Klarinet Archive - Posting 000005.txt from 1995/06

From: Mitch Bassman <mbassman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Weird keys, emotional keys, colored keys
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 1995 11:37:57 -0400

On Thu, 1 Jun 1995, James Sclater wrote:
> <snip>
> 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!

Yes, but keep reading.

> <snip>
> (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.
> <snip>
> I wonder how many can consistently
> tell the difference in the two instruments playing a passage at the same
> pitch level.

I think I can usually tell whether I'm listening to a B-flat or an A
clarinet, especially at a live performance. But keep reading.

A couple of years ago, I attended a concert at Constitution Hall in
Washington (DC) in which Richard Stoltzman was the featured soloist with
the U.S. Air Force Band. During the concert, the AF "Band" appeared in
multiple configurations, including concert band, orchestra, and clarinet
choir (for NY Counterpoint). I remember thinking at the time that he must
have been using a B-flat clarinet for most of the concert, especially
during the band configuration numbers and the clarinet choir.

However, at one point, he played both Rhapsody in Blue and the Mozart
concerto (I believe that was the order) without leaving the stage and
without changing clarinets! I presume that both were in the original keys
and that the orchestra was not playing transposed parts. I was too far
away to see his fingers, but if he was playing the Mozart concerto in A
(concert pitch) on a B-flat clarinet, his facility did not suffer. I
specifically remember deciding at that time that I was no longer certain
which instrument he was using or in what key he was playing the Mozart. I
was also very impressed. Does anyone know if Stoltzman travels with a set
of transposed orchestra parts for the Mozart concerto?

--Mitch Bassman

   
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