Klarinet Archive - Posting 001032.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: alto clarinets
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 19:11:50 -0500

On Sat, 28 Feb 1998, Edinger/Gilman wrote:

> As a one-year college-level alto clarinet player (concert band, not
> marching!), in regard to its musical contribution, I can only concur
> (and it's only marginal at best in the concert band). But of course the
> alto clarinet sound (which is completely inconsequential in a marching
> band) is of no significance at all - it is there for its funny looks.
> Period. That's a characteristic of marching bands - they have very
> little to do with music except as a vehicle for the visual and rhythmic
> noise effects. If you want musicality, go somewhere else.

Well, I was talking primarily of the marching band. Ingolf Dahl wrote a
beautiful Sinfonietta.....really one of the terrific pieces of music for
band, and he wrote a lovely alto clarinet solo in the end of the second
movement......absolutely tasteful! Played well, it is like hearing a
well-played basset horn.....and as someone who loves basset horns, I can
only say that it is nice to have this kind of sound in a modern work for
band.

Roger Garrett
IWU