Klarinet Archive - Posting 000439.txt from 2006/03

From: Gary Van Cott <gary@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Alto Clarinet in the Orchestra
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:21:48 -0500

Occasionally you will see a good alto clarinet part in contemporary band
music. The Theme from Schindler's List which is a solo for violin,
clarinet, or flute with band, has a very nice alto clarinet part. Some of
it appeared to be doubling the bassoon (usually in short supply in the
groups I play in) while other parts seemed to be unique.

Did you know that Stravinsky once wrote for alto clarinet? It is the Elegy
for JFK for vocal soloist with two clarinets and alto clarinet.

Gary

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At 12:18 PM 3/22/06, you wrote:
>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)

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