 The Ethnic Clarinet
|
Author: Christoffer
Date: 2001-02-04 08:36
To me, one of the big questions of life is: does an Albert system clarinet sound different from a Boehm?
Opinions seem to differ, so I've turned to the ultimate judge in such a case: my own ears, listening to various recordings of both. In some cases, however, I do not know which kind the player in question uses. This is OK, as far as I listen without prejudice, but at some point the truth of course has to be revealed.
So, does any of you out there know what kind of clarinet Kurt Bjorling of Brave Old World plays? Albert or Boehm? And how about Matt Dariau of The Klezmatics?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2001-02-04 14:46
I saw Bjorling's basset clarinet in C fairly close up. Looks like a Boehm system with the extended fingerings (if, indeed, those extended fingering jobs are considered Boehm in the first place).
Saw Matt Darieau play once. Clarinet looked "normal", so it was probably a Boehm.
FWIW, I was at a Balkan music camp (in Maryland) a few summers ago. I met a highly experienced American reed player who used an Albert. He had had several of these over the years, worked on them himself, bought them for the usual reasons, i.e., authenticity. He confided that he was tired of all that, and tired of the difficult fingerings, and he was going to sell them all for a nice R13. Interestingly, the featured clarinetist at the camp, who was from Albania, spoke not a word of English, and played entirely by ear, used a Boehm. He didn't have a case for it, carried it around partially assembled in a shopping bag, but it was a Boehm.
Steve
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Stewart Mennin
Date: 2001-02-08 23:51
The truth about Albert and Boehm? It's what you prefer and what you have and what you want to do that counts. I've been playing Albert for many years and prefer the sound. I can tell the difference when I hear it. The is a physicial difference in the bore size. I find the Albert sound for me, to be somewhat brighter and more colorful. Technically, the Boehm is better suited for some musical styles that require lots of alternate fingerings. The older generations of musicians played more Alberts, mostly for historical reasons. As more Boehms become available and popular, the use of Albert systems will decline, as per Bulgarian Wedding music popularized by Ivo Papasov. I believe Naftule Brandtwein used an Albert system and it sounds that way to me, the same with Itzikel Kramptweiss. Tarras used a modifed Albert system that had a lot of Boehm features. Occasionally I find problems making some complex fingering transitions on my Albert but not enough to deter me or to drive me to seek to transfer to Boehm. I learned on the Boehm and switched to Albert and prefer less machinery between my hands and the wood of the instrument. It is a personal preference and ultimately that is what counts. What other people play shouldn't make any difference, you have to choose.
Stewart Mennin
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2001-03-01 11:59
I play nothing but albert/clinton/oehler system clarinets and am often complimented on my sound "It is good to hear a clarinet sound with character" comes to mind. The throat tones are stronger and the volume all round is much bigger without the effort. For any folk type use the simple system clarinet is by far superior you are closer to the natural sound of the horn.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-03-20 17:44
Mr. Bjorling has a Buffet Prestige C that he has modified for better intonation. This includes moving the register vent down 10mm (!!!). He did this to his previous instrument, a Leblanc, with good success.
He also has a Stephen Fox C with a low D, delivered early 2000. I have the next previous serial number Fox C, which has standard compass (low E). These instruments solve low pitch problems in the altissimo register that Buffet and Leblanc C's exhibit.
Don't know which instrument Mr. Bjorling uses more now, but I would guess its the SF.
Mr. Fox lives in Richmond Hill, Ontario (Toronto area,) where he makes A, B flat, C, and E flat, instruments, Basset Horns, Basset Clarinet extensions, Tarogato's, and lots more. I met him at the 1988 (?) ICA in Columbus OH, where he had his instruments on display, and also delivered an eye-opening paper about the bore of the clarinet. It is my understanding that he is developing quite a waiting list.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-03-20 17:49
I believe that Ivo Papasov and other Bulgarians favor Selmer 10S's. Yuri Yunakov's clarinetist Katherine Foster (sp?) also has one of these that he found for her in a store in Australia. The word is that they like the big sound they get with these instruments. There is also a new 10S Mark II, or something like it - haven't heard any comments on these yet.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Scott Williams
Date: 2001-03-24 02:42
I learned and am better on boehm, but I love Albert...It's cool...I often recomend to my students that they get and learn an Albert, because the alternate fingerings they struggle with on the boehm, are the ONLY fingering on an Albert...also I LOVE the rollers on better Albert's pinkie keys...they're like a sax, and friendly to the fingers...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2001-09-08 11:59
I'm having a 1918 Buffet Albert system restored for my never ending quest to get to the center of the klezmer tootsie pop. It should be a very interesting project. Hopefully later this fall I will get a chance to see Dave Tarras's clarinets, Andy statman has at least 2 of them I believe. So I'll find out what make and model and I'll take some photos and post them for all to see!
Tom Puwalski, author of "The Clarinetists Guide to Learning Klezmer"
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
