Klarinet Archive - Posting 000494.txt from 2004/08

From: <duffyl@-----.ca>
Subj: [kl] Bass Clarinet in A
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 12:10:53 -0400


----- Dear Dan and others:

The bass clarinet in A is also the instrument choosen for the Daphnis suite
from Ravel and is also scored for in the Kammersinfonie of Schoenberg Op.
9....this early Schoenberg work is really quite important in the canon of
Schoenberg's music because of the incredible clarity of textures etc. I
really think there is a something to this arguement but alas makers today
are not happy to include the Bass in A and like any animal going extinct
it's pretty hard to find an arguement for it. Costs of production are more
about bottom line and whether Marketing can maintain profits etc.

I believe there is a Bantock piece which has an extensive solo for Bass in A
as well....so the repetoire does have some pretty strong pointing towards
the discretion of using such a beast. I could only remember in France
feeling the Bass in A had a nice round dark sound over the counterpart Bb
which I have played a wee bit.

There has also been a good deal of concern as to production quality in
normal clarinet making to warrant concern over buying a somewhat more
expensive too...so those are some of the cons I geuss....

David Dow
Symphony NB

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