Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-11-16 06:22
It's interesting to see this old discussion revived.
Back in the 60s, there just weren't many reed choices available to the average clarinet player. In the days before the Internet, you were at the mercy of what your local music store could provide. Perhaps there were some mail order businesses that provided more options, but it wasn't like it is today where you go online, see endless reed possibilities, and have them shipped to your home in a few days.
Vandoren's (only one style) and Mitchell Luries were the basic choices for serious players, and Vandoren's weren't always available. Olivieris were around (and quite good at the time), but in some parts of the U.S. they were almost unknown. Of course, one could always get Rico and La Voz. Reeds with thicker blanks (V-12s, Rico Reserve, etc.) that are so popular today, for the most part didn't exist.
There was Morre, a reed that had quite a mystique about it (perhaps like Coors Beer in the 70s, when you couldn't get it in the Eastern U.S.). As a high school student at music camp in the early 70s, everyone talked about Morre, but nobody used them. They were very hard for the average person to obtain, and as I recall, were only available from Marks Music in Farrell, PA. I recall sending them a letter, but it was never answered.
Most players in the 60s and early 70s struggled to get a nice "dark" sound.
Teachers would commonly say, "It's too shrill," or "It's too bright." Frustrated students would do everything they could to get rid of the "brightness," but many (I was one of them) never quite succeeded.
Even the famous professionals played with a "brighter" sound than one usually hears today. I'm convinced that the reeds were a major factor. The "smile" embouchure, not too common anymore but widely taught back then, was another factor.
A friend introduced me to the Marcellus recording in the early 70s. It blew me away (and probably countless others too) because of that famed sound. Here was that great "dark" tone quality that everyone seemed to be striving for, but couldn't quite get. I didn't know it at the time, but later learned that Marcellus played on Morre reeds. He was such a fine player that he probably would have sounded good on a basic Rico, but the thick-blank Morres sure didn't hurt. His embouchure, not widely taught, was probably also a factor (Tom Puwalski describes it here): http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=200496&t=200381
I haven't listened to my Marcellus recording for many years, but have always liked it. Now, I'm going to have to take it out again!
Post Edited (2013-11-16 06:23)
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
