Klarinet Archive - Posting 000864.txt from 1997/10

From: "Lou Polcari" <polcari@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Looking for Bass Clarinet in A
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 14:36:26 -0400

Robert wrote:

Assuming Lou has correctly described his needs (when he says "Low A", is
he perhaps slipping into Saxophonists' lingo for "a half step below the
horn's range?), for a bass clarinet in A descending to lowest C, he
ought to use a contrabass clarinet in Eb (contra-alto). Rosario Mazzeo
had a Bb bass clarinet built to low Bb, thus duplicating the low range
of the Bb bass Saxophone. And, a composer who writes a low C for an A
bass clarinet, as suggested, is neither ignorant nor perverse, but is
stupid. The subject is very well covered in all orchestration books and
a two minute conversation with a bass clarinetist would settle the
issue.

Lou wrote:

Thank you Robert for you advice. I am not a bass clarinetist, I am the
second clarinetist who has been asked to "cover" this part. I must say that
it seemed low to me. I am saying that the part goes down to a written C
calling for the extension. What I had not considered until now is that this
could very well be a miss print in the part.

Lou Polcari
polcari@-----.net

Robert Howe

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