Klarinet Archive - Posting 000510.txt from 2003/06

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Period basset horns (was: Purchase of Orchestral parts)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 17:19:59 -0400

Concerning the note below, I am not sure if it is to Larisa or to David
that I am writing, so forgive me if I get the gender backwards.

Forgive me for offering this disagreement, but I find that that basset
horn projects spectacularly well in the very area that Larisa/David
speaks of. That instrument may sound like one is playing into a stuffed
sofa from the player's point of view, but it projects like a bell from
the audience point of view. A basset horn player (on a contemporary
instrument) needs to cut the volume down because it generally projects
better than the player thinks.

Insofar as the suggestion that "Mozart really intended the basset
horn..." there isn't much of a question about this. Two basset horns
are defined by Mozart on the first page of the manuscript, so any
subsequent use of the instrument within the Requiem is de facto
acceptable. However, I do note that the basset horns solos (in the
Benedictus and Lacrymosa) are NOT by Mozart because no part of the
Benedictus exists in Mozart's hand -- it is entirely a Süssmayr
composition -- and the Lacrymosa is only an 8 meaure sketch with most of
the composition of the work being done by Süssmayr.

Finally, the suggestion that perhaps French horns should have been used
is problematic for two reasons. First, there are no French horns in the
Requiem, and second, the use of French horns in church music of Mozart's
day was VERY rare.

There is no evidence at all that Mozart intended the use of basset horn
in G in the Requiem. Your suggestion means that if basset horns in G
were really used, the parts would all be in the worst possible keys for
the instrument.

Dan

LARISA DUFFY & DAVID DOW wrote:
> Interestingly enough this is one of the areas of perfromance with the
> Requiem that gives clarinet players such a trial. The Basset Horn really
> does not project in the area where the majority of the Requiem K626
> requires...for example the opening note of the Bendectus on the Basset is a
> Concert F, fine and dandy, but on the brass counterpart this is certainly a
> more flexible and projectile sound.
>
> That being said I am still convinced that Mozart really intended the Basset
> horn, but on some pretext or maybe even lack of communication forgot or even
> didn't discuss orchestration problems with Sussmayr. I also know that the
> solo in the Lacrymosa is another bugger to prject and begins one more time
> on the same note......
>
> It would certainly be interesting to hear the French horn play the licks at
> the opening where the Bassets come in close harmony....this is one of the
> more delicious spots in the entire piece.
>
> This also brings me to mind whether or not the G Basset Horn maybe was used
> due to the structure of the keys.....in Cocert G major or minor this would
> have given the sound quite a different colouring....hmmmm
>
> After years of playing in orchestra I can certainly say the Requiem is
> really a tough part especially if the conductor is inept at understanding
> orchestral balances....very few recent recording allow the Bassett horns to
> emerge in a natural way....usually engineers who are playing with the
> buttons tend to put an unnatural forward balance on the few bits or instead
> they remain submerged in a quagmire of texture.....Decca seems the worst at
> iverdoing unnatural glaring balances in music like this...

--
***************************
**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
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