Klarinet Archive - Posting 000731.txt from 1998/05

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Anti-alto clarinet forces
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 20:14:20 -0400

There are 2 basic problems with the Alto clarinet.

First, as posted by others, it is usually (but by all means not always) the
less strong player that plays it--and consequently it does not sound so
good. Second (which is the reason for the first) is that the instrument
should not exist at all.

In the saxophone family, there is little or no overlap between the soprano
and the tenor. In order to fill the tonal gap, the Eb Alto is a necessity.

In the Clarinet family, on the other hand, this gap does not exist. Except
perhaps for the extreme altissimo register in the hands of virtuosos,
clarinets have a much wider range than saxophones. Indeed, the standard
range of the bass clarinet and the soprano clarinet overlap.

The Alto clarinet is not even built correctly. The proper size construction
for the instrument is that of the basset horn in F, which has a bore and
mouthpiece little larger than the soprano. I suspect that the alto clarinet
was constructed to parallel the Eb alto saxophone; it uses the same reeds.

Since we have it, though, a number of serious wind ensemble pieces use it to
good effect. The third movement of Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy has 2
versions--I think the second, with the lead voicing in the alto clarinet and
soprano saxophone, is superior. (When my wind ensemble played it, however,
the part was played on a basset horn, transposing). To my knowledge, there
is no piece of orchestral literature that calls for it.

kjf
-----Original Message-----
From: Justin Wood [mailto:olio555@-----.com]
Subject: RE: [kl] Anti-alto clarinet forces

What is it with the constant slamming of the Alto Clarinet. A good alto
clarinet sounds good...!!! Sort of like slamming piccolos or something.
Why? I love playing Alto, but even my band director does not like Alto
Clarinets....
Somebody want to help me here?

>>I'd play bass if I were you. First of all, I personally don't like the
>alto
>clarinet, nor do a lot of people that I have met.<
>
>We are going to have to start an Anti-Alto Clarinet Defamation League
>(AACDL). My alto clarinet (a new Buffet) sounds very good (typical
>comment: "It doesn't sound like an alto clarinet"). I have only had it for
>a few months and hope that with practice I will be able to make it sound
>even better.
>
>However, with a good mouthpiece, even a Bundy alto clarinet can sound
>pretty good in the lower register.
>
>At our clarinet quartet concert last Sunday we did the Marcel Poot
>"Legende" which has a good alto clarinet part.
>
>Gary Van Cott
>Las Vegas, NV
>
>
>
>
>
>
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