 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-01-18 12:38
Attachment: Page01.jpg (108k)
Attachment: Page02.jpg (110k)
Attachment: Page03.jpg (322k)
I've only seen Selmer Marchi systems listed in catalogues, but has anyone on here ever played one full-time?
How easy were they to get on with, and more to a point - was the mechanism easy to keep in adjustment? Looking at all the linkages and extra keywork I'm sure they'd have been a nightmare if anything got bent.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-01-18 16:15
Chris -
I tried a Selmer Marchi System clarinet at the 1980 Clarinet Congress in London and have a copy of the pamphlet, which has a fingering chart.
The second register mechanism extended the altissimo down to A (overblowing low E and clarion long B) with good tone and intonation. This greatly eased those difficult solos that go over the clarion/altissimo break -- the slow movement of the Saint-Saens Sonata, the slow movement of the Beethoven 4th, Shepherd on the Rock.
The design was ingenious, but the instrument seemed to be a work in progress. I had trouble finding the third register using the extra mechanism, though I think I could have learned with practice. There was backlash in the keywork, though, and, like the "full" Mazzeo instrument, some of the keys needed heavy springing, which make the action uneven. Also, you couldn't pull the barrel out very much for tuning.
Selmers from that period don't suit me. The tone blares and lacks center. It might play for me with a custom barrel, but mounting the extra mechanism would be a problem. I remember not being fond of the Marchi's sound.
If Marchi is still around, I'm sure he plays it, but I've never seen or even or heard of one since 1980. If it ever went into production, it was quickly dropped. Where did you find the photos?
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-01-18 17:01
Steve Sklar emailed them to me earlier, and they're also posted on his site - this is the first I've seen of the keywork in more detail than photos of just the main action.
I've got a Howarth single reeds catalogue from 1989 which has the various 10S models - the N.8 Marchi 10S is in there as part of the lineup, but was a special order like the other versions.
I'd suspect the Marchi system was probably discontinued in the early '90s.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: stevesklar
Date: 2010-01-18 21:49
Selmer Paris has a number of old catalog pages on their website ... but they are "buried" quite well (bad web page navigation) and hard to get out. I was directed there first just looking for info .. and then my contact finally sent me files I could actually use.
i like the pic of an Ebony Delivery to the factory. those tree trunks/ branches were huge back then
http://www.clarinetperfection.com/galleryclar/SelmerParis/Ads/1935/EbonyDelivery.jpg
there is more info about who exactly Marchi was ... somewhere ... I was reading it and Ernest Ferron's / Selmer connection.
FYI - a Selmer catalog from several years ago also had the Marchi pics (it was distributed by CD) in it along with benny goodman and other various clarinet pics along with a description of the evolution of the clarinet.
==========
Stephen Sklar
My YouTube Channel of Clarinet Information
Post Edited (2010-01-18 22:07)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2010-01-19 01:55
I have a copy somewhere of Marchi's ?only? US patent #3,844,193. cited in Galpers Vent pat and another. Search Google pPatents for them, the drawings in 193 may be of some help, and there seems to be a sort of fingering chart as well. I'll look farther via USPTO and will report any add'l findings. Interesting, didn't know of cls made. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-01-19 11:20
Each time I misread the subject as "...Mariachi".
Must abstain from Mexican food, methinks.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: spage
Date: 2010-01-20 13:03
Can't speak for the Marchi system, although I'd love to have one (since I've been looking I've only managed to acquire a barrel!) but, as Ken Shaw indicates, the full Mazzeo systems are challenging enough to get/keep in adjustment; mine has caused several intakes of breath and deep thought at Wood Wind and Reed, as it's been put back into playing condition.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-01-20 13:49
I'm sure there's a far simpler mechanism that makes the low register overblow three 8ves out there - but like all things, tradition dictates what's popular and suspicion makes alternative concepts (that do have their merits) redundant.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2010-01-20 14:50
You say it well, Chris, our [collective] players and sellers have doomed a number of fine inventions, witnessed by patent activity and other "promotions", to the might-have-beens scrap heap. The resistance to change shows up in many heman activities. My philosophy for today. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: edgar
Date: 2010-02-15 13:34
Im am that "Edgar" mentioned above and : yes I still blow a Selmer Marchi clarinet more or less "full time". From time to time I switch over to an old "A.Robert" clarinet but essentially my main clarinet is the full Boehm Marchi model.
The Marchi mechanism works still fine. There are three problems with this clarinet: 1.: instrument technicians don't like clarinets that are so complicated , 2.: the instrument is heavier than all my other clarinets - but as I have played long time baritone in small bands and big bands I don't consider this to be a problem, 3.: you only can use the special barrels coming with this instrument (two barrels were included) as the second register vent is placed on the barrel. If you don't use the Marchi mechanism than a normal barrel will also work.
Sometime ago someone said on this board that this clarinet had some non-standard fingerings:this is not true if you play the clarinet without the Marchi add-ons. Only the Marchi add-ons leave the normal fingering scheme. The clarinet is downward compatible.
In the mean time I have found at least two people that also play Marchi clarinets: one girl from Spain and one guy from France (I live in Germany).
It is sad to see that this good idea had to commercial success. I am software/hardware engineer (advanced amateur in music, also playing sax, oboe, bassoon and double bass) and I am fan of new developments even if they lead sometimes to a dead end (Look at strange instruments like the "Arpeggione" that gave us that nice Schubert sonata)
Edgar Huckert
For photos of my Marchi clarinet see my web page on www.huckert.com/ehuckert
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-08-16 07:34
Broseph -
To me the Marchi played like any other contemporaneous Selmer. The additional mechanism extended the altissimo range downward, adding C6, B5, Bb5, A5 and Ab5. It did not extend the range upward beyond C7, though it may have provided alternate fingerings.
The example I tried back in 1980 was, it seemed to me, a work in progress, and there may have been some tweaks before the production model was issued. I'm sure the production run was small. It dropped out of the Selmer catalog very quickly, probably within one year.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-16 18:00
I found the 10S had a very compact, direct and 'fruity' sound compared to the much broader BT and CT.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Broseph
Date: 2016-10-18 03:06
It be possible to add a basset extension to the end of the Marchi clarinet?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-10-18 03:13
I can't see any reason why not.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Richie
Date: 2016-10-23 21:32
I never even knew this system existed until now, shows how much you can learn on this forum.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Plop
Date: 2020-06-17 21:04
My dad has a Marchi system clarinet, but it was unuseful to him for his practice, so he disabled the barillet key. When I was younger, I remember him saying that it was nice to have one note more in the low register, but that the instrument was overweighted.
Not a clarinetist myself (I play the oboe)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
