 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Melissa Murphey
Date: 2002-02-21 00:25
Hello
I am new to this group and looking for advice on purchasing a clarinet in the key of C. Aside from the obvious 3 to 7 thousand dollar Buffet and Leblanc brand new horns, does anyone have any advice about a decent, reasonably priced brand and model? I am willing to buy a used horn and get it repaired on my own as long as the price is right. I want the clarinet so I can play Middle Eastern/Turkish music without transposing. Any and all advice is helpful. Please respond to my email address: melissa_pgh@juno.com Thank you.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-02-21 01:52
The Leblanc Esprit and the Patricola are pro level horns for around 2K. Leblanc/Noblet and Buffet make an intermediate model for around $1500 I believe.
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2002-02-21 05:21
I play a Patricola CL-7 which I bought three years ago and love, although I've tried various Leblancs and I think those are fine (especially for folk music) and they're cheaper. I also use mine to play folk music, and generally informally with others, without transposing.
I'm curious about what tune books you're using for your sources of Middle Eastern / Turkish music, because the more seriously you get into that kind of stuff, the more you have to play by ear, then transposing doesn't matter, and with the funky scales that have those flatted notes, there's generally no advantage to a C as far as ease of fingering goes, except, perhaps, for specific tunes in specific keys.
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Author: Eoin
Date: 2002-02-21 08:10
The Leblanc Spirit is a wood clarinet in C with Nickel Plated keys. It is listed as $645 new.
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-02-21 09:00
In Turkey the clarinet they traditionally use is pitched in G, thats a tone lower than a normal A clar. (arguably the inst. Mozart wrote for) These are still readily available if you happen to be in Istanbul!, but tend to be in simple system.
If you just want to avoid transposing and don't want to shell out too much you could try a Lyons C clar. (sponsors)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-21 12:41
Jez - what does "arguably the inst. Mozart wrote for" mean? Mozart AFAIK never wrote for a clarinet in G.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-02-21 14:45
Melissa, I bought a Buffet E-11 C clarinet last year and have found it to be an excellant instrument with an even scale and good intonation--nothing that cannot be easily corrected by minor embouchure control and careful tuning. I should add that I do not consider any clarinet to be perfectly in tune--some are better than others, but all are ultimately played "in tune" by the player who knows the note tendecies on his/her own set of instruments. That being said, the Buffet E-11 is a good clarinet--the bell is plastic, but the rest of the instrument is wood--well in tune, sound that projects in the orchestra and (the best part) is economical. I bought mine at Instrumental Musical Suppliers for less than $900.00 and had five to choose from. Buffet E-11--Highly Recommended. Definately give it a try before you buy any other and, Good Clarineting!!!!!!
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2002-02-21 15:23
I bought a Patricola C clarinet this past year and found it to be a very, very nice instrument. I paid $1,895.00 for it from International Musical Suppliers (I think Peter Spriggs has these as well). It had the extra Eb/Ab key like the Buffet Prestige and felt similar in the hand. I sold it because I didn't end up going to Israel (scheduled for right after Sept. 11) and didn't need it for the remainder of my year.
I've also tried the Buffet E-11 C that William mentioned and found it a very nice instrument as well. I recommend getting the Chaddash barrel and a Greg Smith mouthpiece with it if you go that direction. You'll still come out cheaper with the E-11 than the Patricola--but your next best deal would be a lot more money for not much better instrument.
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-02-21 15:32
If I remember rightly the first known manuscript for K622 was in the key of G written for an instrument pitched in G. It only covers the 1st couple of hundred bars. I think it is called the Wintertur manuscript. There is an excellent book by Colin Lawson about the concerto which should clarify matters.
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Author: Mary
Date: 2002-02-21 15:35
Ditto for what's been previously said about Turkish music and G clarinets. The timbre of a C clarinet isn't going to sound authentic, if that's at all what you're after. I don't know about Mid East stuff. As far as the transposition goes, I guess it depends on how much you're reading vs. playing by ear. An advantage of the G for the ornaments and microtones in Turkish music is the lack of as many rings on the toneholes of the Turkish Albert system clarinets.
But then, you didn't ask us for our opinions of what key clarinet to play- I guess you already considered this! Good luck in your quest!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-21 18:38
jez wrote:
>
> If I remember rightly the first known manuscript for K622
> was in the key of G written for an instrument pitched in G. It
> only covers the 1st couple of hundred bars. I think it is
> called the Wintertur manuscript. There is an excellent book by
> Colin Lawson about the concerto which should clarify
> matters.
Perhaps you should re-read the book then. The Winterthur manuscript (a facsimile is available right here on Sneezy in the Music section) was written for a basset horn in G, not a clarinet, and has some of the motifs from K.622 but most definitely is not K.622. It is vwery incomplete.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-02-21 19:24
Wouldn't a basset horn, pitched in G, essentially be a G clarinet with a range extended to low C?
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: John
Date: 2002-02-21 22:00
Can I run my shoe lace ligature down the bore of my A clarinet
to make it a G clarinet for playing Turkish music? 
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-02-21 22:15
You could sure try that, John, but maybe a Velcro ligature would do a better job.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-22 01:34
Jack Kissinger wrote:
>
> Wouldn't a basset horn, pitched in G, essentially be a G
> clarinet with a range extended to low C?
If the bore was equivalent to the diameter of an A clarinet - essentially yes.
The real difference between a basset horn in N and a clarinet in N is the bore diameter. The basset horn is a narrow bore clarinet - even with the extension down 2 full tones the bore is not widened - and has a distinctively nasal quality rto it, reminiscent of an Enlish horn.
From Grove ||:
"It is generally recognized that the particular timbre of the classical basset-horn was due to the fact that its bore was scarcely larger than that of the contemporary clarinet, whereas the alto clarinet in F, which was developed in the early part of the 19th century, had a substantially wider bore. This has left modern makers in something of a quandary as to the ideal towards which they should aim, namely whether a basset-horn can be made to balance the forces of the modern orchestra without losing the special character that distinguishes it."
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Author: Melissa Murphey
Date: 2002-02-22 02:54
I have a Turkish clarinet in the key of G. Pretty neat, but I can't reach the left or right hand keys correctly. Also, coverage of the holes is very difficult for me. The horn is simply huge. The clarinet is visually interesting, but damn near unplayable to me. It is made of metal, not so smooth sounding. Perhaps a great repairman can get the horn to match my hands. I have been trying hand stretching exercises, too. My fingers aren't getting any longer.
Thanks for your advice.
Melissa
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Author: Melissa Murphey
Date: 2002-02-22 03:02
I started with Mimi Spencer's books in September 2001 and transposing songs by hand. I played Western music for 11 years, but never did improvisation. I did not learn songs by ear. I still need music, or a really excellent and patient Middle Eastern clarinet teacher.
Thanks for your advice.
Melissa
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Author: Melissa Murphey
Date: 2002-02-22 03:21
Hello
You mention "Instrumental Musical Suppliers" as the place you bought your Buffet E-11C. I can't find these folks online. Do you have a phone number or address for the business?
Why would the bell of the horn be in plastic? Could I substitute a wooden bell?
Thanks for your help.
Melissa
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-02-22 03:26
It's "International Musical Suppliers", and you can reach them at 1-800-762-1116, or through the website at http://www.intlmusicalsuppliers.com/ Lisa Argiris, the owner, is a professional clarinetist, and I know many of us here have had wonderful personal experiences with her. She'll take the time to answer any questions you might have and help you select just the right instrument. Good luck!
Josh
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-02-22 08:29
Basset- horns? Clarinets?
Even in modern instruments I think there's a discrepancy.
The Leblanc 'Basset-horn' feels to me more like an alto-clar. in F, while the Buffet definitely feels like a Basset-horn.
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