Klarinet Archive - Posting 000160.txt from 2008/01
From: "Daniel Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] bartok/k-622/A vs. Bb arrogance/etc
Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:45:20 -0500
Pamela is a powerhouse!! It was her work and her work alone that allow the
rediscovery of a picture of Stadler's basset clarinet. Prior to that time,
the existence of such an instrument was entirely based on unexplainable
peculiarities in the text of K. 622. But Pamela found a program in which
Stadler played K. 622 in a concert venue in Latvia or Lithuania. I forget.
And in that program was a sketch of Stadler's instrument. It was so strange
that the management decided to show a picture of this bizarre instrument,
thank goodness. Without it we would still be arguing if Stadler really had
such an instrument.
Some of the "make your own clarinetists" went mad with delight when they saw
that the bell of the instrument was shaped like an English horn bell. And
further, that there was a vent hole at the lower end of the lower joint
through which the air came when the low C was played.
That vent hole has now given rise to the theory that the instrument did not
go down to low C, but rather to low B-natural when the vent hole was closed
with a pad or even the use of the leg to cover it.
Dan Leeson
dnleeson@-----.net
SKYPE: dnleeson
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Cohler [mailto:cohler@-----.org]
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 8:33 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: RE: [kl] bartok/k-622/A vs. Bb arrogance/etc
Thanks, Dan, for the spelling correction and the note about the
instrument's name. Yes according to an interesting article I just
found on the web (by Pamela L. Poulin):
http://symposium.music.org/cgi-bin/m_symp_show.pl?id=241
the terms "bass clarinet", "basset clarinet" and "newly invented
clarinet" were all used to describe the instrument in the 18th and
early 19th centuries. She has lots of good sources, references and
facsimiles in the article. Including, of course, references to some
of your work Dan!
--Jonathan
At 5:28 PM -0800 1/8/08, Daniel Leeson wrote:
>I always thought that the term "basset clarinet" was a modern invention,
but
>Nicolas Shackelton shaped my head right when he point out two 18th century
>sources calling the instrument a basset clarinet.
>
>Dan Leeson
>dnleeson@-----.net
>SKYPE: dnleeson
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jonathan Cohler [mailto:cohler@-----.org]
>Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 5:21 PM
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: Re: [kl] bartok/k-622/A vs. Bb arrogance/etc
>
>
>The Mozart Concerto was written for an extended A clarinet, that has
>been dubbed the "bassett clarinet" not to be confused with the
>"bassett horn" or alto clarinet.
>
>So, the answer to your question is no, an A-clarinet sounds more like
>a bassett clarinet than an alto clarinet. Of course, a bassett
>clarinet is the best choice.
>
>--Jonathan
>
>>been lurking here a year or so - here's my first post:
>>
>>>Therefore, if color is the argument for instrument choice, and only
>>>modern-day instruments are at hand, then using a modern day A
>>>clarinet to play a Beethoven C clarinet part would be a BETTER choice
>>>than using a modern day C clarinet!
>>
>>thanks for mentioning that.
>>following that logic, should one play the mozart concerto on alto clarinet
>>- at least at auditions? :) - isn't an alto closer to a basset-horn than
an
>A?
>>
>>IMHO, the timbre differences between A/Bb are too subtle to support
>>any kind of historical accuracy/composer intent argument. and even
>>if a few low Ebs have to be changed or tongue-on-the-reed "lipped
>>down", who cares? arrogance? composers are are far more arrogant..
>>use the composer's score as a tool to make good music - not the
>>other way around!
>>
>>m@
>>http://sfsound.org/matt
>>
>>
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>
>--
>Jonathan Cohler
>Artistic & General Director
>International Woodwind Festival
>http://iwwf.org/
>cohler@-----.org
>
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>
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--
Jonathan Cohler
Artistic & General Director
International Woodwind Festival
http://iwwf.org/
cohler@-----.org
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