Klarinet Archive - Posting 001168.txt from 2003/03

From: Robert Howe <arehow@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] C clarinet
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 07:30:44 -0500

Dr Leeson's note about the history of the C clarinet is very enlightening.
He fails to give sufficient gravity to the extensive use of the C clarinet
by fin-de-siecle Viennese / German composers such as Brahms (sym 4), Mahler,
all of the Strausses, as a deliberate tonal choice. These guys *knew* the
orchestra, and so we cannot dismiss their choice of C clarinet as arbitrary.
We ought to respect their wishes.
>
> Okay, now back to the topic. It's intresting that you guys are talking
> about the C clarinet, because I'm currently playing a Mendelsohn Symphony
> that calls for a C clarinet for the first and third movements, and a B-flat
> for the second movement. I think Mendelsohn knew what he was doing when
> considering instrumentations. However, as serious of a musician as I
> consider myself to be, I don't even have a C clarinet, so I'm transposing
> things to B-flat. It would be nice to get one someday :)

Is that the Reformation symphony? From the keys, C clarinet makes sense: d
minor to start (best on C), Bb major (best on Bb clar), D major (technically
best on C or A clarinet, but the piece ends very brightly) for the finale.
Transposing is easy enough, and if you're in college it covers the part at
no cost; but it makes more sense to me to expect a professional player or a
serious amateur orchestral clarinettist to spend the $1500-3000 needed to
have a working C, just as we expect such a player to have a working A. The
price of a collection of fine clarinets (to include Eb, D, C, Bb, A) is less
than that of a fine bassoon; one could even add the bassetto and bass to
this list of clarinets for less than the cost of a new Heckel.

No more from me on this topic.

Robert Howe

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