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Mpc for German Bb vs. A clarinet

Author: Bill
Date: 2020-04-03 02:23

I have what might be a "vintage" German clarinet mouthpiece marked "O Nurnberger Markneukirchen '/s." and below that just an "A." I'm testing it with a (freshly overhauled) 1950s F. A. Uebel Bb clarinet. The tuning is not so good (quite flat).

My question is this: Given the fact that the mpc is marked "A," I wonder if German system requires a different mpc for an A clarinet. Unless "A" stands for "Awful" or "A quality" or something else.

I'm teaching myself German system and it's awfully difficult. I know it takes time for the fingers to land in new places, and I'm extremely mindful of finger placement (I've gotten damn good with the forked B/F). The difficulties are more than those of fingering. The clarinets (I have two Uebel Bbs; the other is from 1985) just don't ... seem to want to play. Some notes (throat A) are dreadful; others (C above the staff) are too beautiful for words. F#/C# is hard to finger (I can't figure out roller keys ... they're just decoration as far as I'm concerned). Stuffy and resistant. But with an addictive, plangent sound.

Oh well. Thanks. Any German system players -- I could use some encouragement. Thanks!

Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)

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