Klarinet Archive - Posting 000090.txt from 2008/01

From: "Daniel Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Bartok Contrasts
Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:43:44 -0500

This matter of clarinet pitches and which to use, lies at the heart of a
non-trivial problem, namely this: who is responsible for dicting which
clarinet types are used? There are only three choices: the composer, the
publisher, the performer. I include the publisher because there many
existing clarinet parts calling for a clarinet type that differ from the
ones the composer requested. We had such a case not more than a few weeks
ago when someone wanted to know how he could get a certain work printed in a
B-flat clarinet rather than a C clarinet. And an investigation showed that
one publisher issued a part entirely for B-flat clarinet as a convenience to
the player, while another made the part available with both clarinet types
included, also as a convenience to the player.

Now to Thomas Hill. I have no idea why he chose to use one clarinet, though
it is a dramatic demonstration of his skill. That piece is a killer and to
add an additional complication of transposing as well as playing is a
courageous thing to do.

But at the same time, it is an arrogant thing to do. The player says, "I
don't care what the composer requested in terms of the orignal clarinet
pitch. I am changing his expliciit request for any of a number of reasons,
and I will not tolerate being challenged in this decision. It is mine to
make." And there is yet another sense of the performer's arrogance, because
to do it is equivalent to saying that the only thing that matters is the
pitch of the note, and its character is of lesser importance.

Now look how far that perspective can be streched: I am a doubler and play
both clarinet and oboe. I have a gig which requires a lot of stuff
including A clarinet, and an oboe d'amore, an instrumet that is in A. Not
wanting to shlep all that stuff, I recognize that I can either play the A
clarinet music on an oboe d'amore, or the oboe d'amore music on an A
clarinet.

You might think that the anology is ridiculous, and I would agree with you
to a considerable degree. But what is the difference between this silly
situation and going to a gig without a C clarinet when you are certain that
the music calls for one? It is entirely a matter of degree, not kind.

The player figures that conductor won't know the difference and won't care
in any case. Have any of you been called out by the conductor because you
were playing the C clarinet music on an A clarinet? They don't really know
or care what you are doing as long as the notes come out OK. But would they
know and care if you used the oboe d'amore instead of an A clarinet.

Just how much of the slippery slope does the music world tolerate here?

Dan Leeson
dnleeson@-----.net
SKYPE: dnleeson

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom McKay [mailto:tjmckay@-----.edu]
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 3:59 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: Re: [kl] Bartok Contrasts

I recently heard a performance by the Boston Chamber Players, with Thomas
Hill playing clarinet. He did a beautiful job. He played it all on B-flat
clarinet.

(Maybe it would have been even better if he had used his A clarinet.?)

Tom McKay

On 1/5/08 4:50 PM, "Keith Bowen" <bowenk@-----.com> wrote:

> Yes that is how they are written (two clarinets). They are quite
difficult,
> and would become much more so in transposition!
>
> The violin also plays two instruments (one tuned as G#, D, A Eb).
>
> As for acceptability, I would give a resounding NO, but opinions differ
:).
>
> Keith Bowen
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: klarinet-return-92478-bowenk=compuserve.com@-----.org
> [mailto:klarinet-return-92478-bowenk=compuserve.com@-----.org] On
Behalf
> Of Fred
> Sent: 05 January 2008 21:33
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] Bartok Contrasts
>
>
> Are the Contrasts -supposed- to be played on Bb and A clarinets, or
> is it very acceptable to do the whole thing on Bb?
>
> Fred
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>

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