Klarinet Archive - Posting 000435.txt from 1994/05

From: Christopher Zello <en444@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Hi and Low
Date: Fri, 27 May 1994 12:41:51 -0400

While in Cincinnati I attended a masterclass by Eugene Marquis,
the performer on the album "Eclectic Clarinets" and he was
discussing all he went throught tracking all of the individual
parts to make his recording. All of us students there at the
time were less than impressed.

But I remember him talking a little about the a-flat clarinet.
He said very little about it (no pun intended)--it is small
and high enough the that you can play along with the piccolo
on Stars and Stripes Fove Forever (as if we would want to).
He also said there were two in existence, on e of which was
at Ohio State Univ. As you can see, I have made a lot of
generalizations--but this was the same terms he explained things
to us in. During the class he was quick to tell us trivial
things, which I have found to be inciorrect. So I do not
know the accuaracy of this information.

Aside, he briefly mentioned the octo-contra (bass) clarinet.
Now, would this be the lowest sounding instrument of the
clarinet family, or would the e-flat octo-alto clarinet
be lower. Seriously. . .

What would be the point in owning one of these octo-contra
instruments? Who is writing for them? Are these pieces
actually written for the octo-contra or are they transcriptions?
And is it necessary to own one of these instruments, or
could you get a regualar contra and transpose?

--
Christopher Zello en444@-----.edu