Klarinet Archive - Posting 000683.txt from 1997/06
From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU> Subj: Re: barrels; Penderecki Prelude Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 16:08:20 -0400
On Sun, 29 Jun 1997, Gary Young wrote:
> To everyone--
>
> Here are two questions I asked earlier, the second one last year. I got
> one response to the first, none to the second. I thought I'd give them a
> try once again. Please, someone adopt these poor orphan questions and give
> them a home! TIA for anyone's help.
>
> 1) The A clarinet is pitched lower than the B flat and is longer overall.
> So
> how come barrels for B flat clarinets are typically longer than barrels for
> A clarinets?
Most people do indeed use a longer barrel on their Bb clarinet than on
their A. I use a 68 on Bb and a 66 on A. My understanding is that the
size of the bore of an A clarinet in relation to its greater length is the
reaon for this phenomenon. (I think it's actually narrower than the Bb).
>
> I think the one response to this question -- I can't recall from whom --
> said barrels for B flats are NOT typically longer. But my B flat barrel is
> longer than my A (by 1 mm.), and the barrel ads and catalog listings I've
> seen usually make longer barrels available for B flat than for A, and never
> make longer barrels available for A than B flat. Usually B flats are
> available to 68 mm., and As to 67, less often to 68, mm. (I just confirmed
> this by reference to the new catalog of International Musical Suppliers, at
> pages 78-79.)
>
> A further related question: Is there really any difference between barrels
> for B flat and barrels for A clarinets? (I know some barrels work better
> on some clarinets. I'm asking if some barrels work better on B flat
> clarinets as a group than A clarinets as a group, or what might be the same
> thing, whether some barrels are made to work with B flats and some with
> As.) Each of my R-13s came with its own barrel, the A barrel stamped "A,"
> the one for B flat without any special stamp. But I haven't hesitated to
> use the A barrel on my B flat, and vice-versa, when intonation required
> that. I also have other barrels of other lengths that I use on both cls
> (though not at the same time). I know other clarinetists who do the same,
> and none who don't. Some makers, but not all, market their barrels
> indifferently for B flats and As. So is there really any difference?
>
I would imagine there IS a difference; again due to the different size of
the bores. I have never tried swapping barrels around, but I always
figured that A barrels were for A clarinets and Bb barrels were for Bb
clarinets.
> 2) In the second-to-last line of the unaccompanied Penderecki Prelude
> (publ. Schott) there is a pattern involving C (line below clef) and a
> d-flat' (fourth line of clef) which I can't figure out. I'd appreciate
> help from anyone in understanding and playing this.
>
> The pattern appears twice in slightly different forms.
>
> In the first occurrence a C eighth-note is followed by a C quarter-note in
> parentheses; the two are joined by a tie. Above the parenthetical
> quarter-note is a d-flat' quarter note, tied to a d-flat' eighth-note.
>
> In the second occurrence a C eighth-note and quarter-note are tied (neither
> in parentheses), and above the quarter note is an eighth rest followed by
> an eighth-note and quarter-note d-flat', tied together.
>
> In each case, it appears that Penderecki wants the C to start, then after
> an eighth rest the d-flat' to enter, and then after an eighth or
> quarter-beat the C stops while the d-flat' continues.
>
> Does Penderecki want a multiphonic here? If so, does anyone have a
> multiphonic fingering that might produce just these two pitches (C and
> d-flat') in the required sequence (it has to work without a lot of noise;
> the passage is marked p)? If not a multiphonic, what is this? What do the
> parentheses mean -- that the continued C is optional? If so, why no
> parentheses the second time?
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Gary Young
> Madison, Wisconsin
>
>
>
Penderecki has been a mystery to me ever since sophomore theory when we
were forced to listen to "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima". I just
didn't get it!!!
Hope my other comments were of use.
Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu
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