Klarinet Archive - Posting 000497.txt from 1999/05

From: chr <chr@-----.de>
Subj: [kl] basset clarinet and K622
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 06:27:22 -0400

>> However, I am unclear as to what I would use a Basset clarinet in A for,
>> other than to play the Mozart ( an opportunity I have had ONCE in my life,
>> thank God, but my never have again).
>
>You could make it your regular orchestral A clarinet. You could rent
>it to people who want to play 622 and 581. You could comission a
>composer to write a work for you. You could play the several other
>pieces for basset clarinet in A such as Spell/Respell. And you could
>excite the hell out of a lot of clarinet players all of whom would
>ask you, "What's that?".

Some of you might remember that my family and I went to Buffet (near
Paris) in January to try clarinets in different sizes. Since 1982 we had
been playing only on German (Oehler) system. Last February I started
using the Buffet RC greenlines in orchestra gigs (still using a Zinner
German mouthpiece and click barrel set around 63-64 mm to pitch at ca.
443 at 68-70 degrees F)

Last Sunday was my first real solo gig this year using Boehm system.
Using a Buffet basset clarinet I played Mozart's K622 in the Cisternsian
abbey church at Birnau (built 1750), located among vineyards overlooking
Lake Constance. The orchestra and choir also performed the C-minor mass
by Mozart. The Birnau choir is hugely popular here and the church was
stuffed with over 1000 people.

Since I spent the last three months quite intimately with the basset
clarinet, I wanted to make a few remarks about this thread. First, as
much as I love playing the instrument that Buffet kranked out of its
factory just this March, I probably would not want to use it in orchestra
for normal A clarinet work since the instrument is "bottom heavy." The
additional length required for the four basset notes causes the bottom
part of the instrument to fall toward the body when held on the thumb
rest. I practiced in March and April with no neckstrap (which i also do
not use in normal Bb/A playing) but my thumb joint always hurt after the
practice sessions. Starting in May I used a BG flexible neck strap which
greatly relieved the weight on my thumb, but was still uncomfortable with
keeping the instrument held out. But if I were now somehow forced to
decide to give up either my normal A clarinet or the basset in A, I know
I could never part with the basset, so if it came down to a choice, I
would use the basset A in orchestra. The intonation of the instrument is
better than I would have ever expected. Overblowing the basset notes is
not practical, however, since they overblow dreadfully sharp. One really
nice feature of the Buffet basset clarinet is that the throat Bb' is a
different hole than the 12th key. Thus the normal Bb' fingering sounds
as good with the standard fingering as using the side key.

Another use for a basset clarinet in A not mentioned above is the
possibility of playing classical basset *horn* trios (Mozart,
Druscheztky, etc.) with two normal A clarinets and a basset clarinet.
The first and second parts in classical basset horn trios rarely use
basset notes, leaving them to the third player (who would then use a
basset clarinet). This is a great way for people without access to three
basset horns to enjoy this literature; even if it sounds a third higher
than intended, the intervals between the voices are correct.

As for performing the K622 on normal clarinet - I now always have my
students study the excellent article, "New Perspectives On Performing
Mozart's Clarinet Concerto" by Robert Adelson (The Clarinet, Vol. 25, No.
2, February/March 1998). This article has really helped me and my
students to take a fresh approach to the melodic problems concerning the
K622 and the normal range A clarinet. It would be regrettable if players
using normal A clarinets felt they could no longer perform K622 with
orchestra just because they are missing 4 semitones on their instruments.
This article offers good insights and "compromise" solutions. In the
end, the most important thing a player brings to the concert hall is
musicianship and beauty. It would be a great loss to this world if any
good musician decides not to perform the K622 just because (s)he "only"
has an A clarinet to low e.

Don Christensen

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