 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jason.traiger@gmail.com
Date: 2025-10-18 00:22
I have a Selmer Series 9 Bb clarinet, serial number S9577.
Does anyone know the year of manufacture for this clarinet?
I've had it since 1964 when I received it from Gino Cioffi, principal clarinet in the Boston Symphony Orchestra at that time who I met through his "master student" (my teacher) at the New England Conservatory in Boston. He told me that it was delivered in a set with an A clarinet directly from Henri Selmer Paris, but the A clarinet was unrecovered from being stolen. It has solid Sterling Silver keys. I just had it overhauled by a professional clarinet specialist who verified the silver keys and the "like mint" condition of the Grenadalia wood. Everyone who hears describes its sound as "like sunshine and sweet." Thank you if you have any manufacturing information.
Jason Traiger
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-10-18 03:02
Attachment: ginocioffiseries9starset.jpg (57k)
Fantastic! I'm guessing somewhere around 1962/63 as I've got an S series Series 9 full Boehm A clarinet from around that time.
I've also got a set of Series 9* clarinets from 1967 that were also made for Gino Cioffi - both are consecutively serial numbered (A V2xx1 and Bb V2xx2) which I've never seen on any set of clarinets, before or since. Not only that, all the sections are stamped with the serial numbers and the barrels, top joints and bells have A and Bb engraved on them. They were bought by the parents of one of his pupils in 1968 who played them in the Tanglewood youth orchestra until around 1978, then stopped playing and sold them on eBay in the mid/late 2000s. After I bought them, he found a spare European bell for the A which didn't have the extra US/Canada export engraving on it. He contacted me in a bit of a tizz as he was worried that the bell was missing from the A clarinet, so it now has a spare.
They're the N.6 spec which is everything except the low Eb key. Oddly enough, the first ever set of Selmer clarinets I bought were that exact same keywork spec (an N series Balanced Tone Bb and a P series Centered Tone A) and I played them with a crystal mouthpiece. Then it transpired Gino Cioffi also played that same keywork spec large bore Selmers and with a crystal mouthpiece.
I only became aware of Gino Cioffi when one afternoon on the radio, the 2nd movement of Dvorak's Cello Concerto was played with Piatigorsky and the BSO under Charles Munch. The opening chorale/hymn with Gino Cioffi on principal clarinet stoped me in my tracks as his sound was something else. I then asked on here who the principal clarinettist was and got the answer. Then when these Series 9* clarinets came up for sale on eBay, I missed them the first time round but they got relisted and I pounced and got the set for $3000 (which was £1500 at the time). The silver plating on them is immaculate and the machining marks can still be seen on the joints. I have since completely rebuilt them as the original pads and key corks were past their best and use them on occasion as they are my 'special' clarinets what with their history.
The seller also posted on here regularly and he even got my number and called me all the way from Thailand where he was living at the time I bought these clarinets. He felt it was a shame to have these clarinets kept in a cupboard when they could be played - they had travelled around the world with him as they were in New Zealand as well. The original case was a Selmer USA one which kept the bells attached (as Buffet and Selmer double cases have been doing for several decades now), but at least he did the right thing and part separated them when they were cased up so the tenon corks had some degree of recovery and the bells didn't bind up solid on the tenons had they been left on from the word go (which is common on Buffets and Selmers kept in similar cases). I rejigged the layout of the case so the bells are separated and relined it with purple velvet (see attachment), but have since bought an older Yamaha double case (the larger one with brown vinyl covering) where all the joints are separated.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-10-18 03:05)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2025-10-18 09:48
They are good, but old horns, very open bores, I played on Buffet's then 1960's vintage and now I prefer the CSVR'Yamaha's. The 9 series horn make beautiful jazz horns, just a bit hard to control the pitch.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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