 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-04-25 23:22
As some of you know I make my own mouthpieces. I'm doing a study here and need some help mainly from the players that knew Marcellus or studied with him or personally knew the Kasper's. Do any of you know what model he played on, for example the Ann Arbor, Chicago, or Cicero. I know from talking with Bob he used a 1.11 tip opening. I don't think he used the Ann Arbor mouthpieces, because that's when the family kind of split up and I think one of the brothers went to Ann Arbor.
Also I know from talking with Bob Marcellus that he a drawer full of Kaspers and he did switch around mouthpieces a bit. Does anyone know about what year he recorded the Mozart Concerto? This doesn't have to be exact. Thanks for your help. Bob
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2016-04-25 23:23)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2016-04-26 00:39
Bob Bernardo wrote:
> Does anyone know about what year he recorded the Mozart
> Concerto? This doesn't have to be exact. Thanks for your help.
October 21, 1961.
...GBK
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Author: bassclarinet101 ★2017
Date: 2016-04-26 00:40
I think it was 1956 for the Mozart Clarinet Concerto recording? I also recommend calling Sayre Woodwinds and talking to Rick. The company number is 630-916-1525.
I'd be interested in any information you find out!
EDIT: I'd trust GBK's date (above) over my own.
-Daniel
Post Edited (2016-04-26 00:42)
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2016-04-26 03:15
Bob,
I did not study with or know Robert Marcellus, so others on this list will certainly know more about this than I do, but in 1963-1964 an acquaintence of mine, Thomas Malcom Jones, was studying with Marcellus and he let me examine and try the mouthpieces he said Marcellus was using and recommending to his students at the time. These were both Kaspar 13 and Kaspar 14 models from the Frank Kaspar in Cicero.
Anyway, I recall this distinctly because I used to let the Cicero Kaspar repair my Buffets then, and I called him and ordered 2 of the "Marcellus style" Kaspar 13s. For a while this was a much in demand mouthpiece from Kaspar, and he sold them for a very reasonable price! I used them to play some John Cage style music by Paul Epstein who was teaching music theory at Tulane/Newcomb college of music. But I never used them again, because they just didn't voice right for me or suit my playing style. I sold them, and I recall telling Thomas Jones that I still preferred my Lurie M3. Wow, I had totally forgotten that until you brought up the subject of Marcellus and Kaspar mouthpieces. I'm sure if you talk to people who studied with or performed with Marcellus in the early 1960s they will confirm that Marcellus was playing and recommending Cicero Kaspar 13 mouthpieces and that Kaspar had developed "Marcellus 13 and 14" models that anyone could order (though the Marcellus name never appeared on the mouthpiece, so far as I know). On the phone, Kaspar asked me "so you want the dark 13 like Marcellus plays," and I said "yes." Someone on this list must still own such a Kaspar.
At other periods, earlier and later, Marcellus may have used and recommended something different. (In fact a friend who plays in the Louisiana Philharmonic who studied with Marcellus later says he then recommended Robert Borbeck mouthpieces to some of his students.)
Post Edited (2016-04-26 08:20)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2016-04-26 04:45
Marcellus did use some other mouthpiece over the years, including a Bonade Melior and an Ann Arbor for a time and a crystal mouthpiece, which he used to record the Russian album with Capriccio Espagnol. Marcellus is most associated with the Kaspars. He used a Chicago Kaspar on the Mozart recording. He later switched to a Cicero, especially after his original was inadvertently broken. He preferred the #13 facings, but played an 11 on the famous Schubert Octet performance.
If you really want the definitive information, contact Greg Smith. He probably knows more about this than anyone out there.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-04-26 05:53
I heard Marcellus play the Mozart Concerto. I was definitely in 1961, my first year in college. Of course he may have also played it in 1956, but the recording came out in late 1961 or 62. He sat in a chair, and Szell conducted every nuance, including the little cadenza in the slow movement.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-04-27 04:36
Wow, thanks folks so much for taking the time to write. This information is very valuable.
I did send out an email to our friend Greg Smith. He may call me. Sometimes he calls rather than sending emails. I also got some wonderful information from Fred Ormand and Ramon Wodkowski. Both also helped me out greatly. I hadn't heard from Ramon before, so that was a really wonderful surprise. I look forward to future conversations with him. A great guy for sure to take the time to write and offer me so much info.
So from what I've found so far is the Kaspers would modify the baffles and adjust the facing. The rest of the mouthpieces weren't touched. I know from measuring the Ann Arbor Kasper's that the baffles can be very different. I have 2 Ann Arbors
and the baffles are totally different, both tend to be bright sounding, so the information about dark sounding mouthpieces makes total sense.
Also being friend with Mitchell Lurie for 20 years or so, making his reeds, the Lurie mouthpiece baffles were deeper. He used Pomirico mouthpieces. Don't think I spelled that right.
Folks, keep posting! Many thanks!
Bob
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2016-04-27 04:46)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2016-04-27 06:34
While you are at it, you could contact Brad Behn as well. He is a wealth of info.
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