Klarinet Archive - Posting 000438.txt from 2006/03

From: "Jay Niepoetter" <Niep@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Alto Clarinet in the Orchestra
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 14:20:12 -0500

Sousa did use an alto clarinet. Noted Sousa scholar Paul Bierley has
documented the instrumentation of the Sousa Band from its creation in 1892
to its final year in 1931. Sousa had an alto clarinet every year. In 1900 he
used two!

Sousa enjoyed using a "multiplicity of quartets" in his band to create
multiple groups playing in four-part harmony. He liked the colors this
created throughout the band. He used one or two E-flat clarinets, a section
of B-flats that ranged from 11, the smallest section, in 1896, to 27 in
1925, an alto clarinet (two in 1900), and a bass clarinet.

The alto clarinet parts in Sousa marches are sometimes very unique parts and
are not doubled in any other parts. Stars and Stripes' trio is an example.

The alto clarinet has prominent solos in standard wind ensemble / band
compositions by Grainger, Dahl, Dello Joio and others. Its unlikely that
alto clarinet will disappear completely.

Jay Niepoetter (former alto clarinet player)

-----Original Message-----
From: Curtis Bennett [mailto:curtis.bennett@-----.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 11:37 AM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: Re: [kl] Alto Clarinet in the Orchestra

Is the alto clarinet doomed to the path of the basset horn - a remnant
of a bygone era that's only seldom played?

I mean, they still do exist. Someone played one in our community band,
albeit briefly. But, it seems like in another 20 years, there won't be
much of a point. No one seems to be writing a lot of parts for that
instrument anymore.

Did Sousa's band have an Alto clarinet in it?

>

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