Klarinet Archive - Posting 000136.txt from 1995/09

From: "R. J. Shilcock" <mlfl@-----.UK>
Subj: 'A's & 'B flats'
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 1995 08:19:29 -0400

Dan L. - you probably know all about this - but:
In the late 18th century players could fit extra bits onto their B flat
clarinets to turn them into 'A's ("pieces de rechange"). One presumes that the
players had sufficient control by means of their embouchures to get over the
obvious intonation difficulties. This idea (I think) was borrowed from the use
of such bits with flutes to accommodate varying pitch standards. It seems
reasonable to guess that this practice died out when A clarinets started to be
used as virtuoso solo instruments - is this so?
Roger Shilcock