Klarinet Archive - Posting 000402.txt from 2004/06

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: Fingering Book-clear diagrams
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 00:20:26 -0400

At 05:32 PM 6/23/2004 -0700, Ormondtoby Montoya wrote:
>Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
> > Mozart was not much of a clarinettist, but
> > somehow HE managed to write some
> > passable stuff for the instrument. :-)
>
>
>Bill, I don't mean to argue just for the sake of arguing, but doggone
>it.... You're making an unjustified leap here from knowing something
>about the instrument to being a clarinet player.

As you may have noticed, I followed my comment with a little ":-)" to
suggest that it was not a serious argument.

>Mozart may not have played clarinet himself, but he did cultivate
>Stadler, he did discuss the instrument with clarinet performers, he did
>pay attention to what the instrument can & can't do, etc. I suppose
>it's debatable whether he wrote some notes that the instrument (of his
>era) couldn't play, or perhaps he was hoping that someone would modify
>the instrument to play what he did write; but Mozart *did* do more than
>just put notes down on paper without regard to the instrument that he
>hoped would play them. That's the point that I've been trying to make.

Obviously, he would have been aware of the extended range of the basset
clarinet as well. Evidence suggests Beethoven also worked with the
violinist Franz Clement (who premiered the work) on his violin
concerto. Two different versions of the solo part exist, one much more
violinistic and technically smoother, suggesting that it was modified
according to a violinist's wishes. The published version has elements of
both. Beethoven studied violin in his youth as well, so he was familiar
with it, probably much more so than Mozart was with the clarinet, but not
necessarily expert.

>This discussion started out with Robert's query about where to find
>information about fingering on a clarinet for the purpose of exploring
>its music. While I should not have "demanded" anything, my point was
>that a book dedicated to the sounds that come from different fingerings,
>along with appropriate discussion that what works on one particular
>instrument may not work on the next instrument --- such a book would be
>at least as useful, and perhaps more so, than the fingering chart in a
>beginner's method book.

I think the subtleties of tonal variations from different fingerings is
likely to be beyond the scope of anyone who is not DEEPLY into the
instrument -- as in a professional performing clarinettist writing a
concerto for clarinet. But clearly a well-informed composer should be
aware of the various instruments' ranges and awkward fingering problems
best avoided in passages that require smoothness. Something BETWEEN the
beginner fingering chart and the large book is likely most appropriate,
like the Rubank chart mentioned earlier.

>Obviously I'm going against the grain somehow. But I don't understand
>how or why.

I think we are really only splitting hairs about degree.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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