Klarinet Archive - Posting 000164.txt from 1995/09

From: "Dr. Ronald P. Monsen" <RPMONS00@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Alto clarinet (fwd)
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 1995 17:10:17 -0400

In the 1940's (I have read this somewhere) there was a movement amongst
the band association (HS) to consider dropping the alto clarinet from the
standard instrumentation list. All of this is documented in an anthology
of woodwind instruments. The problem was that the instrument (alto) does
seem to have some major accoustical shortcomings--a good one (?) costs a
good deal of money--budgets being what they are many are reluctant to
purchase these.

For many years when Paul Harvey was prof of clarinet at Kneller Hall
and in charge of the clarinet choir there-he substituted basset horns

for alto clarinets. He felt it was not only an accoustical improvement
but the transposition work-out was "good for the lads." The cost of
basset horns--and I feel their somewhat "personal" nature would seem
to make such a switch very unlikely in the standard school band scheme.

Music has been published with Alto Clar in F written. I have some
quartets from Jerry Pierce's library with that indication. I have
played and seen "basset-horns" (F) that only descended to a low Eb
and one older Buffet to a D. I do not know if this was intended to

be an Alto Clarinet replacement or not. CalState in Arcata has at least
one Buffet "basset horn" of this type.

Ron Monsen