Klarinet Archive - Posting 000045.txt from 2002/11

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Why Bb? (was: reverse Mozart)
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 13:59:15 -0500

William Wright wrote:
> <><> William Semple wrote:
> Why did the Bb clarinet emerge as the dominant instrument, especially
> since so many instruments in an orchestra are pitched to concert C?
>
> At least one person on this list will point out that the Bb has a
> different sound than the C (or A) does. Perhaps the sound appeals to
> more people, especially to potential first-time customers?
>
>
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>
>
>

The characteristics of the sound appear to have had little influence in
the selection of the instrument, though once the particular clarinet was
selected by virtue of the key in which the composition would be written,
its unique sound may very well have been exploited. It is a matter of
the horse pulling the cart and not the other way round.

In effect once Mozart or Beethoven or Schubert realized that they had to
use a clarinet of a specific pitch because of the rules of clarinet
writing, they did so. But in their inner ear, did they hear the music
they were composing with a timbre influenced by the particular sound of
the selected clarinet? If they did, then it becomes our duty to perform
it the way they heard it.
--
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**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
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