Klarinet Archive - Posting 000807.txt from 1998/03

From: "Matt Hanson" <mchanson@-----.com>
Subj: Re: A bass clarinet
Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 11:43:55 -0500

Robert Howe,

Thanks for the reply to my message.
In reqards to the Selmer Low E Contras, I was referring to the E/B only.
The mouthpiece I use is an older Selmer Paris C, in addition to my customs
and the D and C*.

> I have found that Selmer's old low E Rosewood Eb contras are even worse
> about intonation and timbre than the basses.
????? While I don't disbelieve you, the (earlier) Selmer grenadilla low
E Eb contra, with double register touch, that I am now selling, has an
impeccable scale. Perhaps your mpc and reed are not well matched to the
instrument in question?

many clarient makers included low Ebs (cf
Mahler 5th sym, movt 1, clar 2). Not on all models, but they were
available!!

No need to shout here :) I understand completely. I own an old Selmer
Brevette low Eb Bb clarinet and a Leblanc A clarinet w/ low Eb.

As far as the Bb on english horn, I was only stated what I have read. Thanks
for the additional info. It is much appreciated.

If I may ask, why are you selling the old Selmer EEb contra?
Would you please email me with complete information on it? I would be
interested... or at least interested in hearing about it first. Do you have
a pic you could email??? That would be awesome.
I sometimes rather enjoy using manual double register on low clarinets. My
old Bettoney bass is quite flexible, especially with the compatable old
selmer neck that I'm now using. Sometimes I like it better than my Series 9
bass!
My Bb contra is not quite that old, so I sometimes wish I had the freedom of
using manual double register on it. It is #571, so it was made not long
after they converted them. :(
take care,
Matthew Hanson
-----Original Message-----
From: ROBERT HOWE <arehow@-----.net>
Cc: klarinet@-----.us>
Date: Thursday, March 12, 1998 10:10 PM
Subject: Re: A bass clarinet

>Mr Hanson, your note opens a veritable can of worms.
>
>Matt Hanson wrote:
>
>> Not only does the low Eb enable the Bb bass to reach the A Bass' low E,
but
>> is also allows a "true" E/B to speak...
>True enough
>
>> I have found that Selmer's old low E Rosewood Eb contras are even worse
>> about intonation and timbre than the basses.
>????? While I don't disbelieve you, the (earlier) Selmer grenadilla low
>E Eb contra, with double register touch, that I am now selling, has an
>impeccable scale. Perhaps your mpc and reed are not well matched to the
>instrument in question?
>
>
>> As I recall, low Bb english horns mainly exist due to clumbsy score
writing
>> where some composers actually assumed the english horn had the oboe's
Bb...
>You recall half wrong. Bad low Bb English horns are made, but so are
>good ones.
>
>Name some compsers who wrote for low Bb on the English horn. I will
>name two. Gustav Mahler, who in the Song of the Earth notes that the Bb
>may not be available, and who directs the player to play low B instead,
>and who in the first symphony writes the low Bbs in (). Maurice Ravel,
>who makes no such allowances. Were these "clumsy" orchestrators? Or
>can we show by studying old catalogs and specimens that such instruments
>existed and could be expected to be available? In fact, the latter is
>true. Ziegler in Vienna made low A oboes in the late 19th century
>(hence the low A's in the oboes in Mahler), many makers made flutes down
>to B or Bb or even A, and many clarient makers included low Ebs (cf
>Mahler 5th sym, movt 1, clar 2). Not on all models, but they were
>available!!
>
>The organology literature is rich, cheap and easily available and can be
>the source of much enjoyment.
>
>Robert Howe
>