Klarinet Archive - Posting 000097.txt from 2002/02

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] I'll see your low C and raise you a C note.
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 04:03:31 -0500

Extensions do things to the tone and the tuning.
RogerS.
(Briefly....)

In message <004701c1b0c9$d19b1040$8a5af7a5@-----.org writes:
> Please forgive me if I sound daft as a brush on this issue, but here's a
> problem that's been bugging me for awhile.
>
> I purchased, in October, a brand spanking new bass clarinet (in Bb). My
> teacher and I both agreed from the beginning that I should buy an instrument
> that had the low C extension. Now in the bass clarinet universe there are
> quite a few uses for this in the literature. I mean it's no fun playing
> Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet unless you have the notes on your horn to go
> where the part is written. So in the bass clarinet world the low C is
> essential. I know in the past players had said that it affected the sound
> of the horn, but it seems like now we've solved the problem or at least it
> has become a mute point because of all the literature written 'down there'.
> At any rate I don't notice any problems with my bass and the low C. So
> here's my problem. Why would we not have low C extensions for the 'regular'
> (one hesitates to say normal) Bb and A clarinets? I am assuming the
> principles are the same as on bass. Now of course I realize that there is
> limited repertoire for these extensions, but I could imagine that it might
> come in handy for transpositions and new works not to mention the scales and
> arpeggios that other's have mentioned. Hey I was just looking at my part
> for Brahms' 4th Symphony and in the third movement there are some low Ebs
> for the C clarinet. Right there you need your extension for your C clarinet
> to do the part 'right'. So let's see that's a low C extension for your bass
> in Bb and A your 'regular' in Bb, C and A. How about a low C for your Eb
> and D? Anyone got an Ab sopranino that needs a few more tiny keys to
> operate on it? Okay now I'm being silly. Here's my point though. If the
> low C extension works on the bass why don't we just get the low C extension
> (that is a bassett) for our Bbs and As and use it all the time? Any
> thoughts.
>
> Below C level,
> Larry
>
> P.S. I promise if you respond I will make no more jokes.
>
>
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>
>

--
Wer die Wahl hat, hat die Qual.
------ German proverb.

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