Klarinet Archive - Posting 000184.txt from 2007/03

From: "Keith Bowen" <bowenk@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Requiem a Quebec
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:43:38 -0400

Dan, I so agree. The embouchure and support are different from either the
clarinet or the bass clarinet. Just because the fingering is the same does
not mean a clarinetist can pick it up and play it to his/her usual standard
right away (after practice and with a good instrument, yes of course). And
it amazes me that players who would not tolerate a poor soprano clarinet for
a professional performance will think it acceptable to play on what sounds
like the equivalent of a Chinese clarinet after mangling by a generation of
high school students.

Keith Bowen

>But if the story you tell is accurate, as I believe it to be,
then it would be natural to use clarinets. However, I have no
knowledge of what basset horn experience the two players had, and
if it was their first time, it is not surprising that they had
problems. It is not an instrument that one can pick up and play
elegantly without some experience.

>Almost every time this happens, the problem is always said to be
that of the basset horn, and I don't believe that. It's just a
convenient way of laying the blame on something that cannot
defend itself.

>Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net

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