Hats and Clarinets

 

What makes me choose a photograph for my collection?

Usually it's due to the musical instruments.
Often it's on account of the era or decade.
Occasionally it's because I know who they are.

But sometimes it just comes down
to smiles and hats.

And every now and then I get lucky 
and find a beautiful photo,
a perfect portrait.

This is one of them. 

These two fellows, maybe father and son, were artfully arranged by a skilled photographer who understood side lighting. In this neatly crafted pose the younger man sits on a low rattan chair as his older partner leans over a bass drum. Their clarinets, bowler hats, and affable smiles attract immediate interest. The mustache and bouquet of roses are a bonus. It's a postcard print on AZO brand paper but the divided back is blank. The drum head has a wonderful musical lyre design with the name "Hartford City Band."   

Most of the musician portraits in my collection are images of people like this, whose names are unknown to me. Their photographs were taken long ago and the details of who, when, and where were not recorded on the print. Though sometimes there are clues that let me deduce a rough idea of time or place, more often than not the faces remain anonymous. According to Wikipedia there are 22 towns and cities in the United States named Hartford. And bowler hats were pretty popular for several decades. The best I can do is guess: two bandsmen in nice suits somewhere in America around 1906-1928.

Of course the two men in the photo knew who they were and why they posed for a camera. Investing time and money for a proper professional portrait was once, and still is, an occasion to look your best since the main purpose of a photo is to share it with friends and family. And for musicians it's an opportunity to show off their instrument and get a memento of a special concert.  

The reason I collect these photos is naturally because of their musical theme. But not every musician's portrait makes the cut. Antique photos of clarinet players are as common as pigeons in the park. So for me to add a picture of two clarinetists to my archive it has to be special. This photo hit all the marks. We don't need to know their names to see two good friends proud of their music. Their expressions make us genuinely happy to make their acquaintance. If they were selling tickets to a concert of the Hartford City Band we'd buy six, please.

Though these two clarinetists must remain forever silent
 we can still imagine what music they might have played.

Here is an arrangement for two clarinets
of the famous Flower Duet 
from Léo Delibes' tragic opera Lakmé.

It is beautifully played by
Jose Franch-Ballester and Bernardino Assunçao, clarinets.

They produced this in 2020 as part
of a series of videos made during covid isolation.

This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday

where every photo has a story.