Klarinet Archive - Posting 000543.txt from 2006/03

From: "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Transposed Parts
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 11:48:24 -0500

There is a mixture of stuff here that has to be responded to.

First, Adam Michelin, after quoting something I wrote in 1998
(<http://test.woodwind.org/Databases/Klarinet/1998/02/000503.txt>
) ended his quotation with the request to see this historical
evidence backing my claim. I am happy to give it to him.

See, Daniel N. Leeson, Robert D. Levin: "Mozart's deliberate use
of incorrect key signatures for clarinets," Mozart Jahrbuch,
1998, pp. 139-152.

Then Joe Wakeling wrote that: "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."

Let me make sure I understand. I'll quote and modify your first
sentence slightly: "arguing that pre-20th century clarinet choice
was simply dictated by the key OF THE COMPOSITION, that's
nonsense."

If you agree that the addition of the capitalized words are what
you meant, then I'm afraid it is not nonsense at all. It is
historical fact that composers selected the pitch of the clarinet
based ENTIRELY on the key of the composition. The character of
sound of that instrument had nothing to do with its selection,
though it is reasonable to believe that once that clarinet had
been selected the composer used its particular character to the
music's best advantage. And it is also possible to think that the
key of the composition may have been chose because the composer
wanted to use a particular clarinet; i.e., Mozart selecting A
major for the piano concerto K. 488 because he wanted to use A
clarinets. But to examine what the facts are, I suggest you read
the same article that I pointed out to Adam Michelin.

There is not the slightest piece of evidence supporting your view
that composers of the period selected the clarinet used because
of the character difference between different clarinets. It's a
common belief, one that I fully subscribed to for years. But I
was wrong and reading the article will tell you why both you and
I were wrong on this apparently simple, obvious, and totally
incorrect conclusion.

Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net

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