Klarinet Archive - Posting 000338.txt from 2005/06

From: Andrew Grenci <agrenci@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Basset clarinets are regular orchestral instruments
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 22:09:22 -0400

Of course, the problem with this logic is that the lowest notes on bass
clarinet are not used "rarely", but rather quite often. Few orchestra
or band concerts go by went I do not need to play a low D, Db or C.
And much of the solo rep requires these pitches as well.

On the other hand, in more than two decades of professional clarinet
playing I have never even once been asked to play a orchestral or band
clarinet part which included basset clarinet notes. Not once. Now
THAT is rare.

Dan should be venting his wrath on the true villain here - Beethoven.
If he had taken up where Mozart left off then others (Schubert, Brahms,
etc., etc.) may have followed his lead and the whole history of the
clarinet might have been different.

Andy

Andrew Grenci
Bass Clarinet, U.S. Coast Guard Band
New Haven Symphony Orchestra

On Jun 19, 2005, at 4:01 PM, Dan Leeson wrote:

> We were having a discussion a few days ago about the use of basset
> clarinets
> as regular orchestral instruments and the main argument given against
> the
> practice was that one does not use the basset notes so why pay to have
> them.
>
> The same answer could be given for the bass clarinet. Should one buy
> the
> low C b.c. even though the low notes are very rarely used, or should
> one
> save money and buy the bass clarinet of traditional compass?
>
> It seems to me that it is an extraordinarily inconsistent argument to
> suggest that one should buy a bass clarinet with low C but not a basset
> clarinet based on these contradictory arguments.
>
> Dan Leeson
> dnleeson@-----.net
>
>
>
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