Klarinet Archive - Posting 001413.txt from 1998/03

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: THE USE OF THE A and Bb CLARINETS (2)
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 18:59:01 -0500

Part two

Let us first scan the Brahms symphonies. Most solo players in our big
orchestras play the solo in the slow movement of the First symphony on
the Bb instead of the A.
The main reason is to avoid the bad slur, E-C#, over the upper break.
Ordinarily this would not be a difficult slur, but the string section,
particularly the cellos and basses are usually being beckoned by the
conductor to make a big crescendo.
How then can one clarinet equal them in power?
It cannot, so the player must give as much tone as possible- and it is
not difficult to imagine what could easily happen in the slur across
the break.

In the Second symphony, it is the usual practice for both clarinets to
play the solos in the early part of the last movement on the Bb
instrument.

Greater virtuosity can be achieved by playing a simple G arpeggio with
its dominant in the second part, than lumbering over Ab terrain as the
part indicates.
However, the player should quickly change back to the A instrument.

Some parts written for C clarinet sound much better on the A than on the
Bb clarinet.
Typical examples are the beginning of Smetana's Moldau and Rossini's
Barber of Seville overture.

But there are many B parts that can be played with greater success on
the A instrument.

Prokofieff's Classical symphony is the best example.

I also use the A clarinet instead of the B in the last movement of
Schumann's fourth symphony.

I have heard excellent players figuratively break their necks on the 2/4
sixteenth section in the Gypsy Baron overture. I play it on the A and it
gives me no trouble.

In the Prince Igor dances by Borodin, most players use the Bb instrument
throughout.

In Wagner's Sigfried Idyll, I like to finish the number on the Bb
instead of the A instrument because the middle birdlike figure can be
played more delicately on the Bb.

And for this reason, too, the slow movement of Schubert's great C
symphony is played on the Bb, although personally, I like to play the
many repeated solo figures near the end of the movement on the A
instrument because of its richer tone quality.

In some cases it is difficult to decide which instrument to use, and
both the positive and negative must be considered carefully.

My own experience with Brahms Third symphony is a case in point.
There is barely time to make a change of instruments in the first
movement after which one must immediately begin playing the important
solo of the second theme.
Many a player has missed this entrance because of lack of time to
change, and when playing with Toscanini, one does not care to take any
unnecessary chances.
I therefore played the whole first movement on the A instrument for a
time.
However, experience proved to me that the disadvantages of playing
certain solo passages outweighed the relief from anxiety gained by
avoiding the quick changes, so I now play it as indicated in the part.

In operas, where voices are all-important, it is sometimes convenient to
play the entire opera, if possible, on the B clarinet.

Madame Butterfly can be played entirely on the Bb provided one of the
bassoon players is friendly enough to accommodate you by playing a
couple of low E's in the last act.

Aida is also played entirely on the B instrument by a great many player.
There is one part of the opera which is played on the upper half of the
instrument by players all over the world.
It's the last note- I cannot recall whether it is a low C or D. The
reason for the "half clarinet" is that during the long preceding
passage while Aida and Rhadames are smothering to death, the clarinet
has been thoroughly swabbed, the reed wiped off, and the lower joint put
in the case before the final note arrives.
That is why clarinet players are always the first to get out of the
opera house after a performance of Aida.

Avrahm Galper

THE UPBEAT BAERMANN MELODIC SCALE STUDIES
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