Klarinet Archive - Posting 000421.txt from 2004/08

From: joseph.wakeling@-----.net
Subj: [kl] Bass Clarinet in A - historical evidence?
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2004 15:24:20 -0400

In one of the books on orchestration that I own, Alfred Blatter's
"Instrumentation/Orchestration", there is a mention of the occurrence of the A
Bass in scores accompanied by a comment along the lines that "there is a
plausible rumour that no bass clarinet in A has ever existed".

My first thought on reading this was to hand Dan the ammunition, since I know
he has owned one, but I am curious about this: what evidence is there for the
existence of the A bass, historically, other than its presence in the scores
of a number of famous composers? Are there examples of this instrument to be
found other than in recent times?

Cheers,

-- Joe

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