Klarinet Archive - Posting 000174.txt from 1997/03

From: Roger Shilcock
Subj: NewMemberHello! (fwd)
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997 03:55:38 -0500

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 15:02:25 -0500
From: Frederick S. Sterns <fssterns%CLARK.NET@-----.UK>
Subject: NewMemberHello!

Hello All!...yours truly is a recent subscriber to the Klarinet list and
would welcome correspondence from others interested primarily [or even
secondarily, or otherwise] in the bass clarinet.

Although principally a jazz saxophone player, I started many years ago with
the clarinet and double on it, flute, and the bass clarinet. Moreover, for
the past two plus years I've been fortunate to have a bass clarinet chair
in an excellent local concert band...and have developed a special interest
in that horn, and on improving my musicianship on it.

I feel reasonably comfortable with the bass clarinet at this point,
although I would like to know the secret of how to extend the range of
dynamics on that instrument. I don't find it nearly as "flexible" as the
other single reed instruments. Any general comments, observations, or
advice from other bass clarinet afficionados also would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone...Fred

BBBUUUTTT: the bass clarinet has a really w-i-d-e dynamic range - with
the right mp/reed/embouchure, I suppose. Perhaps the difficulty is
related to moving to it from a sax. Crescs. and decrescs. can be a
problem to manage intonation-wise, though - for me, and, I suspect, for
others... Remember the (notorious?) (alleged) ad hoc replacement of
bassoon by bass clar in the ppppp bit of the "Pathetique"?
Roger Shilcock