Klarinet Archive - Posting 000040.txt from 2005/06

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Bb versus C Clarinet?
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 23:29:40 -0400

At 01:15 AM 6/2/2005 +0200, Joseph Wakeling wrote:
>Tim Roberts wrote:
>
>>Consider the saxophone as a counterexample. Developed a century and a
>>half later, it came out of the starting blocks with better manufacturing
>>processes. Because of that, we find saxophones keyed in rather large
>>steps: soprano Bb, alto Eb, tenor Bb, baritone Eb, bass Bb. Smaller
>>increments were not necessary, just as smaller increments were not
>>*necessary* in the clarinets of that day. But by that time, it was too late.
>
>
>Still, there are quite a few unusual-pitched saxophones about.

The saxophones in the keys of C and F were intended as "orchestral"
instruments. Of course, they were never really accepted by orchestra
composers, so aside from Ravel's "Bolero" and a handful of others, there
was little reason to have an F mezzo sax, and they are now quite rare. In
fact, most of them were destroyed by using them as guinea pigs in
instrument repair schools. The Conn-O-Sax aberration was also in F, and
was a complete failure. C melody saxes became popular for home playing
along with piano sheet music and are still readily available on ebay and in
antique shops, etc. in various states of repair. There are a few C
sopranos floating about, too.

Bill Hausmann

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

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