Selmer Paris Privilege Clarinets Review and Demonstration

In this video, I'll demonstrate and review the soprano clarinets in the Privilege line by Henri Selmer Paris. These clarinets are bound for a customer, but I wanted to see how they stacked up against my Presence clarinets before sending them on their way!
Conclusion: these are some of the best clarinets I have ever tried, and I liked them better than my own instruments! If you're in the market, these are a must-try!
In this video, I am playing:
Selmer Paris Présence A and B-flat Clarinets
Selmer Paris Privilége A and B-flat Clarinets
D'Addario Evolution Mouthpiece
D'Addario Reserve Classic Reeds (3.5)
Royal Global Polaris Barrel
Silverstein Works HEXA Ligature in Rose Gold
Mozart, Concerto for Clarinet K. 622
Brahms, Sonata in E-flat, Op. 120
Shop all this gear and more at cleverclarinetist.com!

[@huguesfardaoclarinettesolo7210]

Thank you for this review. I love Selmer clarinets (sound, feeling, resistance, keywork), and Privilège is my favourite. I mean, I love the ease and the sound of my personnal clarinet (old Selmer L series from 1931), I'm found of the well balanced 10S, I like the woody sound of the Récital and the clear sound of the Saint-Louis, but each time I test clarinets I feel the Privilège rules them and wins by having a clear and punchy sound at the same time. I tested the new Selmer Muse who is comfortable, easy, rich, with an intonation beyond hopes, a top instrument, no doubt, but with a litle too much colored sound to me. The Privilège has that kind of Selmer core sound wich is rich without unnecessary harmonics, and deep without being muffled. Enjoy !

[@billducker7404]

Dr. Saunders thank you for Another great video. The B-flat instrument is amazing but I’ve never seen an a instrument I’m sure it’s pretty good as well. Bill. UK

[@txsphere]

What a beautiful sound!

[@cleverclarinetist]

Thank you!

[@billducker7404]

Ps the A sounds fantastic. Bill. UK

[@ZiSlepovitch]

Thank you for the video, Larkin, you sound great! Privilege is truly one of the best commercially produced instruments on the market for quite some time (and then there is S&S and Uebel Superior for that sweet focused German sound, but that's a diff story). I have been playing Privilege 1st generation Bb and A since 2014 (so seven years now), coming from Buffet Festival (which I had loved and still think it is a fantastic instrument in its own right) and I must say, that was the right choice for me. Going between many different styles and applications (musical theatre, opera / operetta, + klezmer + classical + jazz / improvised music, you name it). I really liked the 1st gen Privilege more (had a chance to compare the 2 generations back to back), but the different isn't huge, it is still the same great instrument, and it bears the signature Selmer sound, just like Buffet instruments share their own. It is much closer to Leblanc Opus II (which I had, the A, and loved it!) It is amazingly in tune (better than the mentioned Leblanc), beautiful tone, and very well built (except for those silicone pins on the LH side that tend to break and the rubber "soles" under the RH pinky keys that wear off making the keys clicky). I appreciate Recital and would love to have it *as well*, too, but Priv is a clear winner *for my needs and ears*. I am now really wondering about the Muse and from the short pool of videos currently available online, it sounds sort of like Privilege 3rd generation, definitely there's a lot of sound DNA in common that I hear, but more even and ironed out, in contrast with what Hugues is suggesting in his comment below, but then what do I know... Again, thank you for sharing your video and your experience with these wonderful instruments!

[@cleverclarinetist]

Thank you for sharing your stories and experiences! I tested a Muse in Paris, and I have one in my shop just dying the be reviewed! haha. It's the next video that I'll make.

[@ZiSlepovitch]

@@cleverclarinetist wonderful! Looking forward to your review!

[@ZiSlepovitch]

@@cleverclarinetist As for your comment that the sound on the Privilege feels louder / bigger.... I can also say that it projects a set of frequencies that make it sound "3D" of sorts. Here's me playing on my then newly acquired Privilege (this is Bb), with the very same feel that I get from your playing here kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGGvaqxoo9BlqtE

[@ivansarkany314]

Please indicate your favorite personal clarinet. I heard Cervantes???

[@cleverclarinetist]

My personal clarinets are the Selmer Paris Presence b-flat and A clarinets that I'm using in this video.

[@1PhysioPilates]

Buffet Festival or Selmer Privilege ?

[@ZiSlepovitch]

They do share a lot in common, it's the question of Buffet or Selmer sound that you like more. I have played and loved both, but currently playing Selmer Priv 1st gen and loving it (see my comment above).

[@cleverclarinetist]

I prefer Selmer Privilege myself!