Bb Clarinet | Ridenour - "Lyrique"

A versatile and durable clarinet maker and model! Made from hard rubber and extensively tested for sonic accuracy and quality. Whether you purchase the “Lyrique” in the 576 or the Libertas model, these clarinets are a versatile and economic solution for your playing needs.

The “Lyrique” is arguably the most playable clarinet in the world at any price - an instrument that provides matchless security in phrasing, and truly frees your imagination!

The hand finishing of each clarinet provides benefits in the performance of each individual clarinet as well as overall consistency from horn to horn. The dividends in actual performance include a virtually seamless response and matching of tone colour and resonance throughout the full range of the clarinet.

Features

• Ebonite materials

• Ergonomic register key

• Separate post-mounted in-line trill keys

• Double reenforced crow’s foot design

• Key cup arms for the low F and E that are 50% thicker than standard clarinets

• Pinky levers that are solid metal

Included:

• Bb clarinet (Lyrique 576 or Libertas)

• Two barrels for different tuning situations

• Swab

• Cork grease

• Case

Materials: the Ebonite Advantage

The body of the Lyrique is made from pure, natural, unalloyed hard rubber (a.k.a. ebonite). Ebonite brings many positive qualities to the Lyrique’s acoustical formula that constitute a real improvement over wood. These include increased tonal warmth, tonal purity, resonance, evenness of response, tonal fullness, and amazing stability of upper register tones. The use of ebonite also results in much greater consistency in production as well as providing bore dimensions that remain stable in a wide range of seasonal, temperature and humidity conditions. In addition, the ebonite construction provides the performer with a clarinet that is virtually worry free. The pure, natural hard rubber of the Lyrique body will not warp or crack.

Tom Ridenour on the 576:

“The [Lyrique] 576 is not yet another factory production model. Rather, each Custom model clarinet is individually hand tuned and set up by Tom himself. Performance features include an advanced, polycylindrical custom bore design. The polycylindrical configuration is not a mere copy of past bore designs, but is part of an overall acoustical design that results in a more perfect balance in resistance from hand to hand and register to register.”

Tom Ridenour on the Libertas:

"the [Lyrique] Libertas is the clarinet I've hoped to make for over a decade now, a clarinet that possesses many of the same playing and acoustical characteristics of the Opus/Concerto clarinets I designed in the ‘90s, but with a big difference - these clarinets play better than any clarinets, wood or hard rubber, I've ever played, and of course, they won't crack and break your heart! The Lyrique Libertas costs a fraction of the price of top line wood clarinets! I believe this clarinet can change the way many people think about clarinets. The Lyrique Libertas is a clarinet for those who would prefer more freedom, flexibility, lower-register resonance, and color variability than the Lyrique 576.”

Independant reviewer