Re: finger vibrato

[Tski1128 <Tski1128...>]

Brandwien definitely used a "timbre" or finger vibrato.  It is more usable on 
the simple system Albert clarinet because there are less pads covering holes. 
 This was a standard technique on the old system clarinet. If one listens to 
recordings of Sidney Bichet, this technique is very evident.  This is one of 
the ways I can tell if Bichet is playing soprano sax or clarinet, God knows you 
can't tell by the tone color, he never uses this technique on soprano Sax. 

In some of the Sousa band arrangements before WW1 there are indications in 
clarinet parts, of "tone Vibrato." During WW1 Sousa made all his clarinetists 
switch to the French system as a protest against German aggression.  There are 
all sorts comments by his clarinetists, most of whom were playing the "German, 
Albert" clarinets, that some of the things that they could do on the Albert 
system were not possible on the Boehm. When you are playing in the highest paid 
musical group of the day, you do what the boss wants.  

I had an Albert system for a few years and spent a lot of time getting some 
chops on it.  I never felt I was comfortable enough to ever take it on a gig 
and let anyone hear it.  It really was hard for me to switch back and forth 
between the two.  

I have in my possession an absolutely Gorgeous "Full Oehler" system clarinet, 
this is what the simple system Albert evolved into.  This instrument has more 
mechanism on it than you can imagine.  The German and the Viennese 
Clarinetist were totally against adopting the Beohm clarinet that to keep up 
with the 
technical possibilities of the 'French" system that the Full Oehler has more 
trill keys and rings that an oboe.

Tom Puwalski, author of The Clarinetists Guide to Klezmer, Former Clarinet 
Soloist for The US Army Field Band and clarinetist with Lox&Vodka