Klarinet Archive - Posting 000587.txt from 1998/12

From: SDSCHWAEG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Should I ask for easier part?
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 18:04:47 -0500

I have played in church quite frequently, in what I would call a contemporary
liturgical ensemble - keyboard, guitar, melody instrument, sometimes bass or
drums, with singers. Published parts normally indicate "C Instrument" and on
recordings are often played by oboe or flute. Sometimes I write my own part,
usually based on interludes in the keyboard part or vocal harmony lines, if
they aren't being sung. I have found that the clarinet generally sounds
better in church if you stay in the clarion register and don't go above the
staff, though depending on the piece the chalumeau register can also be quite
effective. If a written part spends a lot of time above the staff, I usually
take it down an octave. If it is very busy - lots of 16th notes or grace
notes - I sometimes simplify it, not necessarily to make it easier, but
because the arranger usually had flute in mind for that kind of part and it
just doesn't sound right on clarinet. I try to strive for a very vocal kind
of descant line, rather than one more like the obbligato of a march trio.
Listen to recordings of music by David Haas or Marty Haugen to see how they
use woodwinds - won't be clarinet, though - they use flute, oboe, or recorder.
In my church's children's choir, I once had a first-year clarinetist - I wrote
whole and half note parts for her, taking inner harmonies out of the keyboard
part - it sounded fine, and allowed her to participate at her own level,
although, as has been mentioned, the sound in that register doesn't carry as
well over the singing. As she improved, I made her parts harder (and
higher!). I say have a talk with your arranger - if you're not technically up
to these parts yet it won't sound good anyway and will only be distracting in
a worship service. Good luck to you, and Merry Christmas!

Susan Schwaegler
Clarinet Instructor, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
Liturgy Coordinator, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Moline, IL

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