Klarinet Archive - Posting 000348.txt from 2000/12

From: DGross1226@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Re: Contra advise
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 19:50:00 -0500

In a message dated 00-12-06 16:16:24 EST, Roger Garrett writes:

<< However, the Contra Alto is much easier to play, better sounding (I think
anyway), and more flexible over the break and in the upper register. It's
also easier to match pitches on. This is all, of course, unless you purchase
top of the line
instruments. I really like the Selmer Rosewood Contra Alto we own - it is
about 30 years old and in beautiful shape.>>

Roger, as the happy owner of both a low C Leblanc paperclip contrabass and a
vintage "Selmer Bundy contra alto, I agree most heartedly that the contra
alto is a "better sounding" instrument. It sounds like a clarinet (whatever
that means) and not like a metal Leblanc paperclip which has it's own
distinctive sound. If you want a real thrill, on your next trip to LALALAND
go visit Charlie Bay and test play his personal Bundy contra alto that he's
seriously modified including undercutting tone holes and optimizing the key
action.

<< Contrabass clarinets are often curved. These are the kind you can sit on
a chair and play. The uncurved ones (well, they still have curves, but not
wrapped around itself!) require a stool to play on.>>

Which is why most of the studio pros in Los Angeles like the paperclip. It's
really difficult to make a quick horn change from bass or contra alto to a
straight contrabass.

<< My opinion is to buy the contra alto and transpose whatever pieces need to
be played.>>

You're OK unless the the BBb range goes to a written F or below which may
times happens and then you need a low C contra alto like the Leblanc
paperclip contra alto. For example, the final BBb contrabass note in the
Frederick Fennell arrangement of the Strauss Serenade Op.7 is a written low F
which is absolutely necessary in this arrangement -- not an octave higher.

<< We did that recently when my band played Blue Shades by Ticheli and the
part called for a Bb Contrabass clarinet and for past performances of John
Barnes Chance's music. We simply wrote the part out for Eb contra alto -
nothing was too low. It worked great!>>

Last week the Cal State LA Wind Ensemble played Ticheli's "An American Elegy"
with the composer conducting. After the dress rehearsal I asked him about
his preference for contrabass or contra alto. He noted that he usually
duplicates the part in both EEb and BBb so that a group that has only one
instrument can play the part. He didn't seemed to be so concerned as to the
"correct" instrument (sorry, Dan.). His orchestra version of Blue Shades is
being premiered tonight by the Pacific (Orange County, CA) Symphony tonight.
The contrabass part is in the string basses (who he noted never run out of
air!).

<< I hope this helps. I'm sure there are other people out there who are fans
of the contrabass before the contra alto, so we are sure to see some
opinions...>>

Of course, there's always the Selmer rosewood contrabass which can be played
sitting in a chair. It has a truly unbelievable price tag -- IF you can find
one. I understand that because much of the throat tone keywork is on the
neck of the horn, the intonation is problematic. And to totally confuse the
issue, I once heard the St. Olaf Wind Ensemble in concert in Pasadena,
California and they used both a Bundy contra alto and a straight plastic VITO
contrabass which had the longest case in the western world, but had an
absolutely beautiful tone.

Good Luck!

Don Gross
La Canada, California

Contra Alto/Contrabass Clarinet -- Claremont Symphonic Winds,
Caltech/Occidental College Concert Band

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org