Klarinet Archive - Posting 000535.txt from 1995/05

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Basset horn in G and Rachel Park's observations
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 06:41:18 -0400

Thank you for answering my question about Rendall's description of the
basset horn in G, Rachel. I can't think of any reason to disbelieve
his statement, but it does let me know why the instrument was not around
for very long.

The most common key in which wind instruments were used were either B-flat
or E-flat, concert. That had to do with the French horn crooks more than
the key for the clarinet, but it worked out nicely for B-flat clarinet
anyway. Those concert keys put them in in written C and F respectively.

But both concert keys would have given basset horns in G fits. Concert
B-flat would put a G basset horn in E-flat (yuk!) and concert E-flat
would put a G basset horn in A-flat (double yuk!!). The basset horn in
F has the advantage of always requiring one flat less than the concert
key so perhaps that is a viable reason why it stuck around and the G
basset horn did not.

However, the basset horn in F goes ballistic when the concert keys
are in sharps because the instrument requires one more sharp than the
concert key.

Interesting discussion.

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