many good players here in GB that deserve to be known on the International stage. If you need a place to start perhaps find some recordings of: 
 
Andrew Marriner 
Richard Hosford 
Anthony Pay 
Michael Collins 
Robert Plane 
Thea King 
Janet Hilton 
Jack Brymer 
Gervase De Peyer 
Bernard Walton 
Sidney Fell 
Reginald Kell 
Charles Draper 
and maybe 
Peter Cigleris :-) 
 
To name a few... 
 
Peter Cigleris
  
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Author: Danny Boy  
Date:   2013-05-10 08:59 
 Nice list from Peter. 
 
A few more of note (these lists could go on for ever...): 
 
Tim Lines 
Angela Malsbury 
Nicholas Rodwell 
Mark van de Wiel 
Bob Hill 
Colin Lawson 
Michael Harris 
John Stenhouse 
 
We're certainly not short of great players 
 
gkern - oh he's definitely British. 
 
As an aside - I find the spelling clarinettist to be much more common on these shores, or should I say Bilks ;o) (this is not a correction, just a note). 
 
 
 
Post Edited (2013-05-10 09:01)
  
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Author: Paul Aviles  
Date:   2013-05-10 10:19 
 That was a trick question.  Everyone knows that the last "British Clarinet Players" were Brymer and DePeyer as far as traditional tone and style go. 
 
 
 
 
...............Paul Aviles 
 
  
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Author: Danny Boy  
Date:   2013-05-10 10:59 
 Yup - because Johnson, Hosford, Hilton and King et al. didn't/don't sound anything like the 'traditional' British clarinet school.
  
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Author: Morrigan  
Date:   2013-05-10 11:29 
 Let's not overcomplicate this - to define 'British Clarinetist', we're talking someone who plays the clarinet and is from GB, no? Nothing to do with their style. But for the record I totally know what you mean. Peter's list is right on, Danny Boy there's one on your list whose 'greatness' I greatly question but that's my secret and I'll take it to the grave! 
 
  
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Author: cigleris  
Date:   2013-05-10 11:34 
 Another typical mis-informed statement from Paul... 
 
Peter Cigleris
  
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017 
Date:   2013-05-10 11:36 
 There's also John McCaw.  I met him and heard him perform when he was a visiting professor at Michigan State while I was there.  Great player, great person.   
 
As a high school student many years ago, I enjoyed listening to Gervase DePeyer.  His recording of Weber I was a favorite. 
 
 
 
Post Edited (2013-05-10 11:37)
  
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Author: cigleris  
Date:   2013-05-10 11:40 
 John MaCaw was from New Zealand so he was adopted. His recording of the Nielsen Concerto with the Philarmonia is one of the best. 
 
Peter Cigleris
  
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Author: MarlboroughMan  
Date:   2013-05-10 12:21 
 Poor New Zealanders...plundered for their musical resources.  
 
Here in the America we argue about what city our clarinetists are really from. Is Artie Shaw a New York, New Haven, or Cleveland clarinetist? (For me, the answer changes depending on where I happen to live). Do you like Chicago, New York, or Connecticut Benny? (The correct answer is "New York") 
 
Omer Simeon, whose clarinet adorns the famous Holiday Inn mural in New Orleans, lived and gigged almost his entire life in Chicago, as did Johnny Dodds and Jimmie Noone (both of whom are also aggressively claimed by New Orleans).   
 
All this and we haven't even gotten to arguments about who is "authentic." 
 
 
Eric 
 
****************************** 
The Jazz Clarinet 
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
  
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Author: cigleris  
Date:   2013-05-10 13:11 
 Does it really matter Eric? Americans tend to argue about most things. ;-) 
 
Peter Cigleris
  
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Author: MarlboroughMan  
Date:   2013-05-10 13:28 
 "Does it matter?" 
 
LOL... 
 
Nope. Not one bit.  
 
Americans argumentative? You must have us confused with Canadians, the savage race of warriors to our north. Our spunky little republic to the south is just one, big, peace-loving party...of course it gets a little out of hand every now and then, but it's all in good fun.    
 
 
Eric 
 
****************************** 
The Jazz Clarinet 
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
  
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Author: Tobin  
Date:   2013-05-10 16:33 
 The local (and successful) chamber music festival has brought in Matthew Hunt many times.  I have enjoyed every performance.   
 
His technical ability, flexibility of color, and musical expression is top-notch each year.  I don't know how he is, if at all, considered in Britain, but I've always been amazed that he isn't a more well known name. 
 
James 
 
Gnothi Seauton
  
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Author: cigleris  
Date:   2013-05-10 19:53 
 Yep know Stuart King and Matthew Hunt. Matthew as a great chamber player and Stuart is excellent in contemporary music. 
Both fine players. 
 
Peter Cigleris
  
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