Klarinet Archive - Posting 000137.txt from 2002/02
From: Bear Woodson <bearwoodson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Brahms 4th, Bulbous Clarinets, Alto & Bass Concerti
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 15:45:55 -0500
Hello, Klarinet List.
I just spent the last 2 days reading, storing and an-
swering E-Mails from the last week. I now finally have
a little time to make comments on a few topics.
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> We're playing the first movement of Brahms 4 in
> orchestra. At the beginning, and several times later,
> the winds have a figure of quarter note rest quarter
> note, quarter note , quarter note rest, quarter note.
> The Notes are marked staccato, but there is a
> phrasing marking OVER the rest connected the
> two notes. I've seen this before in the first Brahms
> violin sonata. It suggests to string players a
> "breathing"...what does this mean for us? Is it a
> literal breath? I don't think so. Legato tongue,
> cheat the rest? help!
Yes, some of you pointed out that this is a typical
Violin Bowing Marking, to play all of those notes and
their rests in One Bow Direction. It also implies
Phrasing, so that player, who is only seeing one part
in a whole orchestra, can have a better idea of the
Big Picture.
There is a rare, gorgeous work by William Schuman
called "A Song of Orpheus". It is a set of loose Varia-
tions for Solo Cello and Orchestra, with prominent
parts for a Solo Harp and Oboe. The issue of Phrasing
was SO important to him, that he used THREE Sets
of Slurs over the notes, to stand for Bowings, Short
and Long Phrases!
I studied from composer Dr. Chinary Ung, who
talks a LOT about Inserting Rests in Between the
Notes of a Motive, and Phrases that Include Rests.
In many cases, once you have a Rest, the Phrase
is over. But it is also possible to change a melody of
Long Notes into a Series of Short Notes with Rests
in between that Complement the Rhythm of the Long
Notes. This has become more common in the 20th
Century, as many scholars of 20th Century Music
can tell you.
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> In fact, the Mozart was not written for a basset
> clarinet with a normal bell and that might also be
> part of the problem. Stadler's bell was not bell
> shaped but bulbuous.
Now this really fascinates me, as after having written
sonatas for flute, most bowed strings and all the orches-
tral brasses, I've turned my attention to the Reed Wood-
winds. I've been studying about the writing for the odd-
sized Double Reeds (Oboe D'Amore, and the Bass Oboe
versus the similarly ranged Heckelphone) on the Double-
Reed List. They have some very interesting things to say!
When I read about this Bulbous Semi-Alto Clarinet, I
looked in my old copy of the Harvard Dictionary of
Music (1969 Printing). I found a picture of a "Heckel-
clarina" also called a "Heckelphonklarinette". Is this per-
haps something similar to what Stadler built for Mozart?
It seems that the original instrument that Stadler built
was an oddity that got preserved in history by the genius
of Mozart's music. I've heard the recording with the
Extended Body Clarinet in A, and it's an even warmer
tone!
This reminds me of the Arpeggione Instrument,
which Schubert immortalized with his gorgeous Sonata.
I've heard it many time on Cello, and a few times on
Viola. I'm told it has been done on Clarinet, but frankly,
I've wondered how it would sound on a low, rich Bass
Clarinet, closer to the range of an Arpeggione.
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As far as Grace Notes go, I was taught by some
piano professors that they must be played Fast Always,
while other teachers said they can sometimes be up to
the discretion of the performer. In other words, there
is some debate about their performance, but there is
little argument about their explanation in 18th Century
Music Theory. At that time Grace Notes were often
Non-Chord Tones, often Upper or Lower Neighboring
Tones on the Strong Part of a Beat.
Grace Notes also occur at the beginning and ends
of many trills, but that's another matter, which often
involves Appoggiaturi, Accacciaturi and Anticipations.
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Now I would like to ask a question of you clarinet
players. It seems to me that the Soprano A and Bb
Clarinets are wonderful, gorgeous instruments, and
the Bb Bass Clarinet also has a rich, endearing tone.
So what about the Alto Eb Clarinet? I'm not sure
that I have ever seen one. Are there any concertos
by major composer for the Alto Eb Clarinet, and
Bb Bass Clarinet, for that matter? (I think it would be
fun to write such works. I might just do that myself,
after I'm gotten more concerti for main stream instru-
ments written.)
Please explain more about Bulbous Clarinets, "Heckel-
clarinas" and "Heckelphonklarinettes" and Concerti, if
any for Alto and Bass Clarinets.
Bear Woodson
Composer in Tucson, Arizona, USA
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