Klarinet Archive - Posting 000479.txt from 1996/03

From: Josias Associates <josassoc@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Martinu
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 21:12:48 -0500

On Mon, 18 Mar 1996, Nick Shackleton wrote:

> Scott Morrow asked how one can tell whether a composer MEANS C clarinet.
> Does anybody have an opinion on Martinu's trio (Oboe Clar Bassoon). The part
> is for C clarinet. The lowest note is written Eb and oddly enough that is
> the lowest note on my C, so I can handle it better that way than
> transposing. But I've heard it said that Martinu didn't intend the C. Nick
>
Nick,

Although I'm not familiar with Martinu's "Trio for Oboe, Clarinet,
and Bassoon," I have performed his "Serenade" for string trio and
two (!!) clarinets in C, and conventional wisdom (wherever that came
from and for whatever it's worth) has it that the composer intended the
composition to be performed with the brighter sound of the C instruments
in mind.

Without any authoritative information indicating otherwise, I
would play the trio on the C instrument, even though mine doesn't have
the low Eb and I would have to accommodate the note in some other way.

Connie

Conrad Josias
La Canada, California