Klarinet Archive - Posting 000027.txt from 2008/09

From: "Thiel, Mark" <mark.thiel@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Favorite keys - Arpeggione
Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:59:42 -0400


While we are on the subject of favorite keys in which to play borrowed/stol=
en music, and since we've settled Rachmaninoff, how about the Schubert Arpe=
ggione sonata?

A little background: Schubert wrote his sonata D. 821 for arpeggione and p=
iano in 1824. If you're not familiar with the arpeggione -- well you can d=
amn well go read the wiki article -- if you're reading this you have a comp=
uter don't you? Anyway since there aren't a lot of arpeggionists to defend=
their turf, everyone, including of course clarinetists, has been stealing =
it ever since. It is in a minor; or actually
a minor - E major - A major - d minor - - A major- a minor - A major
and the original has the range from the E 1 ledger below the bass staff 4 o=
ctaves up to the E 3 ledgers above the treble staff.

I have seen clarinet editions and recordings in both (concert) a and g, wit=
h the range compressed somewhat. Alea publishing recently put out an editi=
on for bass clarinet which preserves the original range -- which means it g=
oes up to written F# 2 octaves above the top line F# ( they say: "Some pass=
ages require comfort with altissimo register; some players may choose to tr=
anspose a few measures down by one octave."!) I can make noises up there o=
n my bass clarinet, but no one wants to hear it -- including me.

Well, finally getting to the point, the piece has a few arpeggios and runs =
which go most of the 4-octave range and are pretty cool if kept intact. I =
thought: "Four octaves? (Low-C) Bass clarinet?" and decided to try it down =
an augmented fourth -- i.e. in written f, concert eb. It seems to me to wo=
rk well in this key and I've been having fun with it, though I don't have t=
he piano part in this key and will probably never need it.

So does anyone else have a favorite Arpeggione key?

longwindedly,
Mark Thiel

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