Klarinet Archive - Posting 000542.txt from 1999/05

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Different pitched Clarinets timbral qualities
Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 07:07:06 -0400

At 03:48 AM 5/13/99 -0700, Alastair Palmer wrote:
>Surely the variance of tone for throat notes, and the
>difference between 'open', eg. F/C, E/B, etc and
>'closed' notes - B/E, C/F are the very reason why a
>composer might choose a particular key of clarinet.
>The difference in tone between a long C and a throat A
>is quite noticeable...
>
But that assumes the rather "claricentric" position that the composer is
tuned in to the timbral differences of clarinets in different keys and
alters his writing to exploit the tiny variances, rather than merely
suffering through the imperfections and hoping that quality players can
minimize them. I just can't bring myself to believe that clarinet key
selection is any more than an afterthough in most symphonic writing (so
burn me at the stake for heresy). To think anything else is to believe
that such considerations had to be made for EACH AND EVERY instrument in
the orchestra throughout the entire score. Surely these guys had (and
have) a LIFE!

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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