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The majority of these attempts have concentrated on the upper joint;
one attempt was to improve the "fuzziness" of the throat Bb. The defect
of the throat Bb note has been a problem for the clarinet ever since the
beginning of its development. It was known that the problem was due to
the dual function for the speaker key to produce both the overblown
twelfth and throat Bb. However, not until the beginning of the
twentieth century did makers finally attempt to solve this problem by
creating two separate tone-holes, one for for each purpose, and by
designing two separate keys to cover them.
The Stubbins SK System was invented by William H. Stubbins, an
acoustician and a former professor of clarinet at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor. Stubbins ingeniously and successfully adapted
ideas from earlier approaches to solving the throat Bb "fuzziness"
problem for the Boehm System clarinet. He patented his "S-K Mechanism"
invention in 1950.
My paper, addressing the approach in the Stubbins SK System, is
especially significant for me on this occasion because only shortly
before he passed away Nick Shackleton was in correspondence with me
precisely about an SK System clarinet.
This paper examines the cultivation of the clarinet in Naples in the
late 18th century, c 1770-1800. The characteristic usage of the
instrument (typology, technique, and musical qualities) is established
through examination of selected excerpts of works performed at the San
Carlo Theater. I incorporate source materials which offer information
about the compensation of musicians, identities thereof, and the
specific introduction of the instrument and fulltime clarinetists to the
ensemble. The intent of this investigation is to provide a more
complete history of the clarinet in Italy during the late-18th century
and to offer a context for its important status in Naples during the
19th century.
On many levels the relationship between Mozart and Süssmayr is
of interest: Süssmayr was Mozart's pupil from around 1790; he
enjoyed close relations with Mozart family; he probably supplied secco
recitative for La Clemenza di Tito and completed the Requiem after
Mozart's death. Through Mozart he forged a friendship with Stadler
whose artistry made such a significant impact on that composer in his
last years, resulting in, amongst other pieces, the Clarinet Quintet
K.588 and the Clarinet Concerto K.621 written for Stadler's basset
clarinet and the substantial obbligati for basset clarinet and basset
horn in La Clemenza di Tito.
Süssmayr's move to Vienna in the later 1780s and his
associations with Mozart excited his interest in the clarinet and basset
horn. Mozart encouraged Süssmayr to write a work for Stadler in
1791. Evidence suggests that, at least by 1794, Süssmayr had
completed a concerto for the clarinettist. From extant examples of
Süssmayr's clarinet writing, drawn from archival sources
particularly in Budapest and London, it would appear that it was
Stadler, rather than other Viennese clarinettists, who inspired
Süssmayr to write virtuosic parts in the Mozartian manner.
Already by 1800, specific, national characteristics in clarinet
design had emerged, establishing nascent characteristics of French and
German instruments. In fact, by the 1820s, clarinets in each country
possessed qualities that were entirely unique, and playing styles
adapted accordingly. In Paris, Frédéric Berr, for example, mentioned
specific local makers in his Traité (1836), as did several
others, such as Fröhlich in Würzburg, Backofen in Darmstadt and
Fahrbach in Vienna.
The origins of this division and its influence on musical life is a
fascinating subject with an unlimited number of international
repercussions, a variety of which will be discussed.
The basset horn was not played in France as it was in neighbouring
countries, particularly in South Germany and Austria, and this paper
will examine the reasons for this. Detailed study of the construction
of these three surviving curved french basset horns (all different from
each other) will allow us to assess their musical function, and also
reveals some relationships with other curved basset horns. The entire
corpus of these sickle-shaped basset horns was thoroughly examined by
Sir Nicholas Shackleton in 1987*: this study will complete the French
part of this remarkable work, taking into account the discovery of the
important Amelingue basset horn in 2002.
* Nicholas Shackleton, `The Earliest Basset Horns', Galpin Society
Journal, 1987, pp.2-23.
Patents were from Arthur (the father) in 1884 and 1891, and James in
1891 and 1898. George offered no patent applications. However, as a
pre-eminent clarinettist and professor in major London conservatoires he
also acted as a clarinet consultant with Boosey and Co. In this role,
helped by the eminent acoustician David Blaikley, he developed the
models of clarinet which bear his name - the Clinton System and the
Clinton-Boehm. The former of these models enjoyed considerable
popularity into the mid-twentieth century. Examples of both of his
instruments will be available for examination at the presentation of the
paper.
James Clinton, also a fine player tended to concentrate more on
instrument design, especially a Combination Clarinet with models in the
Albert and Boehm Systems. For this he enlisted the services of
J.B. Albert of Brussels and formed a company for its manufacture and
distribution chaired by Sir Arthur Sullivan.
Personal circumstances are described where germane to the
investigation and where they differ from the published literature.
Finally the influences on design, mutual and otherwise, are explored.
During Nick Shackleton's lifetime the worlds of the collector and
professional period instrumentalist sometimes diverged in quite radical
fashion. Clarinets were among the instruments that began to be widely
copied within a musical environment where few period conductors showed
much organological interest, ever anxious to be acceptable to modern
ears. The regularisation of historical pitches, (for instance to A=415
or A=430) has been ironic, given that Quantz in 1752 lamented the lack
of a uniform standard, which he reckoned was detrimental to his work as
a flautist and to music in general. For today's players it is perhaps
unfortunate that organological evidence in the public domain has tended
to focus upon such matters as key mechanisms, bores and visual impact,
with insufficient attempt to communicate the subtle quality of different
instrumental sounds. Of course, words struggle to communicate certain
aspects of art, whether quality of timbre or those tiny differences in
emphases and timing that distinguish a great performance from a merely
good one. As Daniel Türk put it in 1789, "certain subtleties
of expression cannot really be described; they must be
heard". The fascination with different nationalities of
instrument which was a central focus of Nick's life as a collector has
been largely ignored in the studio, with composers as diverse as
Cherubini, Rossini and Beethoven routinely recorded on the same set of
"period" instruments. Unripe fruit indeed!
This practical paper will demonstrate some of the techniques for
clarinet in their avant-garde guise and uncover their antecedents, which
might range from the ancient Greek aulos to twentieth century Albanian
folk music.
The Royal College of Music's Museum of Instruments, forming part of
the Centre for Performance History, houses an internationally-renowned
collection of over 800 instruments and accessories from c 1480 to the
present (700 European, keyboard, stringed and wind; 100 Asian and
African). This collection embraces some sixty instruments from the
clarinet family, including specimens by Doleisch, Griesbacher and
Scherer.
In using the RCM instruments as a case study, this paper examines the
nature of such collections and the way in which objects interact within
them.
Over the past 20 years the measuring instruments and methods
presented here have been developed in an attempt to objectively evaluate
a mouthpiece. With these instruments/methods the physical dimensions of
a clarinet mouthpiece can be precisely determined: lay, rail widths,
baffle, table, chamber, bore, window, angle of the lay and of the baffle
with respect to the bore etc.
It is essential, however, that the parameters measured be compared
objectively with the playing characteristics. This can be accomplished
by comparing nominally identical mouthpieces and correlating their
differences in performance with the differences in the physical
parameters measured. The cooperation of experienced clarinettists is
essential if the ultimate goal of these studies is to be achieved.
The main body of the paper concentrates on Lotz's activity as a
maker, with particular reference to clarinets and basset horns. Lotz's
instruments are placed in the context of contemporary wind instrument
making through a brief discussion of the development of the clarinet and
basset horn. The representation of Lotz's instruments by modern
instrument makers is then discussed, using a comparative approach.
Three modern copies of Lotz clarinets by different makers are contrasted
with one another, and with the original instrument. The same
methodology is then applied to two basset horns. Finally the legacy of
Lotz is examined, with particular emphasis on the careers and
instruments of his two pupils, Kaspar Tauber and Franz Scholl.
The compromise in placement of the clarinet tone hole to produce an
acceptable throat B-flat and yet facilitate easy production of the
twelfths has been the subject of debate and experimentation since the
invention of the clarinet. In his book The Clarinet, Rendall
elaborates the problems encountered with the dual functioning speaker
hole: "The basic cause of the trouble is the speaker. The
air-column cannot be divided into the segments necessary to give the
twelfths without a speaker, and strictly every separate note requires a
different position of the speaker for perfect results ... one
speaker in one fixed position has to do the duty of several ... the
problem is aggravated by the necessity of using the speaker as a
note-hole for middle b-flat as well. For this purpose the hole, to give
an adequate note, must be of a certain diameter, and this diameter does
not happen to be the ideal for overblowing ... [The maker is]
forced to compromise in making the speaker-hole of a size to serve its
dual purpose as adequately as possible." Lee Gibson, in his book
Clarinet Acoustics, outlines the acoustical problems:
"Frequency ratios between the first two harmonic modes of a closed
pipe are more or less radically altered by the inverted hemispheric arc
of errors induced in the opening of a speaker vent for the production of
harmonic modes, particularly when this vent also functions as a primary
producer of the tones of the third-line B-flat." Gibson concludes
that "these faults prompted a century of searches for methods of
separating the speaker function from that for the B-flat and for methods
of reducing frequency ratios mistuned by the dually functioning
speaker-B-flat vent ..."
This paper will survey the various methods that makers have prescribed
for curing the clarinet's "sore" throat B-flat. The clarinet
collection of Nicholas J. Shackleton is a phenomenal source of examples
that illustrate many of these methods. Instruments designed and/or made
by Conn, Wurlitzer, Mazzeo, Romero, Kolbe, Leblanc, Boosey, Albert, and
Heckel will be examined.
Nicholas Shackleton's dicovery of a Sax clarinet corresponding to the
1842 patent can therefore not be rated highly enough. Unfortunately he
could no more present his paper on this subject at the Herne symposium
in 2005. This was done then by Ingrid Pearson in Vermillion in 2006 and
will appear in Galpin Society Journal this year.
This clarinet being obviously a very rare and outstanding example of
the Sax manufacturing, the question remains what a clarinet of Adolphe
Sax's every-day production has been looking like?
Fortunately I could acquire last year a nice and interesting 13-keyed
clarinet marked "AD.SAX et Cie. / PARIS" which must date from
Adolphe Sax's very early years at Paris, c 1842-1850. This find
encouraged me to do more research in this field. The information I
could gather so far will be presented both in words and pictures
including some thoughts on the remarkable fact that there are so few
woodwind instruments extant of such a large production as it came out of
Adolphe Sax's factories.
In Brussels, Sax grew up learning instrument making from his father
Charles Sax, a skilled and very successful woodwind and brass maker. By
1835, Charles was hailed as the foremost wind instrument maker in
Europe, and in that same year his twenty one year old son exhibited in
Brussels an improved clarinet with twenty four keys. From 1835 to 1842,
Sax held the commanding position of "contremaîstre" in his father's
factory which by that time employed about 250 workers.
Sax produced his first bass clarinet and received a Belgium patent
for its design in 1838. Three surviving bass clarinets were made in
Brussels and are presumed to have been made by Adolphe Sax or under his
supervision. In late 1842, Sax established his instrument making
factory in Paris. Only eight examples made in Paris are known today.
Four of these are stamped and four others are attributed to Sax. They
are made of boxwood, African black wood, or maple with brass ferrules
and feature large plateau keys and open standing keys designed to cover
large tone holes placed in their acoustically correct position. Sax's
key mechanism actually consists of the usual thirteen or fourteen keys
of the soprano clarinet, including a second Eb/Bb key to provide an
option in fingering, and a second register key covering a small tone
hole in a brass key seat placed high on the front side of the brass
crook. The latter key was a genuine innovation and brilliant idea by
Sax since with its use the response and equality of tones in the upper
register were greatly improved. Most of the surviving bass clarinets
are made with a straight body but three later instruments were made with
an upturned bell and these were ultimately the most popular and
successful models.
During the 1840s and 1850s, Sax's bass clarinets were used in
orchestras and bands in Brussels and Paris. So the question arises, why
are there so few extant Sax bass clarinets? Their scarcity is most
likely due to their high price of 200 francs, documented in a price list
of around 1845, higher than any other instrument offered by Sax except a
bass saxophone, which is listed at 300 francs. In addition, the
majority of Sax's instruments produced in Paris were brass instruments
and saxophones. He appears not to have emphasized production of his
woodwind instruments. Also, it must be noted that Sax was involved in
at least three major court proceedings where he was sued by Parisian
musical instrument makers whom he counter sued. This activity no doubt
limited his time in producing and selling woodwinds.
In summary, Adolphe Sax produced superior playing bass clarinets
which were copied by some makers but their greatest importance was in
the use and modification of several of Sax's designs in the later bass
clarinets by the important Parisian makers L.A. Buffet and
Buffet-Crampon. By the 1870s, the modern bass clarinet had evolved and
adopted worldwide.
A number of prominent, award-winning Japanese composers (Akira
Nishimura, Hiroyuki Itoh, Hiroyuki Yamamoto) have recently completed new
chamber music works for me that demonstrate startling new possibilities
for the clarinet. Their musical language draws from traditional
Japanese aesthetics and music (such as gagaku), combined with the latest
research in extended clarinet techniques for the Boehm system clarinet
that I have been working on for 25 years (this merging of Western and
Japanese elements into a new music is just one example of a
characteristic way of thinking within Japanese society that the Japanese
call wa-kon-yo-sai - a Meiji era slogan that means Japanese
spirit, or soul - foreign technology). This extended clarinet research,
unlike previous studies which have generally consisted of mere catalogs
of sound effects, is organized according to the peculiar acoustical
principles of the clarinet. As a result, the music of the above
composers can freely express micro-tonalities and timbral
transformations such as microtonal sequences of multiphonics, fingered
microtonal portamenti, vertical sonorities (multiphonics) where pitch
components can be articulated in various ways, and numerous trills
(multiphonic split trills and multiphonic timbre trills, split
microtonal trills, and double trills affected [or not] by flutter
tonguing and/or portamenti) that take on new coloristic qualities.
I will demonstrate these innovations through live performance and
recorded excerpts from these works (Meditation on a Theme of Gagaku
Kotoriso (1996) - Nishimura; Madoromi III (2003) - Nishimura; Aquatic
Aura (1997) - Nishimura; Out of a Blaze of Light (2006) - Itoh; Edoma
(2006) - Yamamoto ).
In this context, I describe the instrument making process of the
gaida using technological methodology and ethnographic data. I
examine the playing technique from a Westerner's point of view as well
as from the natives' perspective. I also explore the way natives
perceive and categorize their repertoire. Moreover, I analyze some
sample pieces in terms of their structure. Finally, I propose a theory
of 'musical-geographical streams' that surface in the repertoire of the
gaida.
Through data analysis interpretative reflections were offered that
justified and/or complement the information collected from the
performances, trying to find reasons for those decisions taken by the
interpreters and proposing, for future performances, interpretative
ways.
As a secondary objective a critical edition of the score has been
proposed.
This paper compares a prototype in the Sir Nicholas Shackleton
collection and the Louf patent, a very complex system of covered
tone-holes and touches for semi-tones played with second phalanx of the
finger, like a racket. Some biographical information is given about
Gustave Louf (1888-1957), the French maker and inventor.
This paper discusses the sale of clarinets by Boosey & Co based
on the accounts kept in the Stock Books. Elements of this paper include
defining what makes and models of clarinets were sold; a discussion of
to whom clarinets were sold and possible connections between the clients
needs and the model of clarinet purchased; and creating a general image
of Boosey & Co's niche in the later part of the 19th Century.
E-mail euchmi@ed.ac.uk
Write to: Arnold Myers
This page updated: 18.6.07; re-published 13.2.13
The Neapolitan "School" of Clarinet
Antonio Caroccia
This presentation will analyze the influences and innovations brought
forth by the "Neapolitan school" to the construction of the
clarinet and its technique. In particular innovations pioneered by
Ferdinando Sebastiani, clarinetist for the Reale Capella Palatina and
professor of the Royal College of Music in Naples, who with his treatise
Method for Clarinet (1855) influenced the virtuosic style
associated with the instrument, whether orchestral or soloistic, and
created an actual and valuable "school" with outstanding
students such as Labanchi and Pontillo.
Naples, ItalyStubbins SK System Clarinet
Nophachai Cholthitchanta
The clarinette à anneaux mobiles, known as the "Boehm System"
clarinet, was invented as a collaboration between the clarinetist
Hyacinthe Klosé and maker Louis-Auguste Buffet, and was first
introduced at the Paris Exhibition in 1839. Since then there have been
several attempts to "perfect" the Klosé/Buffet clarinet.
Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences, University of Arkansas, U.S.A.Clarinets and Tárogatók used in the Viennese Court Opera under the direction of Gustav Mahler
Beatrix Darmstaedter
The fundament of the announced contribution is the interpretation of archival documents
belonging to the inventory of the files named "Generalintendanz" and "Hofoper" preserved by
the Austrian State Archives (Österreichisches Staatsarchiv) and evaluated for the first time.
The material includes for instance correspondence of Gustav Mahler, who became the
artistic director of the Viennese Court Opera in 1897, of renowned instrument makers, like
Wilhelm Heckel, Georg Berthold, József Schunda and of the musicians Felix Weingartner,
Heinrich Hiekisch, Franz Schalk etc. The archival documents provide information about
technological details, pricing, delivery conditions, instrument repairs and the musician's
individual preferences concerning the choice of instruments. Moreover the authorities
interacting within the administrative board of the Court Opera deciding the acquisitions
of musical instruments become clear. As far as the tárogató is concerned it was Gustav Mahler
himself who invited Mr. Hiekisch, a musician working for the Opera in Budapest, to introduce
a new designed tárogató in Vienna. Although his appearance in Tristan and Isolde in 1902
was quite a success, further engagements seemed to be impracticable mainly because the
instrument needed was a special construction with an additional lower key which was neither
delivered nor received in Vienna, furthermore the Viennese clarinettists - as the documents
tell us - never got used to the difficult intonation of the tárogatók.
Sammlung alter Musikinstrumente, Kunsthistorisches Museum, ViennaThe Late Eighteenth-Century "Dramatic" Clarinet in Italy: the San Carlo Opera Orchestra of Naples
Anthony DelDonna
Recent research (most notably Albert Rice's The Clarinet in the
Classical Period) has identified and meticulously documented copious
evidence of interest and the subsequent development of the clarinet in
the 18th century, resulting in a more thorough understanding of the
instrument. This research has also stimulated renewed investigation
into the history of the clarinet on the Italian peninsula, where
knowledge of its development remains incomplete, especially its
cultivation in contemporary opera orchestras. Among the most
significant Italian ensembles that featured clarinets was the orchestra
of the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples. Sources reveal the utilization of
the instrument as early as 1772 while archival documents verify the
enlistment of two fulltime clarinetists by 1775. Knowledge of this
history promotes a more accurate context for the renown of Naples in the
19th century as a locus for the promotion of the instrument by composers
such as Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti and the presence of virtuosi such
as Ferdinando Sebastiani.
Georgetown University, Washington DCThe Home Key of the Clarinet
John Dick
"Home Key" refers to a concept well understood by baroque and early
classical wind players, makers, bandmasters and composers.
Written sources advise on the selection of a size of clarinet and the
principles followed by composers can be inferred from opera scores, Scottish
Military band parts, and transcriptions.
Tonal quality has often been over-emphasised as the reason for the selection
of a particular size of instrument and digital facility or precision of
tuning has been wrongly assumed to be the aim of early additions to keywork.
When the reasons why instruments have a home key are understood, these
factors are seen to be secondary.
The Home Key provides the explanation for many apparent anomalies and raises
the issue of whether it is unhelpful to think of the instruments as having
"good" and "bad" notes or "improvements" in design. These changes are
developments in response to changed operational requirements.
Focus on the home key can lead to challenging the current attribution of an
instrumental part. This is illustrated by two very well known pieces. One
is, and the other is not, currently considered clarinet repertoire.
Rothesay, Isle of Bute, U.K.The Early American Clarinet: Makers, Sellers, Players
Jane Ellsworth
The clarinet's role and status in early American musical life has
received little scholarly attention until now. Yet clarinets were being
made in America by 1761 and imported by 1764. Military documents,
newspaper advertisements, tutors, and existing instruments provide ample
evidence for the kinds of clarinets that were in use. Makers such as
Wolhaupter, Anthony, Callender, Catlin, Whiteley, Meacham, Eisenbrandt,
Gütter, Ashton, and many others were active in all of the major
cities, as were merchants who sold clarinets from England and elsewhere.
This paper examines the activities of these makers and sellers,
identifies several heretofore unknown makers, and considers some of the
ways in which the clarinet was used in America in the late eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries.
Eastern Washington University, Spokane, Washington, U.S.A.The Sir Nicholas Shackleton Collection in the Edinburgh Collection of Historic Musical Instruments: an Overview
Heike Fricke
The late Sir Nicholas Shackleton collected about 800 clarinets in over
more than 40 years and his bequest has come to the Edinburgh Collection
of Historic Musical Instruments. The talk of the curator will give an
overview of the clarinets chosen for the exhibition. Starting with
early examples of eighteenth century instruments, made, for example, by
Rottenburgh, Brussels, Cahuzac, London, and Buehner & Keller,
Strasbourg, the author takes a closer look at English clarinets of the
early nineteenth century comparing them with continental instruments of
the same period. Lyon with the instrument makers Bernard, Simiot,
Piatet et Benoit, and Jeantet seems to have been a place of outstanding
instrument making as some examples will show. Other important centres
of clarinet making in the 19th century were Paris, Brussels, Munich,
Vienna, and Dresden. Regional differences and developments will be
shown with selected clarinets made by Baumann, Buffet jeune, Adolphe
Sax, Jacques Albert, Bachmann, Stiegler, Hess, Osterried & Gerlach,
Griesbacher, Ziegler, Uhlmann, and Grenser. Finally the instruments of
Fritz Wurlitzer are objects of examination as Nicholas Shackleton
admired them much.
BerlinThe Clarinet in works of Franz Xaver Süssmayr (1766-1803): Anton Stadler and the Mozartian example
Martin Harlow
The paper will examine the clarinet and basset horn parts of
Süssmayr's extant works.
Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, U.K.The Origins of French and German Clarinets
Eric Hoeprich
Today, the schism between French and German clarinettists is profound,
and occasionally even engenders animosity. It certainly defines
potential employment in various countries; currently, no player of the
French clarinet can sit in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, nor will
any German clarinettist ever be welcome in Paris, or for that matter,
London or New York City.
Totternhoe, BedfordshireThe Basset Horn in France in the 18th Century
Jean Jeltsch
We often read that Paris was a very important centre in the developemnt
of larger clarinet family instruments, for example the appearance of the
bass clarinet (Gilles Lot) or the first use of low clarinets (Missa
pro defunctis of Gossec). But no example is known today of any bass
or "alto" clarinet bearing the stamp of a Parisian workshop
and made in the 18th century. Only two basset horns made in Paris are
known today (Michel Amelingue and Dominique Porthaux), and a third made
in Strasbourg (Bühner & Keller).
Université de Lille 3 Charles-de-Gaulle, Lille, FranceThe Clarinet in the Edinburgh Enlightenment
David Johnson
An investigation into the early years of the clarinet in Edinburgh
(c 1755-c 1805) - its composers, players amd repertoire. Works to be
discussed include the Earl of Kelly's Symphony in E flat
(c 1766), John Mahon's Clarinet Concerto in F (c 1774), and
J.G.C. Schetky's 24 Scots Airs for military band (c 1795).
EdinburghClarinets of the Clinton Family
James Joseph
This paper seeks to provide a re-appraisal of the work done by Arthur
Clinton and his two sons George and James in the field of clarinet
design. Having lived for 35 years in Newcastle upon Tyne which was the
Clintons' native city, the author had a unique opportunity to access
local sources of information. Other valuable sources include patents,
instruments in major collections and practical performance experience by
the author on his own Clinton instruments.
NorthumberlandMusical History: Historical Music
Colin Lawson
"I am convinced that 'historical' performance today is not really
historical; that a thin veneer of historicism clothes a performance
style that is completely of our own time, and is in fact the most modern
style around; and that the historical hardware has won its wide
acceptance and above all its commercial viability precisely by virtue of
its novelty, not its antiquity". Richard Taruskin's once notorious
yet now widely-accepted views can justifiably be applied to those most
tangible of artefacts - the instruments themselves. As long ago as 1932
Arnold Dolmetsch's pupil Robert Donington remarked of his teacher's
reconstructions; "the old harpsichord has certain limitations [and
produces] a jangle, slight in the treble but audible in the bass. The
new instruments, which remedy these historical oversights, have proved
both purer and more sustained than any previous harpsichord". Two
generations later Robert Barclay drew attention to the finger-holes
often placed on copies of the Baroque trumpet, so that "the
so-called out-of-tune harmonics of the natural series will not be
unpleasant to modern sensitivity. The result is a trumpet which
resembles its baroque counterpart only superficially." During the
heady days of recording activity in the early 1990s Clive Brown issued a
timely warning that the characteristics of some of the orchestral
instruments employed in Beethoven cycles by The Hanover Band,
Christopher Hogwood and Roger Norrington would certainly not have been
familiar to musicians in Beethoven's Vienna and that the public was in
danger of being offered "attractively packaged but unripe
fruit".
Royal College of Music, LondonThe Reform Boehm system: Right Compromise Between French and German Systems ?
Luigi Magistrelli
In spite of the good tone qualities, hand forged mechanism, flexibility
and evenness over all the registers, Reform Boehm system clarinets so
far have not received a wide acceptance in the clarinet world. Is this
system considered, perhaps, a sort of hybrid between the french and
german Oehler system clarinets without its own identity ? My personal
opinion is just the opposite ! I would consider this instrument to be
an ideal compromise between the dark, compact and warm sound of the
german Oehler system and the more flexible, brighter and technically
easier to handle, French Boehm system. My aim is to show the Reform
Boehm and German system clarinets, to compare them and let their
distinctive (but also in a way similar) tonal characteristics be heard,
trying also to find some connections with the French system clarinets.
Fritz Wurlitzer, father of Herbert Wurlitzer, was the first maker
(before World War II) to make good Reform Boehm system clarinets, on the
basis of the teaching of Schmidt and Kolbe. I still consider them the
best Reform Boehm clarinets ever made.
ItalyThe Derivation of Contemporary Performing Techniques
Ian Mitchell
Many of the extended techniques for woodwind that are found in modernist
music from the 1950s onwards, and that became easily recognisable and
archetypal contemporary music gestures for twenty years or so, are
usually assumed to have been developed as a consequence of, and
alongside, the demands of avant-garde music itself. These novel
performing techniques created a whole new repertoire of sounds and ways
of playing wind instruments. One of the earliest and most influential
compositions was Berio's Sequenza 1 for solo flute, which, on the final
page, requires the performer to produce more than one pitch
simultaneously. However, some of these techniques that were thought to
be current inventions, such as multiphonics, glissandi, flutter tongue,
microtones, circular breathing, colour fingerings and more are actually
far from new; indeed, in some instances they derive from practices
thousands of years old.
Trinity College of Music, LondonIwan Müller's Soprano Clarinet: Structural Evolution towards Adolphe Sax's Bass Clarinet
Juncal Diago Ortega
University of Valladolid, SpainJosé-Modesto Diago Ortega
Iwan Müller's developments demonstrate important elements and ideas
influencing most of the clarinets manufactured subsequently in Europe
(and in the world). Rarely is this heredity recognized in designs and
patents. We can view Adolphe Sax's 1838 bass clarinet as the evolution
and improvement, in the low register of the family, of the constructive
system which was developed by the Russian inventor.
Professional Conservatory of Music of Soria, SpainThe Clarinets in the Collection of the Royal College of Music, London
Ingrid Pearson
Founded in 1882, the Royal College of Music enjoys a reputation as one
of the world's leading conservatoires. Due partly to the vision of its
founders, particularly Sir George Grove, the RCM holds research
collections of international significance.
Royal College of Music, LondonGeometry Versus Performance of a Clarinet Mouthpiece
William Peatman
The playing characteristics of a clarinet such as tone, ease of blowing,
tuning in the various ranges, brightness, carrying power are dependent
upon many factors, not the least of which are the mouthpiece and the
reeds used. Strangely the mouthpiece is the one main part of a clarinet
which is no longer permanently associated with the instrument itself.
Furthermore, it is well known, that nominally identical mouthpieces
perform with differing results!
BerlinThe Viennese Wind Instrument Maker, Theodor Lotz (c 1747-1792)
Melanie Piddocke
This paper commences with an examination of the current knowledge of
Lotz's biographical details. Particular emphasis is placed on his
career as a performer, maker and composer in an attempt to highlight
possible influences which may have had an impact on his later career.
As Freemasonry was a significant aspect of intellectual life in Vienna
in the late eighteenth century, involving several significant musical
figures - including Lotz - his involvement in the movement is therefore
discussed in the context of the broader social significance of
Freemasonry.
The Hague, Netherlands and Santes, FranceClarinet Forked Eb/Bb; a New Approach
John Playfair
L-hand forked Eb/Bb remains one of the few advantages of the simple system
clarinet over the normal Boehm. Several successful solutions will be
reviewed, including a novel one involving less alterations than most.
U.K.The "Melba Gift": the Role of Woodwind and Brass Instruments in the History of the Stabilisation of Pitch Standards in Melbourne in the early Twentieth Century
Simon Purtell
In December 1908, when a variety of pitches were used in Melbourne, the
celebrated Australian soprano, Dame Nellie Melba, purchased a set of
"normal pitch" (A4=435) woodwind and brass instruments from
the London instrument manufacturer, Rudall, Carte & Co. In March of the
following year, Melba presented these instruments to the Marshall-Hall
Orchestra. This short presentation describes the instruments (including
the four clarinets) and considers the important role played by the
"Melba Gift" in the history of pitch standards in Melbourne in the early
twentieth century. It will draw upon my ongoing research into the
history of pitch standards in Melbourne and throughout the State of
Victoria, an area of study not yet considered in histories of music in
Australia.
Norman Macgeorge Scholar, University of Melbourne, AustraliaA Prescription for the Clarinet's Sore Throat: Throat B-flat Mechanisms as Illustrated by Clarinets from the Nicholas J. Shackleton Collection
Deborah Check Reeves
It has been described by Leon Leblanc as "inferior," producing
"a tone less good than the others around it." It has been
depicted by Rosario Mazzeo as "the problem note," and by
William Stubbins as a "difficulty" and "has not been any
secret from makers or players at any time in the history of the
evolution of the clarinet." Most succinctly put by Geoffrey
Rendall, "the real bug-bear is the middle b-flat."
National Music Museum, University of South Dakota, VermillionClarinets by Adolphe Sax
Thomas Reil
Most books on the clarinet have been paying tribute to Adolphe Sax's
achievements for this instrument. His 1840 and 1842 patents relating to
the soprano clarinet are often described in detail, nevertheless there
has been no illustration of these or other Ad. Sax clarinets in any of
the well-known publications yet, nor is there more information to be
found in listings of public collections. Even the most important
Catalogue des Instruments Sax au Musée Instrumental de
Bruxelles by Malou Haine and Ignace de Keyser will describe and show
only clarinets by Charles-Joseph Sax. The here included list of 400 Sax
instruments gives report only about a 13-keyed clarinet shown in 1890 at
the London Royal Military Exhibition.
Uhingen, GermanyThe Bass Clarinets of Adolphe Sax and their Historical Importance
Albert Rice
One of the most important advances in the evolution of the bass clarinet
is manifest in an instrument made by the brilliant player, maker, and
inventor Antoine Joseph (Adolphe) Sax (1814-1894). This paper presents
a short review of 18th and early 19th century bass clarinet designs that
precede Sax's 1838 bass clarinet, briefly reviews Sax's career,
discusses the design innovations reflected in Sax's surviving bass
clarinets, compares his bass clarinets to those by his contemporary
Parisian rivals Louis August Buffet and Widemann, and shows the
influence of his designs on instruments made by later makers.
Fiske Museum, Claremont Colleges, CaliforniaThe New Clarinet in Japan
E. Michael Richards
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.Clarinets by the Denner family of Nürnberg
David Ross
This will be an illustrated presentation on instruments which are
certainly among the most important landmarks in clarinet history: those
of the Denner family. Based primarily on personal examinations of these
instruments in their museum homes, included will be numerous
photographs, detailing these instruments as well as noting differences
between these and clarinets by other early makers. Special attention
will be drawn to mouthpiece design and evolution. Tuning and playing
experiences on these instruments will be noted, along with biographical
information and reports of additional Denner clarinets.
University of Texas - El Paso, U.S.A.The Gaida Bagpipe in the Evros region of Greek Thrace
Haris Sarris
My paper presents the main points of my doctoral research, which is an
organological ethnography that focuses on the construction, the playing
technique, and the repertoire of the gaida bagpipe in the Evros
region of Greek Thrace. Part of the old agricultural world, the
gaida died out in the course of the post-Second-World-War rapid
urbanization. This urbanization process eventually resulted in the
reduction of the number of musicians, the discontinuing of the
instrument-making tradition, and the displacement of the gaida by
the clarinet. At the time when I started my research, in the late
1990s, the gaida was being reappreciated thanks to the activity
of local folklore cultural clubs. Unfortunately, this did not lead to a
passing on of the playing tradition to the younger generation.
University of AthensBrazilian clarinet music by the composer Francisco Mignone and his "Concertino for clarinet and orchestra"
Fernando Silveira
This study aims to research, as a main objective, the freedom of
interpretation taken by contemporary performers of the "Concertino para
clarineta e orquestra" (Concertino for clarinet and orchestra), by the
Brazilian composer Francisco Mignone, through the historical context and
thoughts of the composer, from the genesis of the musical work itself
and from the contemporary philosophy of interpretation. To determine
the above objective the recorded performances of four outstanding
Brazilian clarinetists were analyzed.
Rio de Janeiro State Federal University, BrazilHeinrich Grenser's Keywork Concepts
Eleanor Smith
The Shackleton collection contains three clarinets by the German maker
Heinrich Grenser (1764-1813), noted for his innovative clarinet keywork.
This paper discusses the Grenser instruments in Shackleton's Collection:
how they fit within his oeuvre, and how they reflect on Grenser's
statement in the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung of 1811 highlighting
the importance of the basic five-key instrument.
University of EdinburghClarinet Resources in the Boosey & Hawkes Collection and Archive
E. Bradley Strauchen
In 2004, the Horniman Museum became the new home of the instrument
collection formerly housed in the museum at the Boosey & Hawkes
factory in Edgware and also of the firm's instrument production and
design archives. These collections represent an important resource to
researchers of British clarinet design and performance practice.
Clarinet making was the leading activity of woodwind production at
Boosey. This is reflected by the unusual and innovative clarinets
collected for the factory's museum, which was curated by Eric McGavin,
an active clarinettist, from 1950 to 1970. Instruments in the
collection include prototype clarinets designed for Boosey by George
Clinton and Manuel Gomez. Some 330 technical drawings dating from the
late 19th century to the 1970s detail aspects of clarinet design from
tone hole placement and bore profile to mouthpiece and key design.
Extensive manufacturing records allow clarinet production at Boosey to
be traced from the late 19th century into the 1970s. This presentation
will provide an introduction to resources available to researchers of
clarinet design and history in the Boosey & Hawkes Collection and
Archive at the Horniman Museum, London.
Horniman Musuem, LondonLouf system: Belgian and French patents in Comparison with a Prototype in the Shackleton Collection
Denis Watel
In 2004, there appeared for the first time in an exhibition a clarinet
after "Louf system" in the Berlin Faszination
Klarinette exhibition. Nothing is known about this maker and
inventor, except a short reference to his 1933 German patent in
W. Waterhouse: The New Langwill Index, 1993.
FranceNick Shackleton: Collector Extraordinaire
William Waterhouse
What differentiates the Musical Instrument collector from collectors of
other kinds of art-object? Noteworthy collectors of the past and present
will be identified, and their differing achievements and motivations
discussed. Nick Shackleton's status in this company will be examined,
together with his outstanding contribution as researcher and author to
organology.
London and CheltenhamBoosey and Company: Trade in Clarinets in the Late 19th Century
Kelly White
Extant Boosey & Company Stock Books, covering the periods 1868-1873,
1874-1875, 1882-1885, and 1896-1899, account for the sales of woodwind,
brass wind and percussion instruments. These records provide
information about the sale of individual instruments and to whom the
instruments were sold, which helps to paint a more complete picture of
Boosey & Co not only as an instrument manufacturer, but as a
supplier and retailer of instruments.
Albuquerque, New MexicoFurther information
Collection of Historic Musical Instruments,
University of Edinburgh,
Reid Concert Hall,
Bristo Square,
EDINBURGH EH8 9AG, U.K.