Klarinet Archive - Posting 000505.txt from 2002/06

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Highest note in Mozart concerto
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2002 12:17:00 -0400

There is no information about what the highest note Mozart wrote in the
clarinet concerto. The Barenreiter edition is no more authoritative
than any other even though it used the first printed edition of 1803 as
one of its sources. While one can certainly use whatever upper range
they wish, they cannot do so under the guise of authenticity.

In general Mozart never went above a written high D for clarinet though,
as Tony Pay reminded me, there is a high E in the Gran Partitta and that
note is certain because the manuscript still exists. For basset horn,
no manuscript exists to suggest that he ever went above a high D. Also,
though it is not terribly important to this discussion, I can find no
case of him having written a C# (above the staff) for any clarinet type
instrument. Either it was a note that he never needed to use, or some
other reason prevented its presentation.
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** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
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