 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: John
Date: 2002-05-10 05:05
I have an old German System Conn Bflat soprano clarinet. I would like to learn to play clarinet. Should I use this instrument or get a newer Boehm system instrument? It is in good condition and was recently overhauled.)
What are the pros and cons (aside from the obvious con: spend money on a newer clarinet)of the two fingering systems?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kny
Date: 2002-05-10 05:29
A boehm system will be easier to play compared to the german system
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ron b
Date: 2002-05-10 05:54
I play both systems, John, and find little, if any, difficulty switching back and forth. I prefer the German system only because it's more familiar to me. The Boehm system is the most common in north America and parts/service is no problem with popular brands. Replacement parts for a German system (in the U.S.) could be a more expensive proposition.
If you decide to learn the German system and intend to play with a band or orchestra, etc., make sure the instrument is low pitch (A=440). Conn produced high pitch and low pitch instruments concurrently for quite a while.
Those are, more or less, the cons. The pro is that the clarinet makes beautiful music
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jez
Date: 2002-05-10 13:36
The trumpet section in our orchestra uses German style, rotary-valve instruments in the big German repertoire, especially with German conductors. I've been wondering if we could extend this to the clarinets. Does anyone know of an orch. which has adopted this policy?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-05-10 14:33
jez, it has been told to me (but I have no verification) that rhe Chicago Symphony's Clarinet Section achieve a more authentic sound during presentation of some German compositions
by playing Wurlitzer German- or Oehler-system Clarinets.
Regards,
John
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John
Date: 2002-05-10 22:52
whoa...this is...like me...he even capitalized the J and the address is the same..."we.client2.attbi.com"...scary
i.e. the original post was not made by me. but seeing as there are many John's on this board, and that i was slightly uncreative...eh, i forgot what i was going to say.
anyway, is there much difference in sound betwixt the boehm and german systems?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-05-11 00:31
There is likely no difference in sound because of the fingering system. However, the German and Boehm systems generally have different bore designs which can make quite a difference. If you can distinguish a trumpet from a cornet, you can tell a difference between these two clarinets.
Regards,
John
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Rene
Date: 2002-05-11 07:43
More important, they have different mouthpieces and reeds (narrower). You can read in Brymer's book about that.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 2002-05-11 12:45
The "German" system clarinets made by Conn in the US used the same mouthpiece as we use on the Boehm instruments. There may have been exceptions but I've yet to see any. The Conns just used the fingering system not the entire design (I don't know about the bore for sure). So they aren't truly "German" system clarinets.
Basically these old Conns used the Albert fingering system, the predecessor to the modern Oehler fingering system. The term "German" system has been applied to several different stages of the this fingering system. The development is as follows:
Simple system => Mueller system => Albert system => Oehler system
The term German system has been applied to at least the last three so it is not a very accurate description. Your old Conn is very probably the Albert system.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John
Date: 2002-05-11 17:49
Thanks to all who replied to my question. It seems clear now that I have a 1924-25 Conn Bakelite B-flat (440) Albert System Clarinet SN B108355L. I had this instrument worked on and my wife, who plays sax, says it has a nice tone.
I'm lookimg forward to finding a teacher and someday, making "beautiful" music. I've read a few articles about technique and teaching methods. Hopefully I won't form any terrible habits before I find a good teacher in the Los Angeles area.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jez
Date: 2002-05-13 14:59
John McA.
Larry Combs has confirmed with me that they do indeed change to Oehler for some German repertoire. Quite a daunting prospect but I'd love to give it a try.
regards
jez
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-05-14 10:47
Yamah makes clarinets with the Oehler sound but with Boehm fingering. Perhaps that is what you want.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2002-05-15 04:25
Jez - that cascade in the first movement of Brahms 3rd symphony (2nd clarinet) might be cute on with a new fingering? LOL
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-05-16 04:09
jez: Thanks very much for the report back from The Man Himself. At my present rate of improvement on my Richard Keilwerth "Top Choice" (24/6), I should be able to do that somewhere around the year 2009.
Regards,
John
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Dow Symphony NB
Date: 2002-05-19 16:32
About the German sound, alessandro Carbonare won the Berlin Phil audions because of his Germanic like sound but did this through the use of a B40 Vandoren mouthpiece with a dark Rovner ligature...the moral of the story is that the German clarinet can be imitated by the Boehm in various ways. One thing I found in my own experience, (with the Wurlitzer that I used) is the fact the focus in some areas is better and in others dissapointing...the Boehm is just as good provided you have a good set up and also a decent reed combination. the B40 and B45 Lyre seem to be a real vogue in order to strive for this particular tonal arrangement (at the moment and there are no secrets about this.) Whether or not some are comfortable with this set up is beside the point becuase individual results may vary greaty when experimenting with equipment. That being said, one could sound like a German player on any model theoretically. Also the Boehm clarinet sounds alot more like the German model compare with the French Bassoon and German counterpart which is the Heckel. Understandably, most players believe a harder reed produces better results, yet in point of fact how many use 41/2 and 5s? In theory, the bore also is a cheif determinant in the harmonic spectrum, yet the mouthpiece further complicates the process due to bore parameters as well...the cheif constinuents in a good sound may not be as predictable as some would hope. The structure of the mouthpiece also renders limitations as well as freedoms and must be approached in an entirely different thread.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
