h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My clarinets have been packaged up in bubblewrap (inside the case) to be sent off for repair.

I, foolishly, left my clarinets in the hall we were playing in (Which we were told was both safe and locked). My R13 Bb Clarinet now has a crack in it the length of my thumb. Thanks, guys.

Anyway. Both Cainnech (My R13 A) and Vartouhi (My R13 Bb) are being sent off to be serviced. (If any clarinet players in the UK want a recommendation for a repairer, give me a shout.. otherwise, I'm not going to shamelessly advertise, although I would say my repairer's excellent, and charges a fairer price than any other)

This means I'm without an A and I'll have to get to know Titania (My old R13 Bb, which I'm trying to sell, but still have) again, in the meantime.

Anyway. Having spent about a week continuously playing my clarinets, and having done two concerts (at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, and the Oxford Town Hall) and one "informal playthrough" in the space of a week, I think that my clarinets deserve the service they're being treated to. I just hope they're ok.

*worries about Cainnech and Vartouhi*

Am I sounding too much like a worried parent?

I bought a clarinet... But only a very cheap one. (£130, plastic, yamaha) I'm doing quite well on it (I think) though (although I've not practiced for a week, having been on flute-panic mode).



*sympathy* over your clarinets. You don't sound too much like a worried parent - I'd hate to part with my flute...

Hi! Haven't seen you around for some time! ..how are you?

I think I knew that already.. did you put it in your journal? *thinks*

I'm sure you'll be a wonderful clarinettist in no time. ..if you ever want ant clarinetty advice from a not-really-actually-very-good clarinettist, feel free to drop in.

Thankyou. .. but I'm sure I do.

I was told yesterday that due to a lot of "emergency professional repairs" (the emphasis on the 'professional' being particularly aimed at me: I don't think the repairer appreciates someone who doesn't make a living out of music sending him instruments), my clarinets won't get back to me for about another week after the original date agreed on. .. but still. I'm sure they'll be ok. *puts on brave face*

Yes, I did put it in my journal It is very exciting... So far I have forsaken 2 reeds because my boyfriend says 2.5 sounds better, (he plays clarinet) and have gotten some quite scarily high notes out of the clarinet (And I mean scary, I got a high G out of it that Andy has apparently never tried to force out of his clarinet despite the fact that he's been playing since 1991 and I started 3 weeks ago... ...I can't bare not being able to play notes in my instrument's range). I've also been doing more mundane things like trying to force my way through Demnitz, and more fun things like trying to learn the Carol out of Finzi's 5 Bagatelles (my ultimate aim is to play the prelude).

'Part from that I'm fine, but I have exams next term

The instrument repairer gets as paid by you as he does by professionals, with the added benefit that since your younger he would do well not to antagonize you because you may be an important client of his in the future. So to him. I'm sure they'll be fine. You have to send them to the best...

.. nice one. ... on the premise that the clarinet's meant to sound tuneful, and that if people want something that sounds more akin to a firealarm than a melody they'll pick a piccolo to do it, I've imposed a restriction of top E on every orchestra I play in. It does wonders for the lip.

*nods*.. I think I read that in your journal, too. I have to confess that I'm not a great fan of Finzi.. I much prefer Weber and Mozart myself.

awwww. ... .. good luck! I'm sure you'll do great.

I have exams quite soon.

This is true. He is an excellent repairer.

How's the fluting going?

I'm not too well up on Mozart (apart from, obviously, the slow movement (i guess) from the clarinet concerto that everyone knows). He's not one of my favourites but I guess I could learn to like him. And I don't know Weber's music either, yet...

I decided I wanted to play Finzi when my friend did it for her a level practical... I tend to latch on to a piece of music and learn it, and Lisa's music was always so much nicer than mine!

I actually had to play my flute in front of people for the first time in three years... ...it went really well; I did a duet with someone I'd never met before, which was fun I've not had much chance to practice it, with being in Durham, but next year's a different story, because I'm moving back home...

Ah. The first movement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto is lovely. *shock*... no Weber? *more shock*.. get your boyfriend to play it to you. *nods*.. it's some of the most beautiful clarinet music ever written.. here... A610688 ...loooky.

ah.

oooh.. yay! .. don't you play for any of the Durham Uni orchestras, ensembles, etc? I got the impression in visiting that it was a musical sort of place. Perhaps that's because that's what they wanted me to believe.

I just tried out a new reed today. High notes suddenly started coming out with alarming ease; however all the lower register ones were wont to squeak.

I just love reeded instruments, the way two different reeds make the instrument feel like two different ones, and the way your favourite reed is fated to break before that important performance




I don't play in any uni ensembles because everyone's so much better than me... they were auditioning for flutes in my first year, but I'm no music student, and they're practically certs for the job... ...and then in lower standard bands, there's just millions of flautists altogether. However, I sing in one of Durham's better choirs

Cool entry, btw

.. hurrah!

That's probably am embouchure thing (Yes, I know, I can't spell that word), as I'm sure you've been told. You have to be gentle with the reed, whilst at the same time supporting it. .. elsewise, you play "A harmonic in the wrong place". Not a squeak. *nods sagely*

aw. .. I remember standing up after playing a piece in the first half of a concert, and the bassoonist - in doing so - having put his reed in the path of my arm when sitting down.... suffice to say the reed didn't survive, and the bassoonist panicingly had to hunt in his pocket for another reed. To this day, I feel guilty about that.

ahh. aww.

*isn't in a good mood with h2g2 entries at the moment, having been abjectly slighted in the peer review forum for one of his others*

is it me, or has peer review turned into a place where people can go to dig at other people?