Klarinet Archive - Posting 000107.txt from 2008/01

From: "Alexander Brash" <brash@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Bartok Contrasts' B-flat clarinet part
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:10:17 -0500

butbutbut! You can't do the low Es! Unless you had some kind of extension
I guess?

On this one, I kind of agree with Dan, caveating it with the statement
that you should consider carefully the composer you're dealing with, and
why the instrument was chosen. I don't think anyone is going to argue that
Bartok chose the two clarinets in this piece for anything *but* color and
character considerations, and as such it should be respected in
performance. The name of the piece is "contrasts" after all, not "medium
well please" :) It's the same issue with violinists fingering the opening
of the third movement.

Of course if your options are not to share this great piece with an
audience, or to play it entirely on Bb (if you didn't have access to an
A), then of course I'd say perform it all on Bb :)

That said - I cheat on some of the changes in the third movement because
I'd otherwise never make it at the tempo we like to go. On an unrelated
note, it makes one of the passages phenomenally easier ;)

There is an excellent recording of this put out recently by a rather
famous clarinetist that does the first page of the first movement on the
Bb, and at some point that would not be possible if not in a studio,
switches to an A clarinet (gasp!).

On Mon, January 7, 2008 9:34 am, Margaret Thornhill wrote:
> Both of my copies of the Bartok Contrasts (Boosey and Hawkes) were
> printed with two clarinet parts. One of them is entirely for clarinet in
> B-flat
>
> There is nothing arrogant about a clarinetist playing the piece on one
> clarinet. Some people actually consider the first movement easier in
> B-flat.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Margaret Thornhill
> Artist/Teacher of Clarinet
> Los Angeles
> http://www.margaretthornhill.com
>
>
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