Klarinet Archive - Posting 000722.txt from 2004/08

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Early basset horn (was: 1896 Selmer Basset Horn)
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 08:30:41 -0400

Is there evidence, then, that the early basset horn was actually *used* for
virtuoso horn music? Is there a body of music for it written in something like
the style of such music? I suspect not. It doesn't seem likely that there
was any perceived need to substitute for "low" horn players.
I think you are trying to say something about the state of mind of the Mayrhofers
which has a certain amount of plausibility, but for which there is no evidence.
All this has very little to do anyway with an 1896 Boehm-system basset horn.
Roger S.

In message <000901c48c20$1a0b3240$6a4dddd5@-----.org
writes:
> There are historic basset horns in all kinds of pitches, including D, E and
> G.
> Remember, the clarinet was considered a "mock trumpet" and if you hear a
> proper baroque clarinet played you realise why. A bundle of features make me
> believe the early basset horn was created in analogy as a "mock horn"... the
> lacking steps in the bass (you have a good diatonic scale only above the
> register break, the same written notes as on the horn) "evil" notes like the
> short Bb, the low C# and B are not required for horn parts or if, they would
> be bend down (with hand in bell) and sound different, much like the
> crossfingered notes sound on a small-tonehole early basset horn. The low C
> key yields the lowest commonly used harmonic of the horn, and sacrifices the
> steps inbetween (to the G) which cannot be played on a natural horn anyway.
> These two instruments have a lot in common, not only the bent shape and
> metal bell. It is also the "transcendent" timbre, of cause. But you would
> have to know and play an early basset horn to convince yourselve, I guess.
> Modern (especially French) instruments selling as basset horns have not
> inherited any of those subtle qualities. It's a totally different
> instrument.
> Best wishes,
> danyel
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Roger Shilcock
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 4:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [kl] FW: 1896 Selmer Basset Horn
>
>
> The first basset-horn *may* have resulted from an attempt to produce a
> horn-like
> sound from a reed instrument, but horns in the mid-eighteenth century were
> played with all sorts of crooks - I think D was far more common than F.
> Hence, it not likely to have been intended that it should play existing horn
> parts -still less so, given the musical content of such parts.
> Roger S.
>
>
>
>
>
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