Klarinet Archive - Posting 000046.txt from 2006/04

From: "danyel" <rab@-----.de>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bassetto in Boston
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 20:36:25 -0400

I would say it depends on the alto clarinet and on the bassett horn and even
more so on the reeds and mouthpieces.

A German alto clarinet in Eb by the Gebrüder Moennig in my collection sounds
(with proper mouthpiece and reed) more like a bassett horn (except for the
bottom notes of cause) than any modern bassett horn I would know.

Anyway, Stravinsky did not ask for a bassett horn at all. There are alto
clarinets in F and they should be used if possible (I have seen several by
Hammerschmidt and Uebel). Transposing the part on a good Eb instrument could
be compared to playing C parts on the Bb--done all the time. A real bassett
horn would be too soft and pale. On the other hand, most modern *bassett
horns* are merely alto clarinets in F with additional keys. Such large bore
instruments are as much bassett horns as a bass clarinet with low C
extension could be called a bassett horn in C. Historically and
aesthetically I don't think they have much in common. In that respect, a
modern *basset horn* in F might be quite suitable for the Stravinsky.

Best wishes,
danyel
www.echoton.de/clar.html

----- Original Message -----
From: "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 4:48 PM
Subject: RE: [kl] Bassetto in Boston

> From Robert Howe in response to a request about getting a basset
> horn in Boston for a performance of the 1929 Stravinsky.
>
> "Alto clarinet just isn't the same sound."
>
> Easy statement to make. Very difficult to justify. What
> evidence is there that an alto clarinet can be differentiated
> from a basset horn in realistic circumstances?
>
> I am not arguing for or against the statement that Howe made.
> I'm only opening up for discussion this long held belief for
> which almost everyone has an opinion, but also for which this is
> little or no objective evidence to support or deny it.
>
> Dan Leeson
> dnleeson@-----.net
>
>
>

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