 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Lam
Date: 2014-01-24 12:20
Hello and just come across the following Brahms 1st sonata video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jycLSZpz9uU
Does anyone know what clarinet was Mr. Benda using? (seems to be a mixture of German and Reform Boehm clarinet)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-01-24 13:11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jycLSZpz9uU
It appears to be a 19/7 Boehm which has LH Ab/Eb lever, LH forked Eb/Bb mechanism and articulated C#/G# which are standard, plus a multitude of added extras - rollers on RH F/C and Ab/Eb touches, rollers on LH E/B and F#/C# touches, G/D vent (double pad cups on F/C key), articulated F#/C# key, low E/F correction vent and throat Bb mechanism.
Could it be a heavily modified Buffet Prestige? The barrel looks very Buffet-like and it has the oval silver (plated) badge on the top joint.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Lam
Date: 2014-01-25 12:30
Thanks Chris !!
I agree with you that it's a buffet prestige.
If I am going to order a reform boehm later, then i would surely ask the maker if they could build it with the LH E/B and F#/C# roller for me (if the surcharge is not very much).
I never imagine that such modifications could be applied on a normal buffet, I appreciate Mr. Benda's effort in realize his imagination, and i would also like to have my Buffet modified like his one
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-01-25 17:45
These aren't reform Boehms as Buffet don't make reform Boehms - they're 19 key 7 ring Boehms (not quite full Boehms which are 20 key 7 rings built to low Eb) which I think can still be made to very special order, but the roller keys, Oehler-style low E/F correction key, articulated F#/C#, improved throat Bb mechanism, etc. etc. are not Buffet, so will be the work of a specialist.
The only extra keywork Buffet fit nowadays are the LH Ab/Eb lever on the R13 and upwards and also the low E/F correction key on Toscas and Divines.
Reform Boehms have a very different bore and keywork configuration to 19/7 Boehms - you'll have to take a look at both to see exactly what the differences are. http://wurlitzerclarinetsamerica.com/products/clarinets.html
I don't think all the extras were done by Buffet (apart from the basic 19 key 7 ring instrument). I reckon they were all carried out by a specialist.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2014-01-25 13:25)
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Author: Alexis
Date: 2014-01-25 19:42
I played in a masterclass for him a year or so ago.
It's a heavily modified R13 - can't remember the name of the person who modified it. He was a Swiss maker I think.
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Author: Alexis
Date: 2014-01-25 19:47
I don't think the metal plate below the barrel says prestige on it, even though it looks like it.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-01-25 19:51
Could it be Rene Hagmann?
Have a look at this video (in French - no subtitles) - there's a clarinet in the background from 1:50 that looks the part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz6lEWBFqhY
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2014-01-25 20:07)
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Author: Alexis
Date: 2014-01-25 14:54
It's possible - Geneva based sounds right. But I really don't remember the name.
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Author: John Peacock
Date: 2014-01-25 21:27
Can those who've met Benda confirm that he's 2 metres tall? He seems to tower above the piano: at times it's like the trick camerawork in Lord of the Rings, where humans are made to
look twice the size of hobbits. Try the shot at 22:00 - it looks utterly weird.
Having gone to all the trouble of putting German keys on an R13, it certainly sounds German as well. What can the mouthpiece be?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-01-25 21:28
Funny that - I was going to ask how tall he is after watching the video!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-01-25 18:34
Just found an RC which he's customised - it has a double speaker mechanism, improved throat Bb mechanism and G/D vent (double pad cups on the RH F/C key) so it's almost like a mini bass clarinet:
http://www.clarinetsdirect.biz/HagmannRC.html
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2014-01-26 01:43)
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2014-01-26 01:29
In the closeups, especially in the Brahms second movement, I think I see
Charles Bay in white on his mouthpiece. That would be a surprise, but
Charlie's blanks were good and perhaps it has been reworked.
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2014-01-26 01:40
I believe Benda produces his own line of mouthpieces, barrels, and bells based somewhat on his study of old Viennese clarinets, especially those made by Koktan. He collaborated with an Italian mouthpiece designer. Howarth's in London used to carry these.
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2014-01-26 02:00
The Benda mouthpiece was designed with Alessandro Licostini of Pisa, and the barrels and bells were produced by Schwenk and Seggelke. For some reason, Howarth seems to have discontinued stocking them.
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Author: Alexis
Date: 2014-01-28 14:31
Yes he is very tall - not sure if over two metres!
And the details from seabreeze are correct
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