Klarinet Archive - Posting 000319.txt from 2004/01

From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Roger=20Hewitt?= <rogerclarinet@-----.co.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Transposition (Slightly OT) - Recorders
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 10:16:30 -0500

> Does anyone have any idea why, of all the wind instruments, recorders never
> were treated as transposing instruments? They all are written at concert
> pitch. Actually, I suppose the soprano is transposed - it sounds an octave
> above its written compass - but a written C still sounds a C. But alto and
> bass recorders (and I guess the sopranino - I've never played one) are based
> on an F scale, so the fingering for C on a tenor or soprano sounds an F on a
> bass or alto (or sopranino?). If players moving among C, Bb, A and F
> clarinets didn't like re-naming all the fingerings for each instrument, why
> did they not follow the same practice when it came to recorders?
>
> Just something I've always found curious.
>
> Karl
>

I think the answer is historical in that transposition was not done (maybe not even invented?)
when recorder notation began. When clarinets began, as we all know, the C clarinet was the thing,
but was (largely) replaced by the Bb instrument and the A. By this time the idea of transposition
was in use for Horns with several crooks, so the advantages for the player was realised for
clarinets. There were soon several clarinets (C Bb A D F ...). Recorder players were used to two
different fingerings (never more than C-based or F-based instruments were in use so far as I know)
so they just carried on. Personally, I wish that transposition is used for recorders - I would
play them more.
I learnt descant recorder first (long before clarinet) and I always got desperately confused on
treble; so much so that I wrote out a treble part in descant notation (i.e. transposition!) when I
had to play a fairly complex part a few years ago. I would now do this whenever possible
(notation software is a great help here!), not only fingering but also it reduces leger lines!

Roger H

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