Klarinet Archive - Posting 000072.txt from 2001/02

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: SV: [kl] A TV show about K. 621b
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 14:58:11 -0500

That is really a very good posting, Alf. I was wondering what the
central issue was all about and you have clarified it nicely.

What I don't understand is why the man interested in the problem was
surprised by finding a note present on one manufacturer's basset horn
but not present on another. There were no standards for which low notes
to put on instruments. On the contrary, instruments were often created
for specific compositions. Just consider Stadler's clarinets. His were
the only ones with the basset notes on them and no other clarinet could
be judged in the same way. Specialized ranges and notes is especially
true with the fortepiano.

One finds Mozart's music for one fortepiano using a note that is,
technically, not present on the average fortepiano, but apparently,
Mozart went somewhere and found a fortepiano that had that note. Why he
even rewrote passages for piano when he did a work a second time on a
different fortepiano, one that had notes not present on the first one.
In fact, one finds passages with the melodic line crafted quite
differently than one would expect, and in those cases, the direction of
the line was influenced by the specific fortepiano's range.

So finding one basset horn capable of playing a particular low note,
while another could not is not a surprising condition at all.

Still, I would like to see that video just for the pleasure of it. Too
bad it does not seem to have aired on U.S. TV.

"Alf Hörberg" wrote:
>
> Obviously my previews messages on this thread did not go through.
>
> Anyway, I
> was just watching the video Anigma of K.621b a second time and for people
> who have been working with these issues there are no news in this film. It
> gives a very good overlook of what is known about many of the details
> surrounding Mozart/Stadler/T. Lotz/K.621b, nicely presented by Robins
> Landon. One central issue is the search for the "strange instrument" Basset
> horn in G, asked for in the Wintertuur fragments. This instrument is
> supposed to be equipped with a low C# key since that note is written in that
> manuscript. Thome is traveling around to the museums where some of the
> treasures basset-horns of the time are kept to find clues to the mystery,
> but of cause, he can't find a G-B.H from Mozart's time anywhere. However, on
> the journey he is presented to some other nice instruments made by Theodore
> Lotz and they are a pleasure to look at. Specially the three, by the
> brothers Ronald and Robert Sebesta of Slovakia, newly discovered BHs marked
> 1,2 and 3 in conditions like new. After this discovery the amount of still
> existing Lotz basset-horns went up by 100%. They can be heard at
> www.stadlertrio.com who got the honour to make a recording on these
> instruments. The CD is: Glossa GCD 920603.
>
> One thing that is strange in this context is that I can't remember him
> mentioning that the low C# already appears in the 25 pieces for basset-horn
> Trio of 1783? (also called 5 Divertimenti). So that key most likely must
> have existed alredy on some BHs in F. There are no examples of an existing
> F-BH with that key either from that time.
>
> The film is really worth seeing since it's a good summary of what we know so
> far on this subject. I sure hope that we haven't seen the end of discoveries
> on this one yet.
>
> Alf
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 3:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [kl] A TV show about K. 621b
>
> > Only one of the six notturni calls for a G basset horn. The others are
> > all for F basset horn. The G basset horn was used whenever the key
> > selected would have required an A clarinet. In the case of the one
> > notturno that calls for a G basset horn, the clarinet pair is in A.
> >
> > Dan Leeson
> >
> > Floyd Williams wrote:
> > >
> > > David,
> > > yes,I found it very interesting.I didn't realise how little the basset
> > > horn in g had been used at the time.I just assumed it was usually in f.
> > > He also said that the Nocturnes(with voices) were for g basset horn if I
> > > understood him correctly.
> > > When I get my copy back from Peter Spriggs I could send it to you to
> > > make a copy.
> > >
> > > Floyd
> > >
> > > David Glenn wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Floyd,
> > > >
> > > > Do you recommend this film? I would also be interested to see it and
> maybe
> > > > even obtain a copy for our local music school... We have PAL
> standard in
> > > > Germany) + also NTSC at home.
> > > >
> > > > David
> > > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> > > >
> > > > Floyd Williams wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Dan,
> > > > > I saw the film on SBS television in Australia and made a copy for
> Peter
> > > > > Spriggs who happened to be on holiday(from Canada) in Brisbane(Gold
> > > > > Coast).He said he would have it converted to NTSC(I guess)from PAL
> and
> > > > > return it to me.
> > > > > IF you don't manage to get a copy or see it in the US,let me
> know,and
> > > > > I'll send it along to you.You'll need a VCR that shows both formats
> or
> > > > > have it converted.
> > > > > Easier still,you could get in touch with Peter at
> > > > > peter@-----.com
> > > > > and his web-site is at www.pspriggs.com
> > > > > At the end of the documentary,Thomes proceeds to perform with
> orchestra
> > > > > the fragment which exists for basset horn.
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > > Floyd
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Floyd Williams
> > > > > Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
> > > > > Brisbane, Qld. AUSTRALIA
> > > > >
> > > >
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> > > --
> > > Floyd Williams
> > > Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
> > > Brisbane, Qld. AUSTRALIA
> > >
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> > --
> > ***************************
> > ** Dan Leeson **
> > ** leeson0@-----.net **
> > ***************************
> >
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> >
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--
***************************
** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
***************************

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