Contrabass Digest

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2001-01-02

 
From: "Quist, Jean"
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 09:04:30 +0100
Subject: [CB]

I agree with Vinny when he suggested:
 

Why don't we just contact LeBlanc and get the existing ones fixed. The're
just sitting around gathering dust and were part of an experiment by Mr
Leblanc. From what I understand they weren't meant to be mass produced.
But it won't be cheap I'm afraid. And the question remains if Leblanc shares
our interests.

Regards,

jq

---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 08:56:46 -0800
From: "Timothy J. Tikker"
Subject: [CB] [Fwd: [Fwd: [CB Digest]]]

Dr H wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Dec 2000, Timothy J. Tikker wrote:
> }Well, I did it:  since this group likes to talk and speculate about the Leblanc
> }Octocontrabass clarinet -- the one which goes to 64' Bb, of which only a
> }single prototype was ever made -- I suggested (mostly in fun, but seriously
> }if anyone would take it that way) that the group all chip in and ask to
> }commission another from Leblanc, and that we own it jointly.
> }
> }As you can see, quite a discussion has ensued!
> }
> }- Tim
>
> Tim,
>
> Happy New Year, New Decade, New Century, and New Millennium!  ;-)
>
> Interesting project proposal.  Some of the problems pointed out are
> definitely non-trivial, but I don't necessarily agree that the idea
> need be only a daydream.
>
> This is by no means an impossibility:  I know two groups of people here
> in Eugene who did something similar in order to commission sets of Gamelan
> insturments.  In each case the instruments cost ~$40,000+, and the largest
> of these groups began with only a dozen contributors.  The key was that
> they didn't make acquisition of the instruments the sole purpose of their
> 501(c)3, but merely their first goal.  They were able to gather additional
> subsidies through membership fees from new members; providing lessons;
> school demonstrations, &etc.
>
> Here's my $0.02:  gather interested parties together for purposes of
> forming a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation.  This will entail forming a
> board of directors and coming up with a set of bylaws governing the
> aims of the 501(c)3 and the protocol for board succession.  Among
> other things, this would give people some protection against the
> possibility of someone collecting a lot of money and then absconding
> with it.
>
> But *don't* do it *just* for the sub-contra clarinet:  form a general-purpose
> group like a "Sub Contrabass Society" or some such, with the broader goal
> of promoting interest in instruments in this class.  The sub-contra clarinet
> could simply be the corporation's /first/ specified project.
>
> If enough people were willing to form such a broad-based group with the
> goal of commissioning the clarinet as merely the /first/ major goal,
> I might could be interested in contributing whatever paltry funds I
> could gather, and perhaps even doing a turn as a board member at some
> point.
>
> Keep me posted; if it looks like enough people are getting serious,
> I'll subscribe to the list and join the discussion directly.
>
> Happy 21st century (where's George Jetson...?)
>
> Dr H

---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 10:20:52 -0500
From: Andrew Stiller
Subject: Re: [CB] [Fwd: [Fwd: [CB Digest]]]

> form a general-purpose
> group like a "Sub Contrabass Society" or some such, with the broader goal
> of promoting interest in instruments in this class.  The sub-contra clarinet
> could simply be the corporation's /first/ specified project.

Might I suggest as such a general purpose the creation of a depository of
large, rare instruments from wh. composers (performers, ensembles) might
borrow? An endless source of frustration to me has been the advance
planning necessary to get, e.g., a cbcl into an orchestra when needed for a
piece of mine. The logistics involved usually require some six months
advance planning, and orchs. are just not set up to work on individual
performances that far in advance.

It would certainly encourage more new compositions for these instruments if
composers knew for sure that, should they write for cbcl or bass sax or
heckelphone or whatever, that one would definitely be available.

Andrew Stiller
Kallisti Music Press

http://www.kallistimusic.com

Ut Sol inter planetas, Ita MUSICA inter Artes liberales in medio radiat.
--Heinrich Schuetz, 1640
 

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