Euler clarinet and preservation

[Al Rice <ricea@cgs.edu>]

[Moderator's note:  This message was originally posted on Sept 6. It ended
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In answer to Cary Karp's query regarding Euler clarinets, I have seen
a few excellent examples of flutes and clarinets marked Euler made about
1840 to 1850.  A flute collector living close by in southern California
owns two Euler instruments both of which play quite well.  I have not
heard or played the clarinets.  These are boxwood instruments with
brass keys.  According to Bill Waterhouse's "The New Langwill Index
A Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Inventors" the
Euler workshop was established in 1810 by Philipp Otto Euler in Frankfurt
am Main and continued by his son August Anton Euler from 1834 to 1873.
	As far as preservation of clarinets it is important to keep the
body and keys clean and clean the bore with the various bore oils 
available or with linseed oil which some people still prefer for this
purpose.  If the owner intends to play the instrument he/she should be
aware that many older instruments' bores have warped to the degree that
the intonation is seriously compromised.  Most players now prefer to
use good reproduction instruments.  
	On the subject of intonation, I own a five-key clarinet marked
K. Hammig, Wien (not in the New Langwill Index) which came with two
sets of finger-hole joints of slightly different lengths although both
are marked "B" for b-flat.  The pitch difference playing these joints
is enormous! One set plays at about A=425 the other at 450 with a
Viennese-style period (possibly original) mouthpiece.  Unfortunately
I cannot play this clarinet with any early music group because of the
pitch problem.  In addition, the intonation of the instrument was
compromised considerably by cutting down the tenons and other surgical
procedures.
	Any feedback would be nice to read concerning clarinets or
woodwinds.  Al Rice
		6114 Corbin Ave. Tarzana, CA 91356 (818) 776-9446
		RiceA@CLAREMONT.CGSVAX.EDU

[Moderator's note:  The suggestion that the preservation of a woodwind 
instrument requires regular cleaning and oiling would be rejected by many 
museum conservators. The use of any oil on a museum specimen should be 
regarded as an aspect of restoration, not routine maintenance and, as 
such, should not be undertaken lightly.]