Klarinet Archive - Posting 000422.txt from 1997/03

From: Martin Marks <mmarks@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: Question about music.
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 20:38:14 -0500

At 12:01 AM 3/13/97 EST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 03-12-97 INTERNET: gyoung@-----.C wrote to ** ALL **:
> Ig> I was wondering if anyone knew of a book for clarinet that contained
> Ig> transcriptions of the Bach Violin Concertos or similar pieces? I was
> Ig> listening to one of these on NPR as I was driving home tonight and
> Ig> thought it sounded like it would be something fun to practice on
> Ig> clarinet. If such a thing exists, I'd really enjoy having it to
> Ig> practice from.
>
>I own and play through regularly (haven't had an opportunity for live
>performance yet) all of the published Bach flute sonatas + the unaccompanied
>flute partita in a minor. These rank among the greatest literature for the
>flute (although the e-flat major one which, interestingly, is quite often
>played on the clarinet, is probably not by JS Bach himself). Range is
>generally not a big issue, with the highest note I can think of being a top
>written "a" (b or c for us, depending which clarinet you use) in the partita.
>
>In addition to the above, I find Bach one of the most difficult composers to
>transpose, due to the chromatic nature of his music. Try to sight read the
>first movemet of the partita on b-flat clarinet. It's harder than it looks
>(it's also damn hard to get through without being extremely fatigued).
>
>Technically, they are great challenges. The keys are mostly awkward (again,
>the e-flat major is the exception), the others being in, I think, e-minor, b
>minor, c major, e major, g minor and e major). Thus, they fall, as my teacher
>used to say, "on the sides of the clarinet." Articulation becomes an issue
>also, at times. Hope this helps some.
>
>David Hattner
>clarinetist-at-large, NYC
> -> Alice4Mac 2.5d3 E QWK Eval:04Feb96
>Origin: Alice strikes back =>

>The Handel flute sonatas work on clarinet also. There is also a book
available of clarinet
transcriptions of the Teleman Fantasies for recorder or flute. I think that
the lighter (less dark)
tone quality of the C clarinet is much better suited to baroque music. Of
course using the C clarinet
eliminates the need to transpose, but they are still very challenging.

Marty Marks