 The Ethnic Clarinet
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Author: George
Date: 2001-01-26 14:58
I have heard that the clarinet pitched in C is used a lot for Klesmer. Is this true, and how important is it to have such a horn? I have also heard that many (most, all?) Klesmer music was written in concert D (2 #'s), which would be E (4 #'s) on a Bb instrument (a bear) but F (1 b) if played on an A instrument? Anyone have any experience using an A clarinet on this genre?
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2001-01-26 16:12
Where did you "hear" information like this? I have the Bb editions of the the Kammen books 1 and 9, and there are hardly any concert D tunes. I have other books for concert key instruments with tunes in a variety of keys. I happen to have a C clarinet I bought to play contra dance music, which are fiddle tunes, and therefore in sharps, but most people use a Bb. Giora Feidman uses everything, and Kurt Bjorling of Brave Old World has a Stephen Fox basset clarinet in C. But thee are exceptions.
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Author: mike
Date: 2001-01-29 05:14
Actually many clarinet players from the first generation played c clarinets at one time or another. It's a different sound. There are people that still play them to capture the sound of the first generation players. As for playing in D- there are many tunes in D (freygesh and minor) but Dave Tarras wrote quite a few tunes in Bb- (which sucks on a Bb horn) among other keys
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2001-03-01 12:02
Try a simple/albert/oehler system instrument concert D major or minor is not a problem. If you practice enough any key should be OK.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-03-03 12:36
Naftule Brandwein (american klezmer clarinetist, sp?, d. circa 1967?) used a C albert exclusively. Kurt Bjorling (Brave Old World) also uses a C instrument. Check out their recordings. Mr. Bjorling suggested playing along with Brandwein recordings on a C instrument. This is pretty tough to do on a B flat, but makes immediate sense on the C.
The C instrument has a lot brighter sound, which is desirable for Klez. For some recordings, you can figure out what key they were in. Depends on how much work they put in when mastering the CD. Once there, you can make out what key instrument was used. For example, D minor makes more sense on a B flat instrument, since there are few C clarinets with the low D. Trying to execute the trills and other ornamentation should make it obvious which instrument was used.
So far as getting an instrument that plays well, the Leblanc and Buffet's both have big intonation problems in the 3rd register, similar to a lot of E flat instruments. Moving the register vent down toward the bell 10mm (yes!!!, 10mm) with some other mods will move these instruments in the right direction, but not solve the problems. Mr. Bjorling did this to both Leblanc and Buffet Pro instruments, with success. Seems ridiculous to have to do this, though, doesn't it?
There are some other production C instruments on the market, and I don't have any experience with.
Stephen Fox of Toronto talked about these problems to some extent in a paper he delivered at the ICA convention at Columbus, OH in 1998(?). His C instruments solve these problems. He can make them with a low D, too!
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2001-03-18 00:16
As Ralph said, there is more to using an instrument of a different key than ease of fingerings. Granted, ease of fingerings does effect sound, and sometimes how the trills sound. I tried playing a Brandwein piece on my clarinet from ear. No matter how much I practiced, I could still not get that sound that I heard. Sure, I'm not as good as Brandwein, but I thought I could do better than I was doing. I didn't play that number for a while, and then later tried playing it on my clarinet, but started off in the wrong key. Lo and behold! I got that sound I was looking for, but not in the right key. In my opinion, there are three factors to consider when it comes to the key of a selection. First, a clarinet in the key of C has a considerably different sound than one of Bb, D, etc. Second, a clarinet is not perfect. There is varience of the different notes on a clarinet. For example, the throat tones are one of the most obvious, but there are so many more, less obvious quirks in the clarinet. These quirks effect intensity, intonation, as well as timbre. Third, there are the different fingerings, which alone, might not be too much of a problem, but the trills that accompany them, when not in the original key, may be a little tricky. With practice, these trills can be decently exectuted, but often lack the sound and character when transposed. Part of this is to do with ease of fingering, and partly due to where the keys are in relation to our fingers. The other part is number two, as listed above. I admit, I cannot afford to have clarinets in several different keys, but I know full well that it does make a difference. I am not saying that one should go out and buy clarinets in every key, but it is something one should be aware of when playing and selecting music. The key in which it is played on the instrument, as well as the key of the instrument itself, effects the tone and character, and general sound of a piece. Another thing to consider with these guys that have all the different keys of clarinets - they can afford it! Playing clarinet is what most of them do for a living, and it makes good sense for them to spend the money, so that they can get just the right sound that they are looking for. Just my opinions and observations. :-) -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2001-04-20 22:07
"So far as getting an instrument that plays well, the Leblanc and Buffet's both have big intonation problems in the 3rd register, similar to a lot of E flat instruments"
I have been playing a buffet prestige "C" for a few years now and I can't think of why something as drastic as a 10mm regester tube move would be warented. Guy Chadash only moves the tube on clarinets up by 2mm at the most. I would be very wary of any advice that would have me change anything that drastically. You are always going to have to give something to get something.I Have found that using a Chadash C barrel and a mouthpiece designed for a C clarinet makes this instrument easy to play nice and sharp with a Euro tuned musett acordion. When I use it in the opera I use the original barrel.
The use of instruments in various keys to play klezmer is a carry over from the the days of "simple system" albert use. These instruments required many different cross fingerings to be able to perform in all keys. Because klezmer music is played in various minor modes that have augmented seconds in them these fingerings can get tricky. Statman plays Bb and C albert, Sid Beckerman plays a Bb Boehm, Merlin shepherd plays mostly a C albert , Kurt Bjorling plays a C boehm. I have played albert a few times while I think I might like it for playing klezmer music, I don't think I would like it the other music I am playing. Luis Rossi is making a large bore 15mm bore clarinet modled on the an albert original boehm. I wish Rossi would make a C clarinet. His Bb is really nice for playing Klezmer or anythingo on for that matter.
Later Tom Puwalski The artist formerly known as Sarge
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-04-23 16:59
I dunno. Could depend on the vintage of the instrument. Buffet sometimes makes design changes without keeping records. Just try to order screws by serial number. Your Chadash barrel will make an enormous difference, though.
Brandwein and Dave Tarras both used Albert system instruments. At some point in his career, Tarras switched over to a B-flat, but Brandwein stuck with his C.
I haven't figured out how to mimic the sound either of them got, but then too I haven't convinced myself that I really want to. Sid Beckerman, who plays on a Boehm instrument, and has about as deep a klez tradition as anybody, gets his own sound, which could be characterized as much evener and more modern. It works really well, even on Tarras covers.
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The Clarinet Pages
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