Arabesque- a curly, ornate, geometrical pattern, sometimes flowery; a ballet pose of ornate grace. A well chosen title, if not particularly original, for Paul Jeanjean’s little ditty, and one of the more popular clarinet solos of all the literature. I…
What? A Piece for Clarinet and Organ?
Actually, clarinet and organ are a good match sonically. They have similar acoustics, and therefore, similar tones. A few years ago, a local church organist asked if I’d like to do a piece for clarinet and organ. I had never…
Bad Air Day
Every once in awhile I just have a bad air day! Today nothing seemed easy, even breathing. I could have been playing a hollowed out carrot for all the control I had over playing clarinet. But I wanted to respond…
The Toney Grail Personified
Here is a clip of a few measures of French clarinetist Michel Arrignon playing with the most beautiful clarinet tone I’ve ever heard. I don’t know much of his playing beyond this recording. He sounds more human on those, so…
Home Sweet Buffet Tone
I have spent the past few days re-accustoming myself to my beloved Buffet clarinets. Sweetness over size. Ring over darkness. Tangy lemon cream chiffon rather than chocolate cake. These are not preferences of quality, they are instead qualities of preference.…
Clarinet Breeds and Behaviors
Tom Blodgett wrote a concise and perceptive categorization of the tone and other characteristics of the “big three” clarinet makers: Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha. The context was a discussion of the rise of custom clarinet makers, with particular mention of…