Klarinet Archive - Posting 000339.txt from 1996/03

From: "Daniel A. Paprocki" <dap@-----.US>
Subj: Re: C clarinets or just take an elevator
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 23:53:20 -0500

Lorne,
Which Dan? Me or California Dan?
You said:
>>1) Assuming there are two clarinet parts, both players really need to
>>use the same pitch horn or it just won't work.

Me: I aggree.

You said:
>>2) The added expense of first purchasing and then maintaining another
>>horn could be prohibitive -- that ties in with #1 above also.
>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.

Me: $1195 is alot of money (you didn't add in the Tim Clark setup - $300+)
for a clarinet that would be infrequently used (unless I get an opera job).

You said:
>>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.

Me: I somewhat agree. If I have the right clarinet and time (4 measures
for a change sometimes would be a luxury). If I can make the passage sound
effortless on a different key clarinet I will do it - key of B on Bb
clarinet or key of C on A clarinet?! Damn the wishes of the composer.
Transpose a passage to a different clarinet so that I can avoid a note in
the altisimo at PPP?! This is done all the time.

You said:
>>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....

Me: What kind of incentive are you talking about? I do 4 or 5 hours of
practice a day + rehearsals and can't get to 4 different clarinets every
day.

You said:
>Unwillingness to work harder to achieve the aims of the composer is not a
>very convincing argument...

Me: Do you believe all you read? I do try to achieve the composer's wishes
but are you assuming that all composers know how to write for the clarinet,
know what is hard or easy for a player, what its tuning tendenciesare , or
even its range. I hope all composers know all instruments that they're
writing for but sadly some don't. Composers like to think that there's a
tone difference between Bb and A but really how many times have you heard
an orchestra, talked to the clarinetist on his/her fine solo, and then be
told that they transposed the solo to: 1) make it smoother, 2) play it with
a warm horn for better tuning, or 3) they picked up the wrong horn and did
some real fast sight transposing. I've had that happen to me.
This "unwillingness to work harder" - I'm confused. Would you rather
play Daphnes et Chloe II on Eb in 5#s or on D clarinet in C. If I had a D
clarinet I know what I'd do. There is a difference between hard work and
smart work - why climb out the window when the elevator is right there.
I'd like to hear from more orchestra players and what they would
do: respect the composers wishes for whatever clarinet to use or transpose
a passage to maybe solve a problem (tuning, fingers, quick change, etc).

Flame On

Dan

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Daniel A. Paprocki
dap@-----.us

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