Klarinet Archive - Posting 000258.txt from 2001/09

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Bass clarinet in "A" in Schuller's Duo Sonata
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 09:37:03 -0400

Floyd says:
<< Chuck West and I made the first recording of this piece in 1983 for Crystal Records(LP-S355).Chuck transposed the bass part for Bb bass clarinet,of course.>>

Of course.

<< I saw Schuller before we did the recording(he was a guest at one the University of New Mexico's Composers Weeks)and I asked him about it,but his reply was a bit vague and I didn't want to push too much about it.It
was composed much earlier than 1976,1949 as I remember.>>

I just took the date from the copyright date on the edition.

My guess - Schuller just notated the part "switch to A" and left it to the bass player to determine. I'm sure he knew that most pro bass players are adept at A transposition, and I'm sure that he knew that some A bass clarinets were still available.

So much for the argument that "all" composers have the "unique" sound of a given clarinet in their heads, and that the specified clarinet must be used despite all other considerations.

Dan Leeson, your turn.

* chuckle *

Walter Grabner

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