Klarinet Archive - Posting 000122.txt from 1994/10

From: John Dohrmann <jdohrman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: On the use of the "right" clarinet
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 1994 20:46:03 -0400

Dan, the gauntlet was your revisiting of the story about playing Mozart
on a Bflat instrument. I was thinking about my own reaction when I got
to Roger's response. Partly I am puzzled because the first class A
clarinet solo I performed while in high school was a movement of the
Mozart concerto. Since I didn't have an A clarinet, either the piano
part or my part was transposed. I'm not sure I feel guilty, since I got
a first. But for dead composers the issue is more complex than your
discussions might admit. First, none of the clarinets we are discussing
here sound exactly like the ones Mozart heard. So playing on an A vs a
Bflat for "tone quality" doesn't apply. Second, playing in the original
key does allow the audience to hear the same "notes" contemplated by the
composer. But given the drift in the definition of A (it wasn't always
440) a half-step difference is probably not significantly different to
the ear. If you play the A part on a Bflat, you produce different
concert notes but play the same fingerings. This might be more authentic
than transposing so you produce the right notes (with a different tone
quality) but are using different fingerings, which may have an effect on
the flow of the notes.

Of course, since you, Dan, supply us all with your strong opinions, we
start to look like we want to argue with you. Far from it, I always look
forward to your messages. thank you

On Wed, 12 Oct 1994, Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu wrote:
>
> Roger, what did I say that brought this matter up? I don't remember
> writing anything in the last few weeks on this subject. I don't mind
> rediscussing it but I threw down no gauntlet on it.