Klarinet Archive - Posting 000994.txt from 2000/06

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] C clarinet (was:clefs & transposition, was oboe fingerin
Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2000 14:22:24 -0400

on 6/23/00 12:25 AM, Ann Satterfield wrote:

>I haven't heard a C clarinet live yet, but was facinated when i heard a
>discussion and some examples on NPR program.
>
>So now I try to go towards the tone color when playing a C part.
>
>Geez, do you think that some of those composers *knew* what they were
>doing?

. . . and David Niethamer replied:

<<<Absolutely, and the more actual C clarinet I play, the more I believe it.
Even Beethoven, and that was a surprise to me. Check out the last movement
of Beethoven 5, playing C clarinet with oboes and trumpets.>>>

There was a large string on C clarinets a while ago. While it's possible
that Beethoven used the different keyed clarinets out of the need to make
the passages lie well, there is no question that more modern composers
clearly wanted the "brighter" (sorry, Dan -- let's just say different) tone
color of the smaller instrument.

The best example I can proffer would be Richard Strauss' symphony "The Happy
Workshop" -- great piece, 5 clarinet parts. (1 C, 2 Bb, 1 basset horn, 1
bass). I bought my C to play this piece -- the tone color variation is
clearly the reason for the separate part. (A good thing, too, 'cuz the C
part is pretty much unplayable on the Bb!).

My C is a Noblet 45, which was the only instrument that anyone in the
country seemed to have in stock at the time I needed to buy it. I have
heard that Buffet is now marketing an E-11 in C. Has anyone tried one? They
are listed for less $$$ than the Noblet in the mail order catalogs; if the
intonation is as good as the Bb E-11 (i.e., better than the Noblet!) it
would seem to be a spectacular bargain.

kjf

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