Klarinet Archive - Posting 000484.txt from 1996/03

From: Delton Sizemore <sizemod@-----.AU>
Subj: Basset horns
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 21:30:35 -0500

I have owned my Buffet basset horn for 3 weeks now and have started to feel
more
comfortable with the differences in feel and embouchure between it and my
Leblanc Bb and A. I have been fortunate enough to meet another basset
horn owner not too far away and we played some duets, had a look over the
parts for the Mozart Serenade, Masonic funeral march and Requiem, now
that he can play them having found another basset in the area. We
exchanged instruments as his is a Leblanc. It sure is much more
responsive with it's larger bore and bigger mp.

I have discovered the Concertos by Hess, Rolla and Backofen in the Qld
State library with piano reductions. For one horrible moment I thought
that no one would have bothered to write piano reductions for this
instrument. I was also pleasantly surprised to find them playable and
don't use the sub E keys much. The Rolla hit low C a couple of times in
particular the last note of the last movement to great effect. It's not
too hard to learn to do this. I need to play with the piano to find
where I have intonation problems and found them to be quite different to
my Bb and A.

I have a few queries which some one might be able to help me with.
With my instrument the low register is the hardest to control (in
contrast to the soprano clarinet) Unless I am careful with my embouchure
it tends to "chirp". Is this normal ? The pads seem to seal well.

When it comes to developing repertoire I would like to know what music I
could adapt for it and what combinations of instruments it would fit
with. Does it go with a clarinet choir for example. It's range is close
to that of a tenor sax and when I play jazz on it it doesn't sound all
that unlike a tenor sax. Has any one ever used it in jazz or other
contemporary music ?

Finally how many of you 600 subscribers own one or have performed on one
(except for Dan Leeson who everybody knows has done everything possible on
ever kind of clarinet that exists).

Could I do a poll by asking those who have basset horn experience to
email me and I will post the results ??

I hope this subject is not too offbeat for the list.

Del Sizemore
Lismore
NSW
Australia