Klarinet Archive - Posting 000533.txt from 2006/03

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Transposed Parts
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 06:08:37 -0500

Dan Leeson wrote in 1998 - Full text at:
<http://test.woodwind.org/Databases/Klarinet/1998/02/000503.txt>:
>Every examined clarinet tutor of the era, without exception, either
>explicitly indicated the key signatures that were considered appropriate to
>use when writing for a clarinet, or else implicitly indicated that same
>thing by providing exercises only in those key signatures and avoiding any
>key outside the narrow range of acceptability. For example, the "Clarinet
>Preceptor, or the whole art of playing the clarinet rendered easy to every
>capacity ..." by an anonymous author and printed in London between 1800 and
>1809 states:
>
>"As airs, etc. are composed in different keys in which clarinets
>can play in concert with other instruments, it is necessary to
>have two: one in B[flat], the other in C. The B[flat] clarinet
>must be used if the piece is in the key of E[flat] or B[flat] and
>the C clarinet if it is in the key of F or C. These four keys,
>B[flat]-C-E[flat]-F, are the only ones in which these instruments
>commonly play." (The text of this passage was edited for
>contemporary usage of spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.)

I would be curious to see the historical evidence backing up your claim.

-Adam

At 10:20 PM 3/25/2006, Joseph Wakeling wrote:
[...]
>As for arguing that pre-20th century clarinet choice was simply dictated
>by the key, that's nonsense. Composers of that period were keenly aware
>of the character difference between different clarinets (and other
>woodwinds), probably more so than now. In many cases the choice of key
>may have stemmed precisely from the desired instrumental character.

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