Klarinet Archive - Posting 000457.txt from 1998/02

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: Naive question
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 13:52:41 -0500

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.57
> Subj: Naive question

> I have an extremely ndive question. I hope someone will patiently guide me
> towards the Path to Complete Enlightenment.
>
> I understand the existance of Eb Sopranino, Bb, Eb Alto, Bb Bass, Eb
> Contra-alto and Bb Contrabass clarinets (and the octo-followups). Each of
> these is a sufficient extension of the range of the others that they make
> good sense.
>
> But A and C and D clarinets: what's the point? If the composer desires a
> clarinet part which goes just a little too low for a Bb, why not just write
> it for Eb Alto?
>
> And, as long as I'm asking stupid questions, I've sometimes wondered what
> the "normal" Bb clarinet is called. I've heard it referred to as
> "soprano", but it seems to me "tenor" fits the pattern more neatly. Of
> course, historical inertia probably has a huge effect here...

Wonderful questions. Not naive at all. Take a look at Stan Geidel's
website and you'll find a big piece on the history and origins of
clarinets of varying pitches. It is far more complex than simply
getting a slight lower or high range, at least insofar as the
B-flat, A, and C clarinets go. The D and E-flat clarinets are a horse
of a different color.

> --
> - Tim Roberts
> Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.
> timr@-----.com
=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
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