Klarinet Archive - Posting 001191.txt from 1998/07

From: "Matt C. Palasik" <mattp169@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mozart and the right clarinet
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 22:42:38 -0400

Edwin V. Lacy wrote:
>

> But, when he wrote for the clarinet, was he interested in the sound of the
> clarinet, or the sound of the A or the Bb clarinet in particular? Wasn't
> he interested in the totality of the musical effect? Exclusive of
> technical considerations, would it change the overall musical effect to
> play the clarinet part on an instrument in a different key? Think of the
> differences in aesthetic stance of the last two symphonies, in G Minor and
> D Major. Would these not still be the same works that they are no matter
> what clarinet (within reason) the clarinetists might choose to use?
>
> Isn't it true that if you hear either of these symphonies ten times by ten
> different orchestras, you will hear a range of clarinet sound which varies
> more widely than does the difference in sound achieved by a single player
> on a Bb and then an A clarinet? Doesn't every other section of the
> orchestra exhibit the same characteristic of varying tone qualities?

Is it possible that when Mozart wrote for a particular clarinet part of
his decision was based upon the avai;lable musicians at the time. Could
he not have written a particular piece for the A clarinet because he
wanted a particular person to play it. SO that this persons tone on
his particular clarinet is what Mozart was looking for in the overall
tonal aspect of the music.

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