Klarinet Archive - Posting 000003.txt from 1995/06

From: James Sclater <sclater@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Weird keys, emotional keys, colored keys
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 1995 09:50:15 -0400

I have been mulling over the string about keys, etc. and would like to add
my two cents worth. Dan's comment about string keys seems to be on
target... think how many of the great violin/cello concerti are in the key
of "D" or "A". Certain keys are recognized as string keys.
There certainly seems to be a lot of evidence to support the idea
that keys are chosen by the composer to support facility on the
instrument. An example would be the Clarinet concerti by Spohr...some are
for Bb clarinet; one, I think, for A clarinet. Examine the keys for each.
What does that tell you? Can you imagine having to play the Weber 2nd
concerto on the A clarinet in the sounding key of Eb? Talk about a finger
buster!
I had a friend in college who heard the "colors" of each key...she
swore D major was yellow, etc. Personally I don't know about that, but do
feel that we are conscious of the high/low differences to the point that,
when a piece is transposed up or down, it registers...IF we have heard
the work in the "original key." If you heard the Debussy Rhapsody for the
first time in a tonality other than the original one, wouldn't that be the
"normal" one for that particular listener? Isn't our reaction to this
phenomenon based at least partially upon what we hear first? (As a HS
student I first began to practice the Mozart concerto on my Bb clarinet
because it was the only instrument I had...when I finally heard it played
on the A clarnet, it sounded different, not better or worse,just different.
In closing, let me relate a recent experience. I transcribed a
Bach melody(If Thou Be Near) for clarinet and organ so my wife and I could
play it in church. The sounding key (C major) made the choice of Bb or A
clarinet a toss-up, so I did both ...the computer program does it so
easily...why not? As an experiment, we rehearsed both versions...Bb
clarinet playing in the written key of D and A clarinet playing in the
written key of Eb. Listeners preferred the A clarinet version because
of differences in timbre. This suggests that there really is a "color"
difference between the two instruments. I wonder how many can consistently
tell the difference in the two instruments playing a passage at the same
pitch level.

Jim Sclater
James Sclater inet: sclater@-----.edu
Mississippi College (601)925-3445
Clinton, MS 39058