Klarinet Archive - Posting 000418.txt from 2002/01

From: "Laurence Young" <klarinette@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] A bass clarinet in A. Or searching for the lost Ark.
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 20:26:44 -0500

Woof. I just read the message about the bass clarinet in A that just sold
for 5500 dollars on e-bay. My first reaction was, "THEY DO EXIST!" I
thought like the Snipe (yes, I did Snipe hunting in the Scouts!) that the
bass in A was an invention that older, wiser composers used to torture
unsuspecting clarinet players. You're happily tooting along in Wagner when
all of sudden all your notes sound like yuk. "What happened!" you think to
yourself. "Did I miss a clef change," etc. Then you read Change to La, or
worse you turn the page to Act. 2 as in the Nutcracker and if you don't
check your instrument you're in for a big surprise. Anyway, my point is
that I thought those things went the way of the Dodo. I didn't think they'd
still be around anymore especially since you can generally get transposed
parts from Kalmus these days (watch out though).

I feel that it's a disservice to the composer if we don't play the part on
the instrument called for. Wagner, and Ravel were very intelligent
orchestrators and they knew what the exact sound they wanted from the
clarinet. I feel as if I'm cheating them when I don't follow their
instructions exactly. I would love to purchase an A bass for myself so that
I may play the parts as written. I wish I had known about the e-bay auction
sooner so that I might have cast a bid myself. So here's the 64,000 dollar
question. Do any of you all know where I might find another instrument like
this? I suppose I must start scanning e-bay weekly or something so that I
don't miss another opportunity like this again.

Larry
"Snipe-hunter"

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