 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2012-11-27 15:26
Attachment: C_clar_02.gif (270k)
Attachment: C_clar_01.gif (290k)
Apart from my love for classical music, the other kind of music I like is klezmer and other ethnical Eastern European/Arabic/Turkish. This genre of music requires a more bright and focussed sound, and also agile finger movement. I am aware that Stephen Fox offers C clarinets in both typical Boehm range(Low E) and basset(Low C) form. I'm wondering if a C basset would do the job better than an ordinary Bb. Its sound is brighter and more responsive while extending the range both a whole step higher resulting in easier accessibility to high notes(frequently found in quick passages), and a whole step lower to concert C(terrific for slower passages). Also, closer keys allow me to change notes quicker(as I have slight fine motor skills defficiencies). Tranposition from Bb should be quite easy, as I've played the C descant recorder before.
Some composers assigned the Eb and D clarinet for this task in their symphonies. Mahler's(my favorite composer) earlier symphonies have Klezmer sections, and his choice was the Eb/D, and also scored for them in his latter less klezmer-atic symphonies.
Well, what do you guys prefer? Feel free to reply!
Josh
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2012-11-27 17:56
Most Klez folk I know play either C clarinets (either Albert or Boehm fingering) or Bb.
As far as Balkan/Greek/Turkish/Arabic, it depends on which country they're from. I play Balkan music mostly and play a regular Bb Boehm. The Bulgarian superstar Ivo Papazov plays a Bb Full Boehm. Some Bulgarians also play A Full Boehms. The Serbian Romani clarinetist I studied from this summer plays a metal Bb Boehm.
In Greece and Turkey, the Albert systems are more common. Greek players typically play Bb/C/A/G depending on what keys their singers sing in. Turkish players typically play the G Alberts...
IMO, the tone color/timbre comes from 2 things primarily: Open mouthpiece/soft reed combo and Internal tone color concept. If you know the sound you want to make, that's at least as important as the equipment you use. The open mp/soft reed makes it easier to play with less air and gives you more opportunity for loud sounds during long phrases.
Hope this helps!
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2012-11-27 18:31
My daughter started klezmer lessons when she was 10. She is 11 now. We have a great C clarinet and an Eb, as well as a metal Penzel Mueller Clari-Met, but she doesn't use any special equipment, nor does her teacher, Margot Leverett who was the first clarinetist with the Klezmatics. The special stuff is all inside.
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Author: vintage clarinet doctor
Date: 2012-11-27 21:07
Most of the Klezmer players who contact me are looking for wooden Bb Alberts (generally French) with pinky rollers and a front F key. Some even like resin or hard rubber horns so they don't have to worry about cracks! I've wondered if I should start stocking metal Bb's but get so little call for them.
Best wishes, Jeremy
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Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2012-11-30 14:47
Dear buddies,
Thanks very for replying! By the way, is the Oehler fingering suitable too?
Josh
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Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2012-12-01 21:13
The best clarinet to learn Klezmer on is the one you currently have. You don't need any special mouthpiece facing, or reed. Spend the money at the Itunes store and my 10-15 klezmer Cds and listen to all of them, many times. When I was writing my first book, " A Clarinetists Guide to Learning Klezmer", I did all the transcriptions using a C clarinet simple system(albert). ONLY becuase that was what Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwine were playing. I never really used it on gigs, because many gigs I play I play many other types of music. But playing the Albert clarinet gave me an idea of how much of the ornamentation was specific to that system clarinet. I came to the conclusion that a lot of it was and is.
So my advice is to learn 15-20 tunes. Then evaluate if what you're playing on is helping or hurting your playing
Tom Puwalski, Author of "Klezmer Basic Training" and "The Clarinetist's Guide to Learning Klezmer", former principal clarinetists U.S. Army Field Band. and owner of www.clarinetgourment.com
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Author: Hauper
Date: 2021-12-13 14:23
I have just bought a C clarinet, partly because of curiosity, partly because I have the impression that this clarinet is better for klezmer music due to its fresher, more lively sound, compared to the Bb. The smaller size is fine, but I figure I have to «reprogram» my fingers since the keys are closer together.
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