Klarinet Archive - Posting 000633.txt from 1996/11

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Intro.........
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 1996 10:57:34 -0500

Edmund,
The low C extension is almost never used in Band situations. This
is because there are other instruments with that range and most band
musicians are, like yourself, young and amateurs (who can't afford a bass
clarinet, much less a low C one). So it is expected that they will use
the school's instrument, which will probably be the one which has been
sitting around for years (and was made before there was such a thing as a
low C extension. And, since most band compositions at the present time
were written before the last ten years, low C instruments weren't very
prevalent and the composers knew it. So they don't ask for them.
Orchestra is another story. Composers are ususally writing for
professionals
who are supposed to have the best and latest equipment. Ergo, the low C.
Virtually all works composed in the 20th Century use the low C.
Especially Shostakovich, Ravel, and all the French and American
composers. In addition, chamber music is in a similar boat. Most pieces
using Bass clarinet (written in the 20th C.) will call for the extended
range for the same reasons above.
What this is all leading to is you get the extended instrument if you
believe you will have need for the range. Unfortunately, your female
acquaintance has had no use for it...YET. If you plan to do some serious
Bass Clarinet work (as in contemporary music or Orchestra/chamber music)
then a low C is a MUST. Otherwise, it is usually not necessary.
BTW there is a similar situation with the Bartone Saxophone,
which has recently been extended to add an extra low note.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Thu, 28 Nov 1996, Edmund W. White wrote:

> Hello. My name is Edmund White, and I'm logging-on to introduce
> myself, as recommended in the list FAQ. I'm currently a junior at Evanston
> Township H.S. in Evanston, IL. I just recently performed with the
> all-district concert band as the second-chair bass clarinetist, but plan to
> make first-chair in the all-state group in January. My question to all
> of you is: what type of bass clarinet would you recommend for someone in
> my position? I plan to play in college, and I'm pretty active now with
> clarinet choir, orchestra (our bassoonist sucks!), and jazz and concert
> band. The school bought a plastic Selmer horn for me last year, but I
> recently purchased a '71 Selmer Paris bass from my clarinet teacher. It's a
> low Eb horn, but is in excellent mechanical condition and sounds great.
> After perusing the klarinet archives, the general trend regarding bass
> clarinets seemed to lean towards low C instruments manufactured by Leblanc,
> Selmer, or Buffet. Basically, I want to know if it's worth dropping
> $3000+ for the low C extension. Is it really necessary? The
> fourth-chair bass clarinetist in the all-district band came through with
> a new Buffet Prestige low C, but claimed she never used it in a
> performance. What's the deal?
>
>
> Edmund White
> ewhite@-----.us
>

   
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