Klarinet Archive - Posting 000507.txt from 2001/10

From: Virginia Anderson <assembly1@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Band Eb
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 09:06:21 -0400

on 16/10/01 9:15 am, Josh <eliazor@-----.net> wrote:

> What is the Eb real purpose in the symphonic band.

As to bands, Josh, a lot of "generalist" band music merely has the Eb double
flutes in case there isn't one (and, given dwindling music budgets, often
there isn't one or at least one worth playing). Most music meant for
university bands will have separate Eb parts, with cues in other
instrumental parts should there not be one around. At least one of the
Holst Band Suites has a featured section for 2 Ebs.

To combat the band leader's complaints that the Eb is too loud and too
out-of-tune, you need to spend hours and hours with a chromatic tuner,
learning to control the instrument at all dynamic levels. If you have the
average school instrument you will probably have to find or make up
alternate fingerings to bring problem notes into tune (all this took me most
of a year at university level). In ensemble parts you need to adopt the
colouration of the flutes (or other instruments which you double), to play
within them and to support them, much as an orchestral second clarinettist
does for his or her first. If you do this right you can add clarity to the
flute line, give a little backbone to their natural "fuzz". In solos you
may just have to give a little puff to make those clarinet and altissimo
register notes sing out over the throng. On university band tours I used to
spend time "throwing" loud high notes toward the back of auditoria during
set up for rehearsals, just to determine how much puff I'd need (the Eb is
especially susceptible to resonate chambers like school gymnasia), then
backing off accordingly.

If you can prove to your band director that you've considered these factors
and taken steps to eliminate problems, he might consider a programme which
does make use of the Eb.

Cheers,

Virginia
--
Virginia Anderson
Leicester, UK
<vanderson@-----.uk>
Experimental Music Catalogue: <http://www.experimentalmusic.co.uk>
...experimental music since 1969....

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