The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Mitchell Lurie

Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-12-07 03:54

I haven't tested other reeds. I hear that the Gonzales reeds are pesticide free. I think they say this on their website and maybe their boxes?

I will write to Bernard Vandoren this week and ask if he use pesticides.

Yes a lot of pro's used the Mitchell Lurie reeds back in the 70's and even the 80's. But when the thick reeds popped up such as the Morre' reeds and the thick Vandoren reeds, we can't forget about the Grand Concert reeds, well this changed not only what some players were looking for, but also mouthpieces started to change as well. Playing the upper register above F and G was now easier! Players were attacking pieces that went to high C. Spohr for example.

The Steuer reeds were being handmade made in East Germany starting in the 1940's and in the late 1970's I got a hold of some reeds and the blanks were really thick, like the Morre' reeds that were no longer available. I worked with Bob Marcellus trying to convince the Steuer company to make a French cut reed. They refused and continued to make only German reeds. Times changed. The Steuer company is still family owned and they moved to France about 3 years ago. They of course still make these great German reeds but also make French reeds now. I wish Bob Marcellus was still alive to play some of the reeds, sip on some bourbon and smoke a cigar! He liked bourbon and cigars!

I hope this helps with the history of the reeds. How the French and American reeds were made using thinner blanks and Germany used thicker blanks. Morre' reeds were kind of the breakthrough in the US as far as think reeds. Then slowly by demanding players asking for thick blanks Vandoren and Rico started making these in the early 90's.

I agree with seabreeze, the regular Vandorens are very close to the Mitchell Lurie reeds. He posted while I was still writing! Great post and thanks for sharing this needed information.

Bob

Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces

Yamaha Artist 2015

Post Edited (2015-12-07 04:36)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Mitchell Lurie

knotty

2015-12-05 21:26