Klarinet Archive - Posting 001107.txt from 2003/03

From: "Matthew Lloyd" <Matthew@-----.uk>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: C clarinet
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 07:35:34 -0500

I think there is an element of truth in both arguments here. The early
clarinets may well have been chosen to make the key easier (but it
cannot surely be a coincidence that Mozart wrote for the A?) but as soon
as the instrument developed to the stage when it was seriously
considered the different tone qualities were noticed. By the time of
Bizet of course we are well into the realm of choice by tone not
practicality.

Matthew

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Howe [mailto:arehow@-----.net]
Subject: [kl] Re: C clarinet

Someone wrote:

"Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 23:37:15 -0500
Subject: Re: [kl] "C" clarinet - Dan Leeson take note
Message-ID: <56D5B15D.7B4FEFBA.0085C637@-----.com>

Last year I did the Bizet on the "C". It was substanialy easier. The
sound
of the c balances the rest of the wind section better than the Bb does.
I
guess Bizet hadn't quite got the orchestration thing together yet."

What an arrogant and stupid thing to write. The correspondent's own
comment
that the C clarinet balances better than the Bb shows the truth--Bizet,
even
at 17 years old, chose the C for valid artistic reasons, and it is the
correct clarinet to use here. It is also the *only* correct clarinet to
use
here, Bb is as invalid as A, D or Eb clarinets would be.

I am continually baffled as to why artist level clarinet players don't
use
C's when called for. Composers who call for the C clarinet include
Berlioz,
Beethoven, Mahler, Mozart, all the Strausses, even Bizet at 17--is it
possible that they knew what they meant? Or had Mahler not "quite got
the
orchestration thing together yet" in his sixth symphony?

My main instrument is oboe. If I show up to play a Bach cantata,
written
for oboe d'amore, by transposing it onto oboe, I am rightfully
considered an
ignoramus. Clarinettists should hold to the same standards of
respecting
the composers' deliberate musical and artistic choices.

Robert Howe
Wilbraham MA

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