Author: lmliberson
Date: 2025-08-12 18:49
Well, Donald, you're not really wrong at all - whereas my orchestra used the term "assistant" , some use "associate". Whether their duties differ due to the title is anyone's guess.
For a long time, the LA Phil had Co-Principals. Some orchestras (due to the size of their respective clarinet sections) don't have any assistants. Some specify the second as the one who doubles Eb. It is what it is, eh?
Re: your Bolero story - my teacher during my last couple of years of high school was Herbert Couf (of mouthpiece and saxophone fame). He was also the principal clarinetist of the Detroit Symphony under Paul Paray in the early 1950's. He told me once that when they performed Bolero he not only played the opening clarinet solo but both sax solos! They recorded Bolero later in 1958 (I believe) long after Herb left the orchestra so I have no idea who might have played the sax solos.
Bonus - we (the DSO) also recorded Bolero with Neeme Jarvi in the 1990's so there's proof that I have actually played the piece!
But then, only the Eb solo. 🙂
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The Clarinet BBoard
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