Klarinet Archive - Posting 000336.txt from 1996/03

From: "Lorne G. Buick" <mcheramy@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: C clarinets, continued
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 21:37:46 -0500

Just to pour gasoline on troubled waters, I'll dive in and offer some
mildly inflammatory answers to Jacqueline Eastwood's answers to Dan's
inflammatory statement (which was, in case anyone's forgotten: "..it is
arrogant of clarinetists to presume that
> they have any authority whatsoever to ignore a composer's request for
> a specifically pitched clarinet, and to substitute at will some other
> pitched clarinet of his or her choice."):
>

>1) Assuming there are two clarinet parts, both players really need to
>use the same pitch horn or it just won't work.

Except of course in cases where the composer has specified two different
pitch horns. In any case, the solution is for both players to play the
right instrument, not for one to use the other as an excuse.
>
>2) The added expense of first purchasing and then maintaining another
>horn could be prohibitive -- that ties in with #1 above also.

I am very sympathetic to the financial plight of amateur and underemployed
or underpaid professionals (I am under- not to say un- employed myself this
year), but the Noblet C clarinet (which has been recommended repeatedly by
contributors to this list) is listed in a catalog I happen to have on my
desk at US$1195. This is a fraction of the price of a good piccolo, english
horn, violin bow...

In any case we're talking about a compromise due to financial
circumstances, not an argument against the basic principle that one should
use the right clarinet.
>
>3) The opera we just did ("Don Pasquale") had horn changes indicated on
>virtually every page. Constantly having to switch horns in a dark pit
>would be rather risky -- although I have perfected a technique for
>yanking the mouthpiece off INTACT and within the span of four average
>measures! Temperature changes would also cause problems here.

This may be a valid exception in a particular case, but again says nothing
about the principle. One could ask for an extra stand light to illuminate
the instrument stands to avoid accidents.
>
>4) We'd all have to practice LOTS more to keep in shape on each of three
>(or four, for me -- or 10 for you!!). Actually, that would probably be a
>good incentive, at least at the beginning....

Unwillingness to work harder to achieve the aims of the composer is not a
very convincing argument... I want to emphasize that I fully recognize that
amateur and semi-professional groups have to make all sorts of compromises
in order to keep going and presenting concerts - far better they should
play the music on the wrong clarinet than not play it! But the more I read
and think about this question, the more I agree with Herr Doktor Professor
Leeson.