 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Saxismyaxe
Date: 2006-06-15 09:32
Hello all,
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm primarily a Saxophonist who doubles on Clarinet, and my history/material culture knowledge of the latter is perhaps not up to the level of the former.
To get to the point, I recently picked up a late 40's vintage Selmer Clarinet for a steal (I have too many as it is, but that is another story), and with it came a vintage Hard Rubber Mouthpiece by a maker unknown to me marked D. De Caprio. A quick search revealed a sheet music publishing company by that name, but no history of instruments or mouthpieces by this maker/retailer.
This thing plays wonderfully, and I'm curious if anyone has any history, links and the like about this name? Any and all replies are much appreciated.
Mike S/Saxismyaxe
Administrator:
Saxontheweb.net
Vintagehorn.com
Post Edited (2006-06-15 09:35)
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2006-06-15 15:55
Domenico DeCaprio (Dominick) was a well known clarinetist in the Chicago area from about 20's to late 50's. He was a member of the Chicago Symphony for a very short time, then did much theater pit orch. work and radio playing. He was the clarinet teacher at Northwestern Univ. for a long time, preceding Jerry Stowell who was then followed by Robert Marcellus as clarinet teacher. He was George Waln's (Oberlin) clarinet teacher. DeCaprio had mouthpieces made up with his name to sell to students and they were, pehaps, a French blank, perhaps a Chedeville. His younger brother, Angelo, was also a Chicago based clarinetist. DeCaprio's mouthpiece, with his name, could be regarded as, of the time, much like the Marcellus' mouthpieces, with his name, of a later date, a good, but not spectacular, mouthpiece with a tie-in to a player/teacher.
If it plays well, great, if it doesn't, I wouldn't be surprised.
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Author: Saxismyaxe
Date: 2006-06-16 08:31
Douglas,
thank you for the info. As I mentioned, this Mouthpiece plays very well for me and I'm quite pleased with it.
Albeit I am a saxophonist who doubles on clarinet, so I have different requirements than many on this board.
It is likely an example of one man's trash, another man's treasure.
Cheers.
Mike S/Saxismyaxe
Administrator:
Saxontheweb.net
Vintagehorn.com
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2006-06-16 15:14
I'm glad the mouthpiece works well for you. I knew several players who used a DeCaprio mouthpiece, and often with good results. I never found one that worked for me, but that's just me. As I remember, DeCaprio published several elementary music books for Belwin. As I recall, the bore of the mouthpiece may have been larger than usual because the throat tones were often flat with that mp and DeCaprio would ream out tone holes with tools he had. Kind of scary, actually. I wish I knew who made the mouthpieces for him; of course, there is always the possibility that he had one of the Kaspars, who were in the area at that time, do this work for him, but I rather think not.
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