Klarinet Archive - Posting 000616.txt from 2002/09

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] My attempt to formalize my unstructured ideas
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 17:30:30 -0400

We can bring this date forward into the early 18th century.

From the Preliminary Note in "Klarinetten-Duette aus der Fr=FChzeit des=20
Instrumentes" (Breitkoph and Hartel, Wiesbaden. No copyright date.):

The present collection contains a selection of clarinet duets of the early=
=20
18th century, including the earliest known compositions for the=20
clarinet. The latter, of which the only known copies are preserved in the=
=20
Conservatoire Royal in Brussels, bear the title: Airs =E0 deux Chalumeaux,=
=20
deux Trompettes, deux Hautbois, deux Violons, deus Fl=FBtes, deux=
Clarinelles=20
ou Cors de Chasse.

The authors of these works are unknown. The duets can be performed by=20
various instrumental pairs, in accordance with Baroque performance=20
practice. The announcement of the Airs in the Amsterdam publisher Roger et=
=20
Le C@-----. The=
=20
indication Clarinelles in the original is undoubtedly a printing error,=20
since the instruments are properly referred to as Clarinettes within the=20
catalog.
...
Dr. Heinz Becker

Maybe there is later scholarship proving that this is all wrong. Dan will=
=20
know.

At 15:24 9/28/02 -0400, Bill Hausmann wrote:
>Actually, Paul's information can be backed up. According to Adam Carse, a=
=20
>well-known musicologist and expert on orchestration, in the 16th century,=
=20
>music was often written in parts to be played by whatever resources were=20
>available. In his "The History of Orchestration" he cites, among other=20
>examples, "...the dances by Teilman Susato...printed at Antwerp in=20
>1551. They are arranged in four parts and are described on the title page=
=20
>as being 'suitable for performance on all musical instruments.' Viols or=
=20
>any group of wind instruments would no doubt easily negotiate these=20
>complacently moving parts of small compass, distinguished from one another=
=20
>simply as Discant, Contratenor, Tenor, and Bass." Later, he cites Halevy=
=20
>as stating that "Lulli (1633-87) wrote only the vocal and bass parts of=20
>his operas, leaving the orchestral parts to be filled in by his pupils,=20
>Lalouette and Colasse." Apparently he was not too concerned about what=20
>instruments would be used.
>
>True, this does not address the classic and early romantic period, by=20
>which time orchestras were far more set in their instrumentation. But=20
>Paul DID say "through out (sic) many centuries." I would further suggest=20
>that today's larger string sections throw off the tonal balance of the=20
>orchestra FAR more than the infinitesimal A vs. Bb clarinet difference=20
>ever could.
>
>
>Bill Hausmann bhausmann1@-----.net
>451 Old Orchard Drive
>Essexville, MI 48732 ICQ UIN 4862265

George Kidder
Bar Harbor, ME

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