Klarinet Archive - Posting 000342.txt from 2005/06

From: Joseph Wakeling <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Basset clarinets are regular orchestral instruments
Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 00:11:26 -0400

Adam Michlin wrote:

> About a year ago, I was at a regional CBDNA (Collegiate Band Directors
> National Association) conference and partook in a meeting with some
> really big name composers. The really big composers were asked by a
> doctoral student "What can we do to get you to write more works for
> the wind band?". One of the really big name composers, without missing
> a beat, responded "Write us a check.".

Which really big name composers were these? Were they big in commercial
composition (i.e. film music etc.) or were they the big "serious"
composers? (I don't like the term, but it'll convey what I mean well
enough for now.)

The point is that many of the big "serious" composers will willingly
write for, and demand, unusual instruments safe in the knowledge that
their works are important enough that people will want to perform them
and will *make damn sure* that they have the right instruments for
them. If Carter or Ligeti or Boulez were to write for basset clarinet
you can be sure those works would be widely performed. Stockhausen has
written extensively for basset horn---just as problematic in terms of
availability as the basset clarinet---with no qualms whatsoever.
Birtwistle's Linoi is regularly performed.

> Like it or not, the basset clarinet exists only to play Mozart and it
> seems there is not enough Mozart being performed in this world for
> most players to justify the purchase of a basset clarinet (a sad state
> of affairs which goes way beyond the subject of basset clarinets).

No, it doesn't. Alan Hacker in particular put a great deal of effort
into persuading composers to write new repertoire for the instrument
(notably Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies). It's an essential
instrument for anyone really interested in the modern clarinet
literature, not least because it also makes a sensible alternative to
the "full Boehm" instrument called for by some composers (including,
most significantly, Berio) in works which require multiphonics not
achievable on the regular instrument.

> The bass clarinet to low c argument is comparing apples to oranges,
> since the extension to low c of the bass clarinet adds new range to
> the clarinet family (Eb Soprano, Soprano, Bass->Eb) of the orchestra.
> The basset clarinet does not offer composers any new notes which were
> previously unavailable to the existing (common) orchestral clarinet
> family.

Naa. The existence of contrabass clarinets shoots that one down. It's
not pitch that's important, it's the combination of pitch and tone
colour. The basset clarinet is a unique voice (just as the basset horn is).

They'll likely always be minority instruments but in my opinion they
have a healthy future. You'll always get genius composers like
Birtwistle or Adès who find out about it, get fascinated by it, and want
to write for it. All we really have to do is make propaganda to make
more composers aware of its existence.

-- Joe

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