Klarinet Archive - Posting 000176.txt from 2007/03

From: "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: FW: [kl] Les Violiins du Roy
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:39:24 -0400

Every edition of the Requiem provides basset horn parts. Some,
including the one done by the Violins du Roy, also include
clarinet parts. And in the case of that edition (done by Robert
Levin) the basset hornists are instructed to change to A
clarinets at the Sanctus, and then back again to basset horns
following the Osanna fugue. (And there is a rock solid reason for
that change over.)

It may be one thing for a clarinetist who has had little
experience with the basset horn to prefer the clarinet part, and
I'm sympathentic to that. Here however, we have a conductor
creating a performance (which he narrated in separate commentary)
and speaking to issues of authenticity.

It is always possible that the clarinet players came to him and
asked if he would object to clarinets, but I have no evidence of
that. And in any case, a change of something as substantive as
the instrumentation would surely have required the permission of
the conductor. It is not something that you walk in and do.
Certainly Jim, when you came to play the part, were you aware
that you would be playing it on the clarinet, or did the change
from basset horns occur when you got to the rehearsal; i.e., were
you hired as a clarinetist or a basset hornist?

Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Lytthans [mailto:lytthans@-----.net]
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 2:22 PM
To: Klarinet Digest (Mail)
Subject: [kl] Les Violiins du Roy

I've performed the Mozart Requiem many times, both on clarinet
and basset
horn, and actually prefer it on soprano clarinet. The Basset part
is mostly
in the extreme upper range, and causes my life to pass in front
of my eyes
when I play the damn thing. If I owned a Basset and practiced it
regularly,
the part wouldn't be so difficult to bring off. On a soprano
clarinet, the
range is more natural, and easier to play. I know, I know, the
sound is not
the "dark" (opps!) Basset sound. It's sort of like playing viola
parts on a
violin.

I heard a performance of the Requiem in Prague some years ago,
with the
Prague Chamber Orchestra. They used soprano clarinets and the
performance
was stunning. And I didn't miss the Basset horn sound at all.
Keep in mind
that the trombones used today are not at all like the small bore
instruments
from Mozart's time.

Then there is the issue of what edition of the Requiem to
use............

--------------------
Jim Lytthans
Anaheim, CA

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