Klarinet Archive - Posting 000111.txt from 1999/01
From: David Bourque <dave@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Basset horns hard to tune?
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 19:29:11 -0500
> Subj: [kl] Basset horns hard to tune?
> I think this line sort of fizzled out, but at the local performance of
> Mozart's Requiem, they substituted clarinets for the basset horns. The
> program said that was cos good, in-tune basset horns are hard to find. Is
> this true? I hope not, cos I was slavering over the pics of the Buffet one
> and dreaming of buying one someday....
> Luff,
> Elaine
I am of the belief that an instrument is rarely, if ever, "in tune". How
can they be? We all have different oral cavities, mouthpieces, reeds,
barrels. They are built to general, acceptable, malleable standards. It
is *the fine player* that plays the instrument "in tune". He/she finds the
equipment combination that allows them to do that. A good instrument is
one that allows the fine player to play the instrument "in tune" with the
greatest ease and flexibility (to play with sharp flutes, for example ..
tee hee)
BTW, I am of the same opinion about most equipment. The best equipment is
the stuff that allows you to sound like you with the least amount of
effort. That way you can get down to the making of music, not playing an
instrument. An instrument is, after all, a vehicle to make music.
There, I feel better now.
Basset Horns, in my experience, are inherently much more difficult to tune
than soprano clarinets. I know that it is not exclusively a familiarity
issue (i.e., we are generally more familiar with the B flat clarinet than
the bassethorn).
There are "good" ones and not-so "good" ones, I am sure. Usually and
unfortunately, you can't pop into a store and try three or four. When I
bought my bassethorn, there was one in Canada to try. I tried it and I
bought it. I think I have a very good bassethorn. I can play it lyrically
and with a lot of colour and dynamics. I can play music on it.
Out-of-the-case, without voicing the notes and dealing with the inherent
vagaries of the instrument, it does not play well in tune. The three
finger C (the D as well) can be a quarter tone sharp at softer dynamics. I
hate that, don't you?
The first thing I do with my bassethorn after hauling it out of the closet
is play intervals against a long tone generated by a tuner. Intonation is
paramount. It is after all a "harmony" clarinet. What good is harmony
when it is out-of-tune?
Sometimes, in spite of my best efforts and pitch awareness, I lose the
intonation battle. It happens. It's a bassethorn.
=============================================
David Bourque
Bass Clarinet, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
mailto:dave@-----.com
=============================================
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Hey! Check out the TSO Musicians Website!
http://www.tsomusicians.com
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