Klarinet Archive - Posting 000330.txt from 2004/01

From: "Dee D. Flint" <deehays@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Transposition (Slightly OT)
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:14:11 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "Karl Krelove" <karlkrelove@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 9:46 AM
Subject: [kl] Transposition (Slightly OT)

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Joseph Wakeling [mailto:joseph.wakeling@-----.net]
> >
> > The "German notation" used to use bass clef (as it's a bass
> > instrument) with
> > the notes written sounding a major second below what was written.
> >
> > The "French notation", which dates from a little later, uses the treble
> > clef, with the notes sounding a major ninth below what's written (i.e.
an
> > octave below the normal clarinet).
> >
>
> 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
>
>

This is sheer speculation but my guess would be because recorders are so
much older and the custom of writing all instruments in the same family the
same way and just transposing the printed music had not yet been developed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org