Claude who?

 

I think he's the guy that taps his keys thinking a saxophone is somehow a percussion instrument. So I suppose I should inquire as to how his mouthpiece sounds when hit with a stick...

 

From the link, it appears to be about a C* opening with a round chamber so it may be similar to the old LT.

 

Interesting - do you think it has been developed from the Concept ?

Rhys

 

Interesting - do you think it has been developed from the Concept ?

Yes, clearly. That's what Delangle was playing before this piece. I guess he wanted a bigger tip opening, among other things. The Selmer info refers to the "Concept family."

I'm still curious about the price. The basic Concept is priced at the top of the list for mass-market classical mouthpieces, and I imagine this model will cost more.

 

This pioneering bi-material mouthpiece with its unique acoustic and sound properties testifies to Henri SELMER Paris' ever-growing desire to improve it's products. Designed in close collaboration with Claude Delangle, this mouthpiece perfectly reflects his personality. A remarkable demonstration of our expertise, the Claude Delangle mouthpiece emphasizes the importance of creativity in the search for sonic perfection while continuing and reinforcing the long Henri SELMER Paris tradition. The metal ring characteristic of Adolphe Sax's first mouthpieces and its cutaway design testify to a privileged relationship between tradition and the latest advances of the Concept family. The gold-plated metal ring lines the entire bore and allows for a denser, fuller sound with increased projection. The acoustic performance of this new alto saxophone mouthpiece signed «Claude Delangle» will charm saxophone players and audience members alike.

Claude Delangle is a French classical saxophonist. He has been teaching saxophone at the National Superior Conservatory of Music of Paris since 1988. He played in "Quatuor Adolphe Sax Paris" with Jacques Baguet, Bruno Totaro and Jean-Paul Fouchécourt. He was very implicated during the 1980s in developing the contemporary repertory of all the saxophone's family. His influences include Luciano Berio, Betsy Jolas and Japanese music. He studied Saxophone with Serge Bichon at the conservatory of Lyon and Daniel Deffayet in Paris.[1]

 

"Claude who?"

"I think he's the guy that taps his keys thinking a saxophone is somehow a percussion instrument. So I suppose I should inquire as to how his mouthpiece sounds when hit with a stick..."

Hard words for a fine and well known classical player ....

 

I've seen him perform live at least a couple times now. I like the guy... but when he started to tap and click on his horn in the middle of a song... I'm sorry, I just burst out laughing. It was funny.

 

I would not exclude key clicks etc. per se. It can be a cool effect and I like it with flute playing a lot. It's all about the context. And if the composer wrote it like that, you don't have a choice in the classical world. Play it or don't play the piece at all.
But it can drive me nuts when player click on their keys in every playing break. Very distracting

 

I remember seeing Professor Delangle perform live at a conference last October with this mouthpiece, or at least a prototype of it, he sounded fantastic (as expected). At the time, my friends and I were under the impression that it was just a custom Concept with a ring on the shank, but it's very interesting that the metal is in the chamber too. Knowing Selmer, it'll be pricy but I'm intrigued to try one.

 

Kessler's is now listing the Delangle mouthpiece at $324.75 (not yet in stock; full retail price supposedly $500). https://www.kesslerandsons.com/product/selmer-paris-claude-delangle-alto-sax-mouthpiece/. As I suspected, this piece has crossed the line from mass-market pricing into boutique classical alto mouthpiece pricing, at least in the United States. I'd bet that a portion of the price increase over the standard alto Concept's price is based on Selmer's assessment of what the market will bear, after the introduction of the Theo Wanne and Chedeville classical mouthpieces.

Claude Delangle is going to set a record for the most mouthpiece endorsements available simultaneously on YouTube. He's still up there the touting the Vandoren Optimum and then the original Concept.

 

John Rodby wrote a concerto that Harvey Pittel recorded on a Crystal LP in the 1970s that incorporated key pops, so this isn't really a new technique.

Metal/rubber hybrid sax mouthpieces are as old as dirt. Was it Naujoks or something that made one... the name is no longer on the tip of my tongue.

 

Najouks-McGlaughlin or something like then. Henton too and others.

 

I once attended a performance of a large Czech Moravian folk orchestra. While the violinists were great, two in particular stood out: a pair of young Roma boys. They could do everything the grown fiddlers could do -- frenetic, soulful bowing, rapid pizzicato -- but when the others rested their bows and counted measures, these boys quietly rubbed & tapped on the wooden bodies of their violins, producing an array of squeaks, sobs, & rhythmic accents that ably enhanced the ensemble's sound.

I've never forgotten what they taught me. Our instruments are tools, good ones capable of producing an astonishing array of sounds. Yet it's we, the players, who create the music -- by any means necessary. If the only instruments available to us were rocks & sticks, we could make fine music with rocks & sticks.

 

Strangely, Thomann has it (on preorder only) at only 229Euros (~US $250)...

 

The United States always gets price-gouged on Selmer Paris products.

 

I've played one. It was in the shop about 2 months ago. Cool piece. Tip opening is big, we measured it at .072 in the shop. It almost plays like a jazz piece! A lot of flexibility and color.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

I've played one. It was in the shop about 2 months ago. Cool piece. Tip opening is big, we measured it at .072 in the shop.

That means either Selmer has provided the wrong specs for this mouthpiece, or Selmer's manufacturing QA is way off, since it should be only .065".

 

On the actual thread, I have the Concept and love it but always wanted a bigger opening and wish I would've just waited.....

 

Do you remember which piece was so funny?

 

Nah. I was probably wasted. It was the Symposium, you know.

 

This is the "Claude Delangle": https://www.facebook.com/zaddiq/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2782733558450854
And this is a comparison between the "Claude Delangle" and the "Concept": https://www.facebook.com/zaddiq/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2782823485108528

The "Claude Delange" is something beyond the "Concept"... some design elements are quite "new" to Selmer.

 

At this point in my life I'll never be as good a player as I was, but maybe, just maybe with a little practice I can still become one of the saxophone premier key tappers. LOL

BTW, I would be thrilled to see/hear percussion added tastefully to a classical piece. Its sort of like watching Leo P. play the baritone sax. Back in the hey day of Gerry Mulligan I'm pretty sure his dance moves would have been laughed at by some, but I think today he has carved out a new art form.

 

Excited as Kessler and Sons shipment of Claude Delangle Mouthpieces arrive on the 20th of January!

 

I got one already for sale. Lol 🤭🤭🤭

 

Dislike it already?

 

Nope.
I got it on consignment. New.
I even don't own an alto.

 

Here's a review (perhaps "demo" would be a more accurate term) of the Delangle mouthpiece from sax.co.uk:

They employ their usual approach of never, ever having a classical player test any equipment, even horns or mouthpieces that are designed by their manufacturers with the classical market in mind. They also tend to be reluctant to say anything significantly negative about the products they demonstrate, since their ultimate goal is sales, not disinterested commentary. The best thing about this video is that Jim Cheek is playing a black lacquer Series III Jubilee alto, which is clearly the horn of choice.

The mouthpiece review from thesaxophonist.org is a bit more systematic and objectively oriented, although the way the reviewer describes the mouthpiece's playability discourages me from trying one (especially given the high price):

 

You spoke my mind. It seems like they just review the mouthpiece by having the same player play the same old style and never bring in someone who can really demonstrate the ability of a mouthpiece. Never offer any criticism or offer any type of solid information about its application. It is directed mainly as a classical mouthpiece and they should have the resources to be able to get a actual good contemporary player to demonstrate their products.

 

Just a reminder...
The Concept matches the (not listed) Selmer S80 B* of the past.
The Delangle is slightly more open... and quite different inside the chamber (no... I'm not talking about the brass thing, the floor slope has nothing to share with the Concept).

Back in the day, Selmer pieces were so good in terms of finishing. They were not "hit or miss", but at Selmer they lacked some QC.
But, despite how well the mouthpiece were finished (and how bad, in average, the tip and rails were finished) the mouthpiece were designed for less resistance than the "new" (Post Concept Selmers).
Now the tip and rails are overly thick... this leads to resistance.

The Concept can be not that freeblowing as most classical players can expect from a very very very very closed mouthpiece (it's somewhat closer than the Vandoren AL3/AP3).

Metrical system: 1" = 25,4mm.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=mm+to+inch

 

Kessler & Sons just received 4 of these in stock today. I almost bought from a collector's perspective, but I just couldn't justify the expense.

 

So I have the claude delangle mouthpiece. I actually went from the s80 c* to the CD. I noticed my ligature seems to be a little too big for it, has anyone else noticed that? Does anyone know what kind of ligature would work well with it? I have the regular 2 screw mouthpiece, nothing fancy. I think I may have stretched it out on a previous mouthpiece when I was first learning and tightened it way too much. Bit anyway, any suggestions on ligatures would help.

 

It has a smaller chamber then the other classical mouthpiece.. you can just use a clarinet lig on it

 

A fitting Rovner?
Different Rovner's models provide different feel and sound: so the choice is up to you.

 

Please suggest where I can buy this mouthpiece in California, US?