Klarinet Archive - Posting 000341.txt from 1999/05

From: arehow <arehow@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Re: C Clareint in Beethoven etc.
Date: Sun, 9 May 1999 23:31:22 -0400

A few followup comments onthe C clarinet thread:

Dan Leeson wrote:
> There are probably lots of cases where the composer chose a
> particular clarinet type for no reason whatsoever, but there are also
> lots of cases where the choice of clarinet type was done for specific
> reasons and no clarinet player has the authority to suggest that his/her
> opinions carry greater technical imperitive than the composer's explicit
> request.

This is the crux of all discussions of C clarinet. We must work for
what the composer wanted, not for what we decide, by bias or habit, is
easiest for us to do.

> This is a matter of who has the authority to chose on what instruments
> the music s/he writes are to be used to perform it. That authority
> rests with the composer, not with the performer.

This of course is only the case when the player has taken the trouble to
own the instruments that the composer asks for. Except when technical
problems get in the way, I can play most A parts on Bb, all C parts on
Bb, and all C parts (that do not go too low) on Eb, without much
trouble. THese transpositions will sound better, as I play Bb and Eb
far better than I play C and A (being strictly a band clarient player,
my C and A clarinets are not first quality, my Eb and Bb are). Who
would argue that I should do so?

> > > >>Well, this fruitcake of a conductor called one of NY's most important
> > clarinetists and asked him why I needed a C clarinet and this SCHMUCK told
> > her to fire me because it was obvious I could not transpose. And I was fired
> > from the gig because of this mental midget (but wonderful
> > clarinet player) was using the same kind of logic that was reported on this
> > list just the other day.>>

And this is exactly what I meant when I talked about biases and
half-truths that we learn from our teachers and colleagues. If the
conductor had half a brain he/she would have talked to you directly.

Can you transpose?

Finally,
Bill Hausmann wrote:

> Of course, Beethoven was also DEAF!

Ultimately yes, but not during the first production of Fidelio.

So go out and get a C clarinet to go with yur A and Bb.

Robert Howe

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