Klarinet Archive - Posting 000155.txt from 2002/01

From: SDSCHWAEG@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Low B on Bass Clarinet
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 16:53:43 -0500

Hi, All!
I need some help with a bass clarinet problem. The band at Augustana College, where I teach, is doing a relatively new piece by David Dzubay that calls for the bass clarinet to sustain a low B - the one below low C on a low C bass.
There are 4 bass clarinet players in the band, only one of whom has a low C instrument. One of the 4 also plays contra, so we could have him switch horns for that one note (there's no contra part in the piece). The girl with the low C horn would really like to play it on bass, though, if at all possible. We've discovered that if she stops the bell she sounds a low B while fingering low C. This is really awkward, though, and doesn't work on my bass clarinet at all because I have a resonance hole in the bell. Is there another way to accomplish the low B?
Thanks!
Sue Schwaegler

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