Klarinet Archive - Posting 000444.txt from 2006/03

From: Tim Roberts <timr@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Alto Clarinet in the Orchestra
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 17:47:03 -0500

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 12:37:05 -0500, "Curtis Bennett"
<curtis.bennett@-----.com> wrote:

>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.
>

My own personal alto clarinet experience was not a good one. I picked
one up at an estate sale. It was in surprisingly good mechanical
condition. Although I could play it, it was not terribly pleasant. As
Kurt mentioned, I suspect the problem was a cheap mouthpiece. The band
parts are rare enough that I did not invest in a replacement.

However, a few years ago, we formed a clarinet choir as a summertime
diversion in our community band. One of our sax players brought his
alto clarinet. When he started playing, I was stunned. It was full,
rich, lush... glorious. He completely changed my opinion of what an
alto clarinet could be.

It would be fun to find a band piece with alto sax solo, and have him
play it on his alto clarinet.

--
Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

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