Klarinet Archive - Posting 000143.txt from 1996/10

From: Jarle Brosveet <jbrosvee@-----.NO>
Subj: Re: Clarinet in D repertoire
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 14:01:02 -0400

At 13:14 07.10.96 BST, Francis Firth wrote:
>Apart from the concerti by Molter does anyone know of any solo repertoire
>for the clarinet in D, especially contemporary?

Kurt Birsak writes in his book 'Die Klarinette' that most Baroque clarinets
were made in D to imitate the sound of high-pitched trumpets, which they
substituted on some occasions. Handel's Overture for 2 clarinets and horn
HWV 424 (1740) is in D, although some of the chromatics were nearly
unplayable on the two-key instrument of the time. Also, there is an aria
with two clarinets in his opera 'Tamerlano'. After 1760 fashion changed and
the D clarinet was considered too shrill for comfortable listening.
Low-pitched instruments were preferred. Mozart used B clarinets for solo
work in 'Idomeneo' (1781) and 'Cosi fan tutte' (1790). In his 1803 tutor
Backhofen restricted the use of D, E flat and F clarinets to military bands.
At the same time the influential Lefevre recommended only B flat and C
clarinets in his tutor for the Paris Conservatoire, and specified that D
major parts should be played on the C instrument. It seems that the D
clarinet was not heard of after that.

Baroque music does not always specify which instruments should be used, and
high D parts in works by Telemann and others are most often played by
trumpets. Molter's concertos, written about 1750, are in a class of their
own and were meant to be played on the clarinet due to their virtuosic
character. No other Baroque solo works were written for the D clarinet. The
Vivaldi Concerto for 2 oboes and 2 clarinets is in C. Graupner definitely
used three solo chalumeaux (alto, tenor and bass) in two trios, a Suite
(1741) and also in two of his overtures.

Jarle Brosveet