Klarinet Archive - Posting 000310.txt from 2004/09

From: "Karl Krelove" <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Franck Symphony 3 bass clarinet in TC?
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:08:12 -0400


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen C. Moore [mailto:stephen.c.moore@-----.com]
>
> I'm all for learning transposition, but don't you think its a little
> too late in this instance? I don't think its very fair to the group
> he's playing with for him to start experimenting with that if he has a
> concert coming up - especially since 99% of the part is in bass clef.
>
>

The flip side is that without a performance looming close by, most players
wouldn't ever get around to practicing this kind of skill on their own. I
think a lot depends on whether or not he's otherwise comfortable with the
instrument and the actual content of the part (which, as I remember it,
isn't very hard technically). Most of us learn new skills best when we *have
to* for a particular occasion.

One of the hardest things about trying to teach students (children or
adults) in an organized, systematic way is that the teacher is constantly
being asked the question "why do I need to know that?" The stock answer
always used to be (when I was growing up - nowadays it doesn't seem to work
as well) "because you'll need it later" which tends to be another way of
saying "because I said so." This person has an opportunity to practice a
skill that is not fundamentally difficult but will have lasting benefit, and
the reason why is right there in his date book. In the long run, transposing
a part like this is far less trouble than keying or scanning it into a
notation program to print a transposition. There's still Finale or Sibelius
or whatever for the tricky couple of measures here and there that need a
little extra security.

Karl Krelove

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