Klarinet Archive - Posting 001056.txt from 1995/10

From: thehat@-----.ORG
Subj: C Transposition
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 1995 17:16:32 -0500

Thanks to David Neithamer for his insight and experience. As those who
know me know, I transpose often, especially when conditions
(temperature) suggest possible trouble with intonation or dmamge to the
instrument. Since I also play the bass clarinet, I have to transpose on
it too and have found many instances when both A and B-flat basses are
called for and where the number and frequency of switches between the
two make it unlikely that it would even be possible to use both horns
(Mahler 6, La Valse, etc.).

Anyway, I was going to suggest using Bach's A-minor partita for flute
unaccompanied as an excellent c transposition study for very advanced
students and professionals who want a challenge. It is equally difficult
on the A or B-flat horns technically, though very different. After that
perhaps get the original violin text to the sonatas and partitas-though
here you will have to eliminate the chordal string writing. The reason
these are good is the wide intervals are much more difficult to
transpose that the scales and simpler patterns found in a lot of
clarinet etudes . Plus they are great works of art.

Anyway, just adding my piece on tranposition. BTW, accoring to the DOver
Score to the Brahms 3rd which I have, the first 9/4 solo in Mvt. 1 was
originally in B-flat, changed later (most likely because of a suggestion
>from a clarinet player). This explains why there isn't enough time to
change clarinets for that solo. It also suggests to me thatBrahms didn't
necessarily know which instrument was best. It is common knowledge that
Joachim helped Brahms early on with many of his compositions, even
having him turn an aborted symphony attempt into the D-minor piano
concerto.

One last thing: Strauss himself admitted that "Till" should have been
written for the e-flat, not the d. Even the greatest masters can be
second guessed by a skillful instrumentalist!

David Hattner
clarinetist at large, NYC