Klarinet Archive - Posting 000072.txt from 1994/12

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: C Clarinets and David Kaminsky's comments
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 20:45:21 -0500

David, your remarks on the C clarinet were very helpful and in no
way out of line. I recognize that you are in a sensitive position
but I don't find anything you have submitted to this list to be
other than helpful and not at all taking advantage of a captive
audience.

I can assure you that the people on this list are well prepared to
zing anyone who they believe has contributed an unsuitable posting.
So far, your judgement has been sound by any standard and we all
appreciate the helpful remarks that you have made.

I add that, about 3 months ago, there was a lengthy discussion on
this list having to do with the value of using a C clarinet and,
to my disappointment, there was no conclusive ending to that
discussion. If I may summarize it for people who are new to
the board, the following was argued vigorously:

Are instrumentalists within their musical rights to arbitrarily
substitute one clarinet for another within a performance? If the
part says clarinet in C, are we compromising our musical integrity
by ignoring the directions and playing the part on our instrument
of choice? (ditto for B-flat to A and vice versa)

The opinions offered fell into about three categories:

1. it is the inherent right of the player to select that
instrument on which he or she feels most comfortable;
besides, composers often write for clarinet in C because
it is easiest for them to do this, not because they really
want a clarinet in C; and conductors don't care so why
should we?

2. the circumstances determine which clarinet is to be used
and in some cases it is appropriate; in others, not; judgement
must be used and no hard and fast rule applies.

3. it is, except in the most unusual cases, wrong for the
instrumentalist to second-guess the composer no matter what
his or her motivation; if the composer has requested a
clarinet in x, there must have been a reason and it is our
duty to get a clarinet in x.

There were some very strong opinions presented in that discussion, but
like all we have on KLARINET, the conversations were generally organized,
polite, and respectful of other people's positions.

(except those that disagreed with me and they were rotten people
who should be thrown off the list, trashed in the gutters of Dalhart, TX,
and their remains fed to ravenous wolves in Alaska; then their houses should
be bombed, their fields sown with salt, and unto the 7th generation a fungus
should grow upon the bodies of their children and their children's
children, and may their reeds all be rotten, and may leaks develop in places
that can never be detected, etc., etc.)

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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