Klarinet Archive - Posting 000719.txt from 1996/03

From: Francis Firth <Francis.Firth@-----.UK>
Subj: Symphonic Contrabass
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 05:05:00 -0500

Someone wrote asking about the symphonic contrabass.
Yes, it is used in Scheonberg's 5 orchestral pieces (as far as I can
remember he asks for the non-existent contra in A!).
There is an important solo in R. Strauss's Josephslegende (the complete
ballet score not the suite).
Otherwise a reliable instrument appeared a little late on the scene to be
used often in pre-war music.
Since the war it has been used by Henze (3 orchestral pieces? - I can't
remember the exact title as I saw this at the proms some years ago).
There is a joke appearance for 2 contras in the Gordon Jacob variations on
Annie laurie written for one of Gerard Hoffnung's music festivals
There is the famous concerto for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and contra by
Donald Martino.
Otherwise the contra tends to be used more in Jazz (Wolfgang Fuchs, Anthony
Braxton) and in chamber and solo pieces (Rudolf Kelterborn Duo for Contra
and Viola), Marc Monnet (unaccompanied), Terje Lerstad (unacompanied),
William? Schmidt (with piano).
This is all I can remember to hand but I hope that it's useful.
Francis Firth
Francis.Firth@-----.uk