Tarogato Discussion

[PipeTobacco]

Hello Everyone:

I have become a bit intrigued in my recent discovery of the Tarogato instrument.  It appears to be similar in some ways to a wooden saxaphone or perhaps more of a conical Albert system Clarinet.  From my limited initial investigation it seems a part of some traditional Turkish music.  I was hoping to start a topic where we may be able to discuss this instrument here.  I find it beautiful but am just beginning to learn about it.  I would greatly like to hear/read others ideas and opinions on this instrument. 

I have not posted too often before (only a few times) but I am primarily a bass clarinet player, but do play some across the clarinet spectrum. 

Looking forward to a potentially lively discussion where I can learn and grow. 

[DaveLeBlanc]

It's a pretty neat instrument, but hard to find and expensive in America.

I've never held one, but I would say that it more closely resembles a conical clarinet than a saxophone, specifically due to the Albert-esque key system, which is different enough from the standard saxophone key system.

I have played in a band at UCLA (on contra-alto), which specialized in the most obscure instruments possible; we never had a taragato in our group.

I would very much like to own one, but I don't play enough and am not that dedicated of a collector (anymore) to justify it.

In America, on the rare occassions it's played, it appears to be played more like a saxophone in terms of play style. It also has a more soprano-sax-ish tone to it, but a clarinet timbre, if that makes sense.

Here's a nice relaxing jazz session:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQpG4ynzbzA

[kewald]

It's amazing how many different instruments there are in this world!

[windydankoff]

Results of tonight's sleepless Tarogato Youtube exploration!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSlWC1ycWg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQpG4ynzbzA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjegJivQK48
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5oqr1cbJaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbBxQnSomWc

A very special instrument!
What moves me the most is the vibrato that the Romanian players get that goes UP in pitch instead of down. I hear it from some clarinetists too. How, oh HOW are they doing that?

[Airflyte]

I guess I'm watching Tarogato videos tonight!

Cool woodwind.

[DaveLeBlanc]

I would love to hear your thoughts on if the taragato is a "conical clarinet" or a "wooden saxophone."

I feel like although the keywork is very Albert, the sound and playing style fits more of what you hear from the soprano saxophonists.

[Airflyte]

IMHO,

  If a "Tárogató" has an octave key or lever(s), it is not a clarinet!

I guess "wooden saxophone" is more accurate than a "conical clarinet".

Since the clarinet has a register key that overblows a twelfth as the third harmonic it is

 . . . . truly in a class of it's own!

Maybe Squidward would have been better off with a clarinet as the sound is more pleasing to to the ear.

 




 

[windydankoff]

It's conical and it overblows an octave, so it's clearly most related to the sax. I think the sound is lovely - similar to soprano sax, but more mellow.

[windydankoff]

I just happened upon another rare gem of Tárogató jazz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRTG98eIa04

[Dibbs]

Ah Scott Robinson.  A great player.   I met him at the World Tarogato Congress in 2015 and then toured Hungary with him and the World Tarogato Ensemble. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi8J31CWK1E

[windydankoff]

Who needs all those keys?

https://www.glissonic.com

[kewald]

Who needs all those keys?

https://www.glissonic.com

Wow.  Playing by position instead of keys - kinda like a trombone.

[LarryS]

I quite fancy playing one of these. Do they use clarinet mpc/reeds?

[Dibbs]

Do they use clarinet mpc/reeds?

Clarinet reeds but a different mouthpiece.  The internal geometry is very different from a clarinet or saxophone mouthpiece.  Having said that, some people have managed to modify a soprano sax mouthpiece to work.  In the UK Ed Pillinger makes them to order. János Grúber in Hingary also makes mouthpieces.

Buying a tarogato is a bit of a minefield. There are a lot of poor quality instruments out there. 

Only old Sowasser instruments can really be recommended but there are a lot of fakes about so you have to be careful.  József Tóth and the new reborn Stowasser company in in Hungary both make good new instruments.  My own was made by Stephen Fox in Canada but I had it made before new Hungarian ones were easily available.


http://www.tarogatocenter.hu/index_en.htm
https://www.tarogato.net/english.html
http://tarogato.hu/en/home/
http://www.sfoxclarinets.com/Tarogato.html
https://pillingermouthpieces.co.uk/

[DaveLeBlanc]

If you want a taragota for display purposes, you can find them for nothing being manufactured out of Pakistan out of some real nasty wood.